Strength

I have so many people tell me how I have touched there life in one way or another and my strength is incredible.  Their words NOT mine, but thank you!!  So, I need to tell you what has happened in my life, and tell you why I am strong.  There are 2 incredible ladies in my life that mean the world to me, they are my mother, Thelma (Timmie) Macht, and my sister Julia Buck (Macht).  I could tell you story after story about these 2 ladies, but I am only going to share with you one particular event. On August 21st I received a startling phone call from my sister, that Mom had fallen, she was at the hospital, and it was not looking very good.  Julie was struggling with how she was going to be able to handle everything!  I said I am on the next plane, I am coming to help (this is what we do in our family)!  Let me give you a bit of background here, my sister has been/is one of my biggest supporters and fans from the second I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She has been back and forth from Phoenix to Denver almost every other week, staying for days on end, to care for me both physically and mentally.  She did this while still keeping her home and family going.  She has 4 children, 1 still at home in high school, and very active in hockey, and a wonderful husband who wholeheartedly supported her being with me. She also was busy supporting our parents, and keeping them informed of all my stuff!  All the while my sister had a surgical procedure that limited her from lifting just a week before all of this had happened, and was trying to recover herself!  Who wouldn't wonder how she was going to do it all.  She ALREADY WAS doing it all PLUS!!

While I was flying to Denver our mom was taken into emergency brain surgery to stop the brain from bleeding, and to remove clots that were putting pressure on her brain.  My sister was busy making phone call after phone call and organizing everyone and everything, while sitting with Daddy (who has Alzheimer's).  Mom is the main caregiver.  My mom comes out of surgery and was put into ICU.  The doctor came out and told Julie all was good, considering, and she was given a sedative so she'd rest, and she wouldn't be awake when they saw her.  WRONG, mom was up and talking, trying to make everyone know she was ok!  I got in late that night and Julie and I stayed the night at Mom and Daddy's house due to the fact that dad might get confused if he woke up to me being there and not Julie, plus, now I was bald and we weren't sure if he would recognize me.  But the next morning, he did know me!  While I stayed with daddy, Julie was busy handling everything else, and Mom was busy bossing all of us around from ICU telling us what to do and how to do it!!  She even called me one morning from ICU to tell me what to do with daddy, and what to bring for him to the hospital......WHAT?  Hahahahaha!!  I threatened to have the phone disconnected if she didn't stop, and start resting!  She would also send the nurse to the waiting room, where we would set up camp so she could rest, to get us because she missed her family! Hahahahaha, Mom do you realize you just had brain surgery and need to rest?!

Mom was released from the hospital Monday August 26th, just 5 days later!  While mom was very exhausted and would sleep quiet a bit, it is amazing to see a woman in her 80s recovering the way she was, and still is!!  I had to head back home to Phoenix on Tuesday the 27th.  Julie moved in!  Mom, while having been released from the hospital, would need 24/7 care and monitoring, till she was released from the doctors.  Plus, due to the fact that she is the main care giver at the house due to daddy's Alzheimer's, (so the care was really for dad), and the monitoring was for mom. 

Mom was allowed to go back to "life as usual" Wed. Sept. 11, after having 56 staples removed from her head!  So now you know where my strength comes from.  Did I mention Julie is my baby sister?!!! Two of the most amazing women I know, and VERY PROUD that they are my family!  This is the reason I am strong, because of their example!

I will update you all very soon on my radiation adventures.  Thanks for taking the time to read, and for all of your support!  I tell the truth when I say, I love you all very much!