I was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 38. I had radiation, chemo, and a lumpectomy, and shortly after my 39th birthday, I was cancer free. I stayed that way until my 50th birthday in 2007. I now have metastatic breast cancer—it is in my bones. There is no cure, but it can be treated and slowed way down. I was told I have 2 to 20 years. I am shooting for the over-20-year mark; I have grandchildren to teach things to that only a grandmother can teach.

    There are really only two things I would like to say about going through something like this. First, all through our lives we encounter hurdles that we have to cross. Some are so tiny that we cannot even see them; we just skip across them. Others are rather large and we need help with them. Cancer is a big hurdle, but it can be crossed. You find out who your true friends and loving family are when battling cancer.

    Second is the importance of our attitude. During my first experience with cancer, I was waiting for radiation one day when an elderly lady patted my hand. She told me words of such wisdom that I have tried to follow them ever since. She said, “Honey, sometimes in this life there are things we cannot control. During something like this [cancer treatment], there is very little we can control. But there is one thing we always have control of: our attitude!! If we have a bad attitude, everyone around us will be grumpy and treat us badly. If we have a good attitude, people around us will respond to that and treat us much better. The choice is ours as to which attitude we have.”

    I have taken her words to heart. I always approach everything with a smile. I have horrible veins and before I got a med port, getting needles stuck in me was awful. But when I tried to smile and relax the nurse, it went better. That elderly lady’s word have held true through the years and I will continue to live by them for as long as I take a breath.