Dear blogging friends. Perhaps some of you have noted that I’ve been completely silent for the past couple of weeks. I have needed to tend to a hurting heart.
Earlier this month we learned that our daughter, Aimee, has breast cancer. I’m barely able to talk about this yet, but Aimee is open and honest with her friends and family, and hasn’t closed herself off to communication.
Social restrictions have made it hard for her to share personally with many of her friends, so she did what she didn’t really want to do, and posted on Facebook. With her permission, I’ve copied her message and hope that you’ll take the time to read it.
Ironically, on the day that I was supposed to go back to the front lines of nursing, I exited the workforce and entered the doors of City of Hope as a patient. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer and am in the process of developing a treatment plan with my doctors at this time. In an effort to keep myself and those around me healthy and not delay my treatment, I am currently isolating myself from the general public. I am not on social media often and certainly am not sharing this for any personal attention or need for response. In fact, I’d rather not share at all and would block response if I knew how.I have to share a few thoughts however. I beg of you to all please take the advice of social distancing seriously. To all of my friends on the front lines in the Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care Centers, EMS and Public Health, thank you! My heart is alongside you and your families as you do the difficult work and risk your own health for the sake of others. That’s what we have all been called to do but it doesn’t make that drive into work any easier right now, I’m sure.To all my other friends and family, please listen to the warnings that are advised. This protects our healthcare workers, our families, our friends and me. One thing that I have learned and experienced much too personally is that we are not invincible. I have been a nurse for 24 years, yikes! I have taken care of countless numbers of women with breast cancer. I’m supposed to be the caregiver but will transition to the patient.I have had friends afflicted with the worst of illness and have held the hands of countless people as they have died from accident or illness. Viruses don’t discriminate either. Just because you feel well today doesn’t mean that the exposure risk is any less for you. We can’t stop the spread of this virus entirely but slowing it down is extremely important so we don’t exhaust resource. Please love on each other the best way we can by staying away from each other. Use this time for rest, quality family time and fill your soul with the things that bring peace to you. Much love, Aimee
All good thoughts and wishes are welcome. If prayer is a part of your practice and faith, I’d value your prayers on her behalf. My personal faith has never meant more to me. However, I honestly don’t want to create a stressful situation where you feel the need to respond. I just want you to understand my distancing, and to know where it is coming from right now. I’ll be “around” the blogosphere in my own way, and I expect there will be times I’ll find it easier than others.
I haven’t been reading posts, so I don’t know how you’re all affected at this time when we are all attempting to keep ourselves and others safe by adhering to the recommendations of our local jurisdictions. But I can easily assume this is stressful for each and every one!
Blessings to each one of you and thank you for your friendship. I wonder if others, people who have never blogged before, are learning something of the value in “screen time” communication and relationships? We bloggers have known it for a while now.
