Reflecting back one year ago...

One year ago today I left on a journey.  This journey was one of the most difficult that I've had to go on in my entire life.  One year ago today, I left my home, my two precious boys, my family, my job, and my friends for an unknown amount of time.  When Jason and I drove out of our driveway, and headed to Rochester for my stem cell transplant, it broke my heart.  I was consumed my sadness, fear, confusion, and so many more emotions, but we knew that this was the next step in curing my cancer, and we knew we were doing the right thing, but it didn't make it any easier. 

What a lot of people don't know...is that this journey also was a blessing for me!  When we arrived in Rochester last year, that Halloween night, we were greeted at the door by three BEAUTIFUL ladies with bright smiles on their faces (I will never forget that moment!!).  These three people have become my family and will always and forever hold a special spot in my heart and in my life.  These three ladies, Donna, Nicki, and Andie saved my life - they may have not saved my life medically, but they saved me emotionally.  They gave me a safe haven to heal, filled with love, laughter, tears, hugs, long talks, movie nights, Gerard Butler, high school drama, and so much more!  Without them helping me keep my mind off of what I was going through, I literally don't know what I would have done. I truly owe my life to them, and thank them for all that they have done for me, and what they continually do for me and my family!

Also on this journey I created a stronger and deeper bond with those that were my caregivers. Not many people can truly say that they have gone through thick and thin with someone, but I can! There were many days that were not good days for me..I did have a lot of suffering and difficult times, but with the strength and undenying love and empathy of my caregivers - I GOT THROUGH IT!  Even though the transplant didn't do what it was supposed to do for me medically, it gave me so many other things - things and memories that I will cherish forever! I also want to make sure that I thank again all of the people that did so many things for us at home while I was gone - your help made it possible for me to be gone, and for Jason to be with me.

Even though sometimes it feels like only yesterday that I was gone for those 41 days, and sometimes it feels like ages ago, I can still say "wow, what a difference a year can make"!  In the mean time....GET BUSY LIVING!