It takes a friend or sister to see where the improvements are. When you live with cancer treatments daily, sometimes it is hard to see baby steps that have been made. I know that for me, radiation has been a lot easier than chemo. The side effects of radiation will go away about two weeks after treatment has ended. Chemo effects can take months or a year or can last forever. But when new side effects happen a person can forget that this is temporary and easier than other body changes.
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine was telling me how great it was to see that I can use the heavier glasses when drinking. All winter and part of spring, I needed to use plastic glasses because of the neuropathy in my hands. I couldn't lift the heavier glasses so we switched to plastic glasses.
Another friend was thrilled when I was able to move the garbage can outside by myself. My son was impressed that I walked to the top of the hill in my complex. Another friend was excited to see that I could go and get the mail without loosing my balance. All of these seem silly, or like baby steps, but to me, when reminded, I'm moving toward self-sufficient living. Others, including my sister, have been excited to see that driving is now possible for me. Fantastic!!!
The questions I am pondering now are: how do these changes impact the way I live now? How do these little steps make me a better friend? How does seeing small improvements help me be a better teacher? What am I learning that will help my children with life lessons? How will the end of these side effects make me grow into a better sister or aunt? I believe that everything that happens to me goes through God's hands first and has a purpose. I might not have the answers to future wisdom that will come from my experiences but there is a reason for all of the baby steps.
