Memorial Day! A Time to Remember

Though Shermance's breast cancer journey has just started, we continue to be enlightenend by stories of hope and encouragement. It's uplifting and it feeds Shermance's PMA daily!  She makes a choice each day when she wakes up, whether it sounds like, "Good God! Morning already?" or "Good Morning, God! I am ready!" Shermance chooses the latter.  Shermance's positive attitude continues - unwaivering!  It's tough! She needs extra naps.  She needs to take smaller bites of food, to avoid heart burn.  She needs to take extra care not to get an infection or a cold.  Her bones hurt and her breathing feels somewhat constricted (both probably from the white blood cell shot) so she stretches each morning, lifts weigths, and does deepbreathing exercises. She needs to take breaks so she doesn't wear down.  BUT she won't let anyone feel sorry for her AND she won't drop her positive attitude.  She will keep fighting!  She won't let this beat her.

But we have also heard many stories of loss and heart break!  People who have battled this cancer monster for 16 or 18 years and are still fighting.  People who lost the fight after 5 years or 13 years. People who have had multple surgeries because a lumpectomy didn't get it all or because a single masectomy didn't prevent a tumor from forming in the other breast.  We have heard the pain of losing a loved one: a friend, a sister, an aunt, a grandmother, a wife, or a mom.  No one has escaped without knowing someone or hearing of someone who has lost the battle with some form of cancer.  It is an epidemic.

On this Memorial Day, we certainly give thanks to the men and women who served in battle with courage, valor, and honor. We are thankful for the fights they fought, so that we may live the way we do today - with freedom and a bright tomorrow.  We also give thanks for knowing those men and women who fought a battle much closer to home against an enemy equally elusive.  So many fought that battle with courage, valor, and honor, yet still lost the fight.  Thank you to all who served our country and those who served each other through all battles along the seaside, in the countryside, side-by-side, or on the inside...God Bless!