Kellie's May Update

“School’s out for summer!” Well, almost. Porter’s last day is tomorrow and mine is next week. It’s been a great school year! I’ve really enjoyed teaching health and being back in middle school. Working has really helped in the process of my recovery. It kept me busy, positive, and productive, while it kept my mind from dwelling on all the “what if,” and “negative” scenarios of life. Work also gave me a chance to be me again. I wasn’t known as the poor cancer victim with disabled children to boot. The staff was able to get to know me before they found out about the periphery influences on my life. Yes, cancer is/was a part of who I am, but it is not all of who I am.

So let’s start with the cancer part of my life. I was able to participate in The Race for a Cure this year. Wow! I was truly amazed at the amount of people that were there that day. I believe it was around 17,000, which really goes to show how far the ripples of this disease reach. I was in a group of about 14 and we were busy passing out fliers and bracelets for I Think Pink, all except Parker who slept through the 3 mile walk. I was exhausted afterwards, much more than I thought I would be. I really need to work on regaining my stamina, not that I had a lot pre-cancer. I also just had my 3rd, 3 month check up and everything looks fine. My hair is getting a little crazy. It’s growing and still thick and now wavy/curly and looks pretty large in the morning. I’m not going to do anything with it until the end of June, just let it go until then.

I’m looking forward to this summer, even though it will start with another surgery, my hysterectomy. At least I won’t be out of commission the whole summer like last year. I’ve already been able to do a lot of planting and yard work that I wasn’t able to do at all last Spring. Summers are my time to be a full time mom, which is one of the perks of my job. As far as that goes, I feel that I have the best of both worlds. And when people comment or complain about one role (working mom) or the other (stay at home mom) I’m able to respond to both since I do both, though I believe all moms are working moms, 24/7.

I never intended to be a stay at home mom, knowing that my profession would allow me to experience both roles, which it has done. Had I known that I was going to have the boys that I have, I probably would have planned to stay home, but how would I have ever known that? Financially, staying home is just not an option, and right now I am so grateful to be employed in a secure job that I love doing during these unsettling economic times. That’s why I am also so grateful to the “village” that helps me with my kids. I really could not do it without them. All the family, friends, neighbors, school personnel, therapists, doctors, nurses, and co-workers that assist and love our boys give our family so much support and strength. I hope that all of you have or will experience that type of encouragement either by giving or receiving it, many times over throughout your life. It’s a beautiful thing!

Don’t forget to do your self-exam or to schedule your mammogram. And please, submit a story. We can all learn from each one of them.