my legacy......cancer

Hello friends,

Ever heard that song....legacy? Well If you haven't heard it before, I will post the video of it below: here:



So why do I mention this song? Well, as a person living with terminal cancer I often wonder what the legacy I will leave for my husband and children will be. Lately, it has been brought right to the forefront that part of my legacy will most likely be cancer. If not the actual disease than most definitely memories of me struggling with it and how it affects each member of my family. Beyond the effects that will be left behind, the possibility of it being passed on to my daughter (of son- because men get breast cancer too) are very strong. You see, my mom was diagnosed at age 47. I was diagnosed at age 34. I have a 21 yr old daughter. I have a 23 yr old son. This week my daughter had an infection that caused a lymph node under her arm to swell. ( my cancer originated in my right axillary node or arm pit) Needless to say we wasted zero time in getting this checked out. And, as I mentioned this was only ( thank the Lord) a result of an infection. It went away in a weeks time of taking antibiotics. However, my daughter had to have a sonogram. It showed a normal lymph node. The same as the one on the opposite side. Whew! But... we now know that because I had my diagnosis at 34, she should begin being checked 10 yrs sooner. Or at the age of 24d. It made me so sad to find that out. For her sake. That she has to give up the comfort of just living in good health and hover over her body and wonder when.... if she will develop anything abnormal. Plus my children have the double whammy of wondering if they will get cll. Or chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

I don't share any of this to make you feel badly for us. Or them. I only am saying that this is a very big chunk of the legacy that I leave. But there is more. We are a very PUNNY family. We can turn anything into a joke. We have a ton of personal jokes shared amongst ourselves. We love animals. Enjoy solving things...mysteries, puzzles, problems. We all are creative, love nature, enjoy a great book or movie. I look at my family and know that there is more. So much more than wether or not they will get cancer that I leave behind. Some times when a person calls and my daughter answers the phone, they will mistake her voice for mine. Wow, that is a crazy legacy. But we do sound a like. My son loves music, and I think he gets that from me. At least the figuring out what it means side. The instrumental knowledge he learned from Mo, and the talent is all him. Beyond how my children are like me, there is what they have learned from me or learned that they don't want to be like from me.

In reality, no matter our genetics, what we share with our families leaves an impact. Tiny ripples that leave big waves, that can become tidal. So I want to ask you, what is YOUR legacy? Please feel free to leave your comments, opinions and thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leslie