The Other Shoe… Lisa’s Story October 23, 2007
Posted by spacemom in : TeamWhyMommy , 2 commentsI got the book "The Other Shoe…Lisa’s Story" on Saturday. I was done Saturday night. It’s a fast read, but HARD. So hard.
For a quick summary, Lisa Moore discovers a lump in her breast. It is cancer. She gets a mastectomy, chemo, etc. She is finally declared cancer free. She debates and decides on reconstructive surgery. Fast forward 7 years later. She is helping her support group and goes for a blood test. Follow up tests are requested. The cancer is back and it has metastasized. There is a brief mix up where she thinks she is cancer free, but after a while, she decides to stop treatment and to let herself live the life she had left.
It was a hard read because her daughter is the same age as Soleil. It was hard because she was ready to die. I am not in the position. I was up for a long time on Saturday night. I thought about the story because it is not all that uncommon. A young woman, with kids, struck down by cancer. There are many many success stories. There are many who live and I want to focus on that, but there are still those who can’t win.
A recent study showed that the woman’s outlook did not change the course of cancer. This is good to me to hear. I think that focusing on the whole body, mental and physical is important, but to tell a cancer patient that they need to stay positive or they will die… That just seems harsh. Even if people don’t use those words, that is what you are saying to tell a patient to think positive thoughts.
Luna is becoming obsessed with death. She asks when will I die and when will Soleil die. She can’t comprehend Jay dying, so she doesn’t ask. Today she told me that she isn’t ready to die. And I am not either. But if I ever got to the place that Lisa did, I hope that I can take a good look at my life and say "this was a good life. It may have been shorter than I wanted, but I have made a difference." And to be able to face death, not with fear, but with grace.
BTW- the book has started a new fund at a major cancer center in Cleveland!
