April showers bring May flowers. And with the promise of
spring flowers comes May Melanoma Awareness Month.
Ever since Jillian was diagnosed with Melanoma in July of
2010, I’ve been an active participant within the melanoma community. This is
our chance to be heard. To blast the media with our stories, all in the hopes
that people will become educated and more aware of the dangers of tanning beds
and the sun.
We have made great strides in those few years. People are starting
to listen. The FDA is paying attention, and so are you.
But for me this May,
all the hoopla, postings, stories, photos, and media coverage will take their
toll.
I’m afraid.
Living with the death of my daughter has been extremely
difficult. There is no path, no map (in my case a GPS). It constantly shifts
and changes. Sometimes the road is bright and clear, other times it’s dark and
full of pot holes. Sometimes it’s underwater. There are times when the boogie
man is lurking under the bushes waiting for me. But I am learning to navigate,
and to swim through the storms. And I pray the boogie man away often.
A couple of years ago, someone very close said to me, “You
have to figure out what helps, and what hurts”. That’s funny, because what may
have helped me before, can hurt me today.
The loss of some of my melanoma friends to this disease, and
the progression in others has tipped the scale for me. I have decided to skip
out for a while. Take a little break while I focus on my family.
My youngest and last child still living at home will be
getting ready to leave the den in May. I want her to have my full attention.
I hope you understand my need for escape. But then again, I
don’t really expect you to. I won’t be too far….I’ll just be under the front
porch waiting for the rain to lessen some.
I love you all, I truly do.
~Peace
