There are some days that just don't end well. Today was one of those days. You see, I've been struggling since 2009 with the 'gifts' breast cancer gave me...
Initially, it was the cancer itself, diagnosed while I was pregnant. That was trouble in and of itself. However, with wonderful family, community, and prayerful support around the world, I overcame the scourge of BRCA1 breast cancer while pregnant through chemo during and after my successful pregnancy. It was difficult, but as the saying goes, "if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger."
Fortuitously, the strength I gained from that battle helped me in my next battle - the battle in my work-place. I've tried not to mention the struggles I had there too much in public for my own protection, but suffice it to say that my superiors were not thrilled that one of the 'gifts' cancer gave me -- life-long nerve damage and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Prior to my cancer diagnosis, I received written commendations for outstanding work from both inside and outside my workplace. However, after my diagnosis, treatment, return to work, and subsequent search for relief of the 'gifts' from cancer my superiors began to complain of my sometimes sporadic attendance - even though it was covered by FMLA and/or doctor's notes. Technically, my work was on the same level as before. I know this because in that line of work, every report undergoes peer and administrative review prior to completion. There is also a Technical Leader, a person that ensures compliance with written protocols and proficiency testing. For about 3 years I did everything in my power to maintain my job and my integrity. Yet, when the time came, it didn't matter what *I* knew, but what my superiors wrote and believed. So I was terminated with black marks on an otherwise spotless record.
During this struggle with work, I was also fighting on another front -- one of physical pain and frustration of not knowing what caused the pain. After I healed from my mastectomy, my chest wall, collar bones, neck, shoulders, and arms ached all the time. Those areas felt like I had lead weights pulling them down all the time. On worse days, I had shooting pain from my neck down my arms and into my chest. Sometimes the pain would get so bad I would be unable to move my head, neck, and arms or even take a deep breath. On those days, Andrew would have to help me dress and/or wash my hair. Days like that would bring me to tears and a defeated state of mind. I went from doctor to doctor trying to find relief. Different doctors had different diagnosises and treatments. Finally, on a trip back to Houston, in the Supportive Care Unit, one of the doctor's got me on the right track. However, even then, it wasn't a simple fix. In fact, I'm still struggling with the same root issues, nerve damage and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and issues that are aggravated by it today 4 years later.
Back to today ending poorly... I've been going through old paperwork that dredged up all these memories. I found the mountains of paperwork about my diagnosis. There are the skyscrapers of paperwork that are even more depressing about my workplace struggle. I still feel the same mixture of fear, dread, betrayal, and humiliation from the way I was treated there. I'm sorting through all this paperwork for something that may or may not be beneficial. Yet, right now, all this walking down memory lane reminds me of the bad things I've lived through.
In a way, though, it's also a reminder of the little miracles in life. Rachel is a healthy 6 year old getting ready to enter the 2nd grade in our homeschool! I just re-read the reports of the 1.7cm mass that was present in ultrasound immediately after Rachel's birth, but disappeared thanks to prayers around the world by the time I got a PET scan a week later! I'm still cancer-free as of my check up last week! Without my income, we still have our home and food in our bellies even though times are tough. Since I no longer have the added stress of work, some of my symptoms have gotten better. So, I guess, today hasn't ended that poorly after all. I just need to make lemonade instead of sucking on lemons.
