Super Moms can fall too!

I love blogging! It's like an unpersonal diary, that strangers can be influenced or impacted by my story. Unfortunately I have not always shared my complete story with you...dun, dun, dun! The way I function is, by not vocalizing my emotions until the situation is cleared up. I had every intention of introducing myself to you in a honest way...my favorite blogs are the ones where the author is genuine and raw! So here is a little piece of insight into what I have been experiencing the last year and a half. In fact, it might explain why I haven't been totally present on this blog.

 Two Mother's Days ago my mom and I had coffee and just hung out to talk...she seemed a little off, but I didn't think too much about it. Little did I know that she had much on her mind as she was going in for a core needle biopsy on a lump she had felt under her arm. The week prior to this, she and I went to the gym together and in some healthy competition, she overdid it a little. She thought that she might have pulled a muscle because it was pretty sore under her arm. The next day she noticed that her "pulled muscle" was quite swollen and starting to feel like a lump. She called her doctor about her scheduled mammogram and her lump. He suggested that she come in so he could just check it out. So the day after mother's day, she had a scheduled biopsy.

 My mom has breast cancer, what horrendous news for a woman who is so full of life and on the brink of turning (only) 50!

 The doctors said that her tumors were fast growing and that they were close to her collar bone. Within two weeks she had started her chemo treatments to shrink the tumors away from her bone, what an awful toll it took on her body. Nurses saw her as doing too much, but also told her that if she has energy than to use it. They were constantly surprised by her energy levels. I am surprised too, but in a different way! My mom has always fought and pushed through anything that has gotten in her way. As a single mother working long hours most of my life...she had to push through, which is something I have always admired in her! This cancer though, has reminded me that even she could be taken back by something so vicious...why did I need to learn (even at 31!), that my mom is not Super Woman! The woman who would stop at nothing to make dinner, work hard, be a Girl Scout leader, climb trees and play in the mud with my kids!

 My mom found out about an organization that helps patients with breast and ovarian cancer, through resources and financial needs. As someone who has seen many people battle and lose to cancer in her life: Brother Lymphoma, Father Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Friend/co worker Pancreatic Cancer and two other co workers; she jumped at the chance to support such a cause and take part in a 10k walk as a future survivor and representative of those she knew. The walk took place in Long Beach and right in front of the salon we work at. When the owner of the salon caught wind of this event, she decided to form a team in support of my mom and the three stylists who have passed from cancer at our salon. Our whole salon has supported and took part in this walk. Since the owners' involvement, my mom has done a couple of interviews for the walk and for some newspapers, one of which is under a caption "Local Heroes" (not a coincidence to me)!

 The walk was a great milestone in her journey. She was turning 50 five days after the event and two weeks before that was her last chemo treatment! We walked proud, knowing that she was fighting a battle and winning:) My Super Mom shortly after that walk, had a double mastectomy, radiation treatments, and then found out that she tested positive for the BRCA-1 gene! She had a hysterectomy as a preventative measure for the gene a few months ago and is now seeing a great oncologist, who like us believes in the power of alternative medicine! Her odds are great of never getting a recurrence of cancer again, but as most of us know that doesn't mean she won't! We are hopeful and grateful for every moment with the best BAMA in the world! Please ask any questions... I will try to post up moments from this last year as they come to me, since I know that there are a lot of holes:)