Candida’s Journey

I have no idea where this came from, it’s like it came from nowhere. I was doing well. I recently lost my mother suddenly. I moved from Atlanta back to NY to handle her affairs, that’s when I found out that I had cancer. Breast cancer. If that was not enough, I was unemployed, yes, no job. I am grieving and I am trying to get through the loss of my mother and now this. My brother and I are not as close as we should be, I have a daughter who has her own life to live and I do not want to burden her with my problems. I was literally alone, feeling lonely.

The treatment was grueling, I had no money and had to stay in New York at Hope Lodge during the treatments. My friends really came through and helped me. It was embarrassing to be in a state of asking others for help. My high school sisters were among some of my biggest supporters. They all pitched in to help, they visited with me while I was in treatment and they checked on me by text messages and phone calls.

This cancer is taking a toll on me. I am emotionally drained. I try to take my mind off my current state by making gifts for my friends. I cannot keep thinking about what my life was like before cancer, I used to be an educator. I worked very hard to have a successful life. I made it to become a principal. Now, I don’t have a job, I don’t have any money and I am desperate. I need to know how this will work out.

My daughter is in Atlanta, she is having a baby, I am sick and unemployed. How are we going to make it through. I have to concentrate on getting better but it is hard. I am losing my apartment in Atlanta. I have to get there to get my things at the same time I have to get my chemotherapy treatment.

My treatment ends, I am in remission, I moved back to Atlanta. My daughter had a baby girl. Everything seems to be working out. We are moving back to New York. I am going back into the workforce. We are happy to move closer to my family and friends. My hair is growing back, all is well.

Although my job is in New York, we decided on staying in New Jersey. I haven’t been feeling too well. At first we thought it might be the flu as it is September and the flu season begins around this time I guess, but after going to the hospital, it was the worst case possible. The cancer had returned. The cancer was aggressive and has spread to my brain. In a matter of weeks, things went from worse to fatal. The doctors said there was nothing more to help and that I didn’t have much time left. They said that I had three weeks left. I told my daughter that I wanted to have a Celebration of Life party with my family and friends. We planned it for the following weekend and it was beautiful. They decorated, brought lots of food, danced, laughed and prayed. It was one of the best nights I had in a long time. (Excerpt from The Day That Changed My Life Book).