I’ve been reflecting a lot on the events that have occurred over the past year.  I finished radiation a week ago today (it seems like months ago, thank goodness – happy dance!!!) and now I’m beginning to focus my attention on a few different things.  I’ve been cleaning my house and getting things back in order.  I used to use the excuse of – I’ll get back in shape and lose weight when I’m certain that we’re finished having kids.  Check, check, check!  Now, I want to focus on what to do with the very generous monetary donations that have been coming in.  I want to begin toning my body, running, doing yoga and meditation, and getting back to the gym.  I’ve now just started to begin mentally dealing with everything that’s happened.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer on August 17, 2012, had a port-a-cath placed a week later, and started chemo a few days after that.  I didn’t have much time to think about anything except cancer since August 17.  So much happened so quickly that I need time to take a breather and start refocusing my time and energy.

So, A Princess, A Pump, and Persistence?  Those three things saved my life.  Let me explain…..

 

A Princess

Above is a picture of Cameron taken yesterday, on Mother’s Day.  She was enjoying her spaghetti from Pazzo!  It’s hard to believe that Cameron will be turning one in a few days.  Cam was born on May 29, 2012, and has been saving my life ever since.  We never know what life has in store for us.

 

A Pump 

As I’ve been cleaning my kids’ rooms, I keep tripping over this damn thing!  Ask any woman who’s ever breast fed and she’ll tell you, I’m quite certain, about how much she hated using her breast pump!  In a state of delirium, I used to swear that the pump would march to the beat of REDRUM, REDRUM, REDRUM or CHIPS, CHIPS, CHIPS or anything else that you say quickly 3 times in a row!  I spent more time on this pump than a normal woman should.  I believe that I discussed how Jameson and Chase wouldn’t latch.  So, because I’m neurotic and wanted the kids to receive the benefits of breast milk, I pumped for 6 months with both of the older kids.  Those kids received nothing but breast milk for the first 6 months of their lives.  I now have a love-hate relationship with my breast pump – the Medela Pump In Style Advanced!  Who would ever think that this God forsaken breast pump would be credited for saving my life?!  I’m happy to be donating this pump to a friend of my Mom and Aunt’s.  Happy Pumping!  I hope that you have just as much luck with this pump as I did!  REDRUM is murder spelled backwards, FYI.  Watch The Shining if you don’t understand!

 

Persistence

Things could have gone very differently.  If Jameson and Chase “latched”, like they were “supposed to”, I never would have become a champion pumper!  I used to produce 10 ounces of milk per breast every time that I pumped for Jameson and Chase.  Trust me, my cup overfloweth!  I produced enough milk to feed a small village!  Anyway, if I didn’t pump so much for Jameson and Chase, I wouldn’t have known how much milk I normally produced.  If I wasn’t raised as a guilt-filled Irish Catholic, I would have said, “F THIS,” when I was producing 8 ounces on my right breast and 1 ounce on my left breast for Cameron.  But, being the guilt-ridden Irish Catholic that I am, I felt as though I needed to be fair to all 3 children, so I kept on.  I never gave up.  I called the hospital’s lactation line so many times that I can probably tell you all of the nurses names, their spouses names, the names and grades of all of their children, and if their kids are on the honor roll!  I met with a separate lactation consultant, my “pumping issue” became a topic during playdates, I rented a hospital grade pump because I swore that I burned out the motor of mine and that’s why something was wrong on the left side, I saw 2 OB-GYNs, and then finally met with my cousin who ran a bunch of tests and found the cause of my “pumping problem”.  Freaking cancer!  Who would have thought?!!

So, thank you, Cameron, Medela, and Irish Guilt!  You all saved my life!

 

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”  – Babe Ruth

 

LIVESTRONG and God Bless!