By Juanita Segura for Lungcancer.net
In November of 2014 when I was diagnosed with lung cancer my daughter was 17 years old and a senior in high school. My two boys were 19 and 20 years old and had already graduated from high school and were in college. My second youngest was 16 years old and a junior in high school and my youngest was 13 years old and in middle school. The news they received was traumatic for them and I’ll never forget the fear and sadness they had on their precious face. To this day that haunts me!
My kids are my strength
My children thought they were going to bury their mom, at one point I even thought they were too. I remember I thought I had to hurry up and get things in order, but I never did. I refused to give in and give up, I still had a lot of life in me, and I still had many things to do.
My daughter was going to graduate high school the following year and I had to make sure to be well and strong so I could attend her graduation. During and after chemo and radiation I made sure to continue to exercise so I can build my strength and stamina. I made her a promise that I would be there, and I kept that promise and I attended her high school graduation.
My kids were my strength to get up every morning and push through the fatigue, anxiety, depression, and fear. They kept me going, they kept my hopes up, and they gave me purpose to fight with everything in me. I didn’t want them to bury their mom at such a young age. I wanted to see my other two daughters graduate, I wanted to see them grow up and my sons. I wanted to be there for them, and nothing was going to stop me, not even lung cancer! Read more.
