My older son and I shortly after my diagnosis.
On July 17, 2007 I received some shocking news that forever changed my life. I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, or CML as it is more commonly known as. The only thing that I could compare receiving such news to is being hit on the side of the head with a sledgehammer. As the doctor was speaking to me and explaining my options, all I could think about were my two sons, then ages 1 and 4. Would I be able to see them graduate from high school or dance with them on their wedding days?
The next couple of days I walked around in a fog. As I looked around at other people, I wondered if they knew that I was sick and I resented them for being healthy. It was definitely a dark time in my life as I pondered over what was going to happen to me. The following weekend, I remember laying in my bed and just crying non-stop because I couldn’t believe that this was happening to me at such a young age. I stayed in bed all day feeling sorry for myself until a voice from deep within catapulted me out of my stupor.
My boys gave me the will to live!
I finally decided to rise from my slumber and vehemently told my husband that I would never have another pity party for myself like that one again. In that very moment, I decided to fight for my life! After all, I have a great husband who supports me unconditionally and two beautiful children who deserve to have me around for all of the major events in their lives. That day began my journey of educating myself about my illness and causing me to be my own best advocate with regards to my healthcare.
Fast forward to today, this July will make 6 years since my initial diagnosis. Although I will have to be on medication for the rest of my life, I am so grateful to be alive. I cherish every moment that I have to spend with my children and they make me feel thankful every second that I am with them. In retrospect, having Cancer has made me 2x stronger than I ever was before. There is nothing like facing your own mortality as a young woman to make you appreciate life a lot more. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about how fortunate I have been and thank God for my many blessings.
Angel Soft Is Now 2X Stronger!
The new Angel Soft is 2x stronger and has just the right balance of softness and strength at exactly the bargain price you are looking for. Its Softshield layers are now stronger than ever and will hold up in even moist conditions. You can even save on new Angel Soft by clicking HERE for a money saving coupon!
To find out more about Angel Soft, visit their website at www.angelsoft.com/es. Make sure you also like Angel Soft Latino on Facebook and follow @AngelSoftLatino on Twitter to learn about upcoming promotions and offers!
GIVEAWAY:
Angel Soft is giving away an Angel Soft 2x Stronger Product Gift Baskets containing a $25 Target Gift Card and an Angel Soft 2x stronger pack of 4 rolls. (Valued at $1.99)a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Angel Soft. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
© 2013, Tough Cookie Mommy. All rights reserved.
My mom dying when I was 6 years old has made me 2x stronger.
Being widowed when my son was a toddler made me pretty tough.
bethelderton59 at gmail dot com
my stepdad dying about broke me
Being a twice divorced single mom of 3 made me stronger- and very grateful for all of life’s blessings. BB2U
motherhood has me me stronger.
I guess for me its been my two back surgeries. They didnt turn out quite the way they were supposed to, and will need one more. It has made me stronger …mentally! Weaker physically…but a much stronger person!
I almost die when I was 18 years old has made me stronger.
Watching my mother die made me rethink many things about my life.
Raising my kids…especially my teens.
Beating breast cancer 12 years ago made me 100x stronger!
Raising kids has made me strong
I was 22 and my son’s were age 2 and 4 when I was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer. That event happened 19 years ago and definitely made me 2x stronger.
callawishes(at)hotmail(dot)com
What made me stronger was taking my father in law to his radiation treatments and staying with him throughout his ordeal before he passed.
Living with in-laws for years made me stronger 🙂
Wow, your story is amazing! I had an emergency c-section with my first child that was followed by an appendectomy. Those were a hard 2 weeks.
Having my four wonderful children has made me stronger
Having my son go through a stroke, kidney failure, inoperable tumors, and recently stepping on a knitting needle (that went six inches into his foot). Everything that he has went through, has made me stronger. (I entered the rc under the name debbie)
being diagnosed and learning to live with 2 different aggressive auto immune diseases has made me stronger!
Traveled and lived in different countries has made me 2x stronger.
Finding God has made me able to deal with everything life throws at me.
moving to a different country made me stronger
I broke my back when I was twenty years old. Though my body might have been broken, the things I’ve experienced because of that injury have made me SOOO much stronger! I can take on anything…I know this now for sure. Not everybody is so fortunate to have that knowledge of their own strength.
h4schaffer at gmail dot com
entered your Honey Bunches of Oats giveaway
Being by my mom’s side as she faught cancer.
Raising my kids and being a Mom
moving 8 states away from home..
The passing of my father has made me stronger.
Entered your Honey Bunches of Oats Giveaway
losing my mom to cancer last year
The birth of my beautiful baby girl has made me as strong as I could ever get!
mcfallsk8er(at)aim(dot)com
Becoming a mother has made me stronger.
Bringing up 2 kids has made me 2x stronger.
Raising my son alone has made me stronger.
Losing my mother from cancer at the age of 7
Being my sister’s person when her husband was terminally ill made me 2X stronger.
Thank you
Rafflecopter name Barbara Montag
Amazing story… I know how much even a cancer scare can make you rethink everything, so I can’t imagine going through what you did.
raising my child on my own
Going through college.
My son being diagnosed with severe mental illness toughened me right up.
Losing our house to a fire…..
The premature birth of my daughter.
Thanks for the chance.
[email protected]
When I was laid off for 2 yrs and having to make a lot of sacrifices financially and mentally.
Overcoming infertility issues due to me having PCOS. It’s been a hard struggle!
My husband and I both lost our jobs when the place we worked at closed.
my illness has made me strong
Helping my stepfather recover after losing his leg in a motorcycle accident helped to make me 2X stronger.
Raising two teenagers by myself
Dealing with multiple major life changes within a short period of time has made me 2x stronger.
Moving half way across the world with a newborn baby and no family made me far stronger than I imagined.
just moving out on my own made me 2x stronger. ferriza2(at)yahoo(dot)com
I think dealing with thyroid issues my entire life has made me stronger. I’m so glad to hear that you’ve fought cancer with the help of your family. 🙂
maggie at literary winner dot com
being a mom!!
Living through financial difficulties and personal loss has made me stronger!!
Working 2 jobs for almost twenty years made me stronger.
living through tough situations has made me 2x stronger
taking care of my kids by myself
Tell us about an experience that has made you 2x stronger…
mostly i run to stay strong
going to college in NYC away from my family and then graduating and successfully securing a career and becoming independent!
I was in an abusive relationship and it has made me stronger
having my kids made me stronger
GOING TO COLLEGE AND BECOMING INDEPENDANT
Taking care of my elderly bedridden mom for the last year of her life made me stronger.
10 years ago I was diagnosed with RA and I’ve learned to be strong and deal with it.
Thanks for the contest.
slehan at juno dot com
Having my husband be on military deployment so often has made me 2X stronger
entered the Honey Bunches of Oats Giveaway
Joining the Navy and being deployed in a target zone made me stronger.
I moved across the country to a city of millions where i knew no one and it made me stronger!
Also entered honey bunches of oats
Getting clean and sober
I changed careers after 15 years
seeing my son go through eye surgery at 10 months old
having 2 jobs
First off I want to say, you are one tough women, and I can only imagine all the thoughts that ran through your head and how you fought your cancer! Bravo to you!!!
For me what made me 2x times stronger would be deciding to quit my job and work from home. I t was a tough decision but in the end I feel so much happier and better, best decision ever!
having my boys
Watching over my mom when my father died made me stronger!
ptavernie at yahoo dot com
Going through a rough pregnancy with my first son and us both having some major health issues is what has made me 2x stronger.
My divorce made me 2x stronger
Overcoming anxiety and going back to college.
Dealing with an anxiety disorder.
My husband being deployed so many times to Afghanistan and Iraq in the last few years. I would never have thought that I would be able to handle 2 small children and a household all by myself besides worrying sick about him. I have become stronger though because of it.
I am a domestic abuse survivor and that made me 2X stronger