Giving Back

What a great answer. Look at us validating each other ;-) Seriously though, I think it's important to find a balance. I definitely think it's time you used your spa certificate. You deserve it. Thank you for echoing my need to have conversations outside of the cancer community that have nothing to do with cancer, but also to form friendships within the cancer community that are about so much more than just cancer.
Big hugs to you and keep up the amazing work!
Terri

Aside from attending meetings at the hospital where I will be sitting in on a support group on the surgical floor, today (ironically, Oct 1) was my first real "event."

My volunteering is two fold. I will be on the surgical floor 2-3 times a month to offer support to those who are still dealing with drains and IV poles. In addition, if any patient expresses they would like to speak to someone, the social worker will coordinate direct correspondence by matching a patient with a volunteer. I've only been "official" at this for six weeks. Most recently, my "yard neighbor" was dx'd and was mid way through treatment & post surgery before anyone bothered to let me know what was happening. The day after I found out, I rang the bell just to say, "I'm here, do you need anything?" We chatted (I listened) to all of those horrible concerns about "what am I going to look like, I'm mangled, I'm mutilated" and tissue expanders are positively UNSIGHTLY. Chemo side effects (which knocked her into the hospital a few times)-dispensed with that in under five minutes. No hair? She was always a free spirit-it bothered her but even that conversation was fairly quick. She was so distraught and I KNEW exactly how she felt. I walked her in the bathroom so she could SEE the end result. She was crying and I was trying to just keep the tears welled up.....When she reached over and said, "You don't know what you just did for me today." No more thoughts of disfigurement. Her present appearance was only temporary and now she saw it with her own eyes.

(My breasts ceased being a "private part" when I no longer had breasts. I'm not normally a flasher, but in that moment, I knew that's what I needed to do. I was having my own "self image" issues over my totally altered body so her "opinion" helped me too-for me, it was like showing her my belly button)

On the other side of the volunteer coin, I got involved with Army of Women because I need to believe we can eradicate breast cancer by 2020. The deadline has been set and I want to get the word out that joining AOW is not obligating anyone to do anything-just read an email. Studies are taking too long to fill and without research on all women, we won't ever understand WHY. We want to "advertise" a new study to as many women as possible to see who might be interested in the product. The more women, the quicker the study....

Through this, I've met some spectacular people (including everyone on this site and in the twitter world). My life is not only enriched, it is completely changed. The entire direction of life shifted and connecting with people, having my opinions valued, my feelings validated just by listening to others....I'm a far better person for having stepped on this path.....