The world is half as heavy...

...when two shoulder it together. This post is for you, Sheri. We've never met, but you and I share the same goal...to live. You've just received your first round of chemo and your body feels as if it is shutting down. You're sick, you're tired and every part of your body feels as if you've been beat with a bat. It isn't fair that "nothing to worry about" turned into a nightmare that you can't wake up from.

There were many days when I believed I couldn't hang on any longer, but I'm still here. A living testimony to show you that the combination of faith, hope, love and medicine will get you through this. You are not the only victim of the chemo. But unlike your cancer, you will survive. Each day, more of those bad cells are dying off, giving you the opportunity to believe that there are brighter days ahead. When you feel like everything has been taken from you, remember that you still have the gift of life.

This experience will change your life. Your life will be enriched with comfort and love from total strangers. It's a time when you have no choice but to focus on yourself and hopefully, discover what a beautiful person you are.

Look for a little pleasure in each day to offset the hours you are consumed by sickness. Fear, anger and depression are powerful emotions. Use them to fight this beast. Find someone to catch you when you feel like you're falling. You are not meant to go through this alone. As the hours, days, months go by, the quality of your life will come back. Until you get to that point, forget what others are telling you and allow your body to dictate the activity in your days. Don't feel like you're pestering the oncology nurses. If the anti-nausea meds aren't working, keep having them call in something else. You deserve to feel better.

It's a journey, but you'll have many hands to hold that will help you through it all. You and I have many angels watching over us...fighting for us...asking God to find a cure for this disease. I'll be here with you giving you the strength of serenity as your guide. We may be strangers, but we are joined by a growing sisterhood of women with breast cancer. My wish for you is not only to be cancer free, but for you to discover the gifts that cancer will bring to you along your difficult path. Your body may be weak and battered right now, but inside of you something beautiful is happening. My prayers are with you, Sheri.

"Courage is doing what you must when doing what you must is the hardest thing of all".