You have to push through if you want to “win” in any aspect of life.
My mom Lyn was diagnosed with Her2+ breast cancer in November of 2019. In October 2019, she had her first 3D mammogram (which I highly suggest every woman get when it’s time) that detected a tiny spot that looked abnormal. Considering cancer doesn’t run in my family, esp breast cancer, I reassured her it would be fine when they took the biopsy.
I was so sure she was fine, but it turned out that it was cancer. Everything moved really quickly after that. She started being seen by a team of doctors at MD Anderson in Houston, TX.
I thought because they said it was so small, and she was SO healthy and also only a few months shy of 50- the treatment would just be surgery to remove it. Again, I was wrong. The doctors told her she would need chemotherapy…12 rounds…because of the type of cancer, no matter how small it was- along with a mastectomy and hormone therapy for 5 years.
I was my mom’s primary caregiver. I made sure she took her medicine, drained her tubes after surgery, and made sure her diet and supplementation were on point. She had surgery in January 2020 to remove cancer and started chemo in March 2020, right when Covid hit.
It was hard to watch because my mom was so healthy and active before, to see her energy start to drain. But one thing she maintained the entire time was a positive attitude. We made it a point for her to go for a couple of miles walks multiple times a week…it was hard for her to lift because she had a chemo port in her chest, but she did as she could. She was a quarterback on an all-women football team, so we would go play a few times a week still. I made sure she stayed as active as she could. I don’t think she complained one time, even when I had to shave her hair off because it finally started to fall. She never had a victim mentality, always had a positive outlook, and never EVER asked “why me?”
She’s an inspiration, to never give up and keep pushing and fighting even when you don’t want to or feel like you can’t. Mindset is everything, and I truly believe because she was so mentally tough and positive, she persevered. Her having cancer was definitely an eye-opener to the things that really matter in life, for me personally. To be grateful for the life you have every day in good health because you never know when that can be taken away from you.
She completed all her treatments in early 2021, and she’s been cancer free and healthy since.
Still to this day, when I think I’m tired from life or I don’t have one more rep in me while I’m competing or at the gym, I think back to how my mom fought hard to win her battle. I use that to fuel me in the gym, and in my regular life too. You have to push through if you want to “win” in any aspect of life.
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