Preparing Myself

Now that I've been diagnosed, I have a lot to do. I immediately begin my research and was on the Internet more than I had been in months. I was determined to know as much as I could before I met with the different doctors. I wanted to know about radiation and chemotherapy. I purchased Dr. Susan Love's "Breast Book". That book became my "Breast Bible!" I highly recommend this book to anyone who is diagnosed with breast cancer.

Doug and I had just finished our addition to our home. I needed to clean things up in preparation for my journey through breast cancer. I began by washing walls, cleaning out things that I knew I wouldn't have the strength to do later. I painted rooms that I wanted painted to complete our addition. I donated a lot to Deseret Industries so I didn't have these things cluttering up my life. I felt that my life was spiraling out of control and one way to control it was to do what I could to prepare.

I began purchasing things throughout June, July, and August to stock up on household items and food. By the time I was finished I literally had a six month supply of everything. And I mean everything, from shampoo to toilet paper and paper towels, from canned goods to dry goods, from toothpaste to deodorant, cleaning supplies to laundry detergent . You name it, I had it! I stocked my freezer with frozen meats and TV dinners for Doug. My goal was to have as much as possible in my home that when I had to go to the grocery store, I would be finished in 20 to 30 minutes getting fresh produce, dairy and meat.

This taught me a valuable lesson. We never know when life gives us lemons, and those lemons can be made sweeter into lemonade by preparing. I learned that by preparing for chemotherapy and all that it entails that I could sweetened or lighten my experience by following this gospel principle. Through my faith, I was able to take into action what I had always been taught about preparedness. I was lucky. I had time to prepare. But what about the next lemon that life gives me, will I be prepared?

Another part of preparing myself was to purchase wigs before I had treatment. I went to Sally's Wigs here on Southern and Horne, the same place where my Mom bought her wigs. Ironic, isn't it?  Now it's my turn. Another thing that I never thought I would be doing, buying wigs! I bought two wigs.