I went to work less than 10 hours after learning my results, I needed the "cancer" word to escape my mind. I told only two people at work and also told them I couldn't make eye contact with them at work as I would break down. Within 8 hours, these two people rallied and had mobilized resources for me and my family. I was also embraced by a fellow Minnesotan to stay with her, her husband, daughter and dog Mozlee. I opted to spend one night alone at the hotel to mentally process what had just happened and make the dreaded calls to close family members. I then packed up my bags and headed to Jess and Owen's to be loved.
I needed to be in a warm loving house where I could laugh or cry or just talk through this entire ordeal. Over the next week, these crazy people took care of my kids during doctors appointments, housed my husband and two children, gave us their car along with tickets to the Bruins game, had a birthday party for my daughter, mobilized warm clothes for the kids and were there for us EVERY NIGHT! I don't know how on earth the two most beautiful souls met each other, but these two people are seriously the two kindest people on this earth. I will forever be grateful for this week with them.
I learned that I was stage 2 this week and needed at least 12 weeks of chemotherapy and a mastectomy.
They offered my family their home to live in (for free) during my chemotherapy and they said they would move into their friends basement even if it was "caveish". After hearing that I needed months of chemo, we opted to go to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota which is closer to my family. I was so sad to leave Jess, Owen and little Savvy and Mozlee as I had processed so much with them, I felt normal again and didn't want any set-backs when I transitioned back to Minnesota.
This kindness was just the beggining; it reminds me that there is so much good in this world and the power of community should never be underestimated.