Heart Like A Balloon

Crossposted at Jenster’s Musings on December 9, 2011

Last night as I sat down to see what was new with my Facebook friends I whooped it up when I saw my friend, Shelley, hit her five year no cancer goal. I’ve known Shelley for what feels like forever. She’s the little sister of my junior high, high school, matron of honor, etc. partner in crime friend, Cathy. Two memories of Shelley from back in the day: 1. She could recite pretty much all of 16 Candles; and 2. She could do the entire “Thriller” dance.

I know exactly how she felt yesterday. You get breast cancer, you have surgery and go through treatment, you slowly get better and each time you have an oncology appointment you come away happy to know you’re not showing any evidence of disease. And then you hit that five year mark and your chances of recurrence or metastasis dramatically drop. You can see many more wedding anniversaries and children’s milestones far into your future. And, even though you hadn’t really been worried about it, you’re relieved and excited and happy and feel like celebrating.  I’m pretty sure champagne was involved on the West Coast last night.

My heart soared.

As I continued to peruse the statuses I came upon one from a Mothers with Cancer associate. That’s when I found out another one of our writers, Judy, had been admitted to hospice. Judy was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in December of 2007 and determined in remission the following year. Nearly two years later, November of 2010, she was found to have a recurrence and she fought it with everything in her. And there was a lot in her! A lot of faith, a lot of courage, a lot of strength and she wrote about her experience with so much raw vulnerability and authenticity that you couldn’t help but know, admire and love her. She also wrote about the fear and the pain and the sadness and her desire to be a mom to her young son and a wife to her loving husband.

My soaring heart plummeted.

This morning I found out that she passed away last night. I never met this woman in person and yet I feel such a strong connection to the women of Mothers with Cancer. Every time we lose one it’s like losing a part of myself and I daresay it’s the same with the other contributors. She leaves behind a devoted husband and a 10-year-old son – probably the biggest fear of a Mother with Cancer.

My heart now feels deflated.

Until we meet again…

A few personal words about our Judy’s passing…

To say I was shocked by Judy’s passing would be a gross understatement.  Yet, I guess, I knew it was coming.  I just thought she had a few more months.  Judy was special to me.  She was my first…  the first person with Inflammatory Breast Cancer I’d ever encountered.

I remember well how it felt to find posts from IBC survivors that were years old with no updates available.  I thought to myself how wonderful it was that they’d survived X number of years… but where were they now?  Alive?  Dead?  It turned the potentially hopeful, inspiring stories into landmines of doubt and fear.  At that time, I vowed to be an active, living voice of an IBC survivor on the internet.  Enter Judy.

I found Judy’s blog after I’d returned to work from my own cancer treatment.  She had just been diagnosed.  She was already metastatic.  I made a concerted effort to comment on her blog.  Hoisting myself as a flag of hope at the finish line of treatment:  cancer-freedom.  Of course, that was naive of me.  I had little understanding of metastatic disease back then.   But still, I made sure I was that living, breathing voice of survival from such a deadly disease.  Through Just Enjoy Him I found other Inflammatory Breast Cancer patients, notably, Susan (WhyMommy).   Seems we all had the same supportive idea.

Judy was the beginning of my advocacy.  She was my window into the dark side of breast cancer.  She was my first reality check…  the first time I realized that attitude and strength of will were not the impenetrable armor against cancer that the media would have me believe.

Following Judy has not always been pretty.  She struggled with anger and fear that I never truly experienced.  But inevitably, her faith in God lifted her up again.  She lived a roller coaster ride of plunging health and spirits followed by glorious soaring heights.  That is life.  That was Judy.  That is metastatic cancer.

I will miss her voice.   I will miss here spirit.  I will miss her face smiling back at me from my monitor.  I will miss her planking.  Heh.  I will miss Judy.  But I’ll see her again someday.  What a glorious day that will be.

 

Another IBC Angel is watching over us today

Two nights ago I logged on to Facebook to find that our own Judy of Just Enjoy Him had entered hospice care.  Barely an hour later she was gone.

Judy was, tragically, already metastatic when she was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer in 2007.  She fought this horribly aggressive cancer for 4 years with grace, humor and a double dose of faith that we could all hope to attain.  Judy’s tale wasn’t always pretty but it was unfailingly honest.

She has left behind her husband, Frank and their 10 year old adopted son, Nate.  Please keep them in your prayers at this difficult time.

Please feel free to leave your memories of Judy, favorite stories and words in the comments below.  I’m sure her husband and son will take comfort in them.  I know I will.