In August of 2011 I found out that my mother had breast cancer. She and my father sat my older brother and I down and broke the news to us. I was stunned, shocked, fearful, and confused all at the same time. I was only in the eighth grade, so I did not completely understand all the ramifications this would bring to my family and me however, I did understand that word…. Cancer. In a life changing year and a half, my mother went through radiation treatments and multiple surgeries.
After her first surgery and a few weeks into radiation treatments my mother became gravely ill. She struggled to get out of bed and every day became a battle. When my brother and I could get away from school we would wait in the hospital with her. Her health
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The information that I gathered and understood the most, from all this reading, was that as a family member I should reduce my mother’s stress as much as possible. Therefore, I learned to cook after she came home, so that she would be able to rest instead of trying to provide the family home-cooked meals. My brother and I helped with the chores around our home as much possible. My mother worried about all of us, so I tried to lessen her burden.
Happily, my mother survived, and thankfully today she is cancer-free. From watching her fight through this terrible situation, I gained new perspective. It is best not to worry about situations I cannot change, just roll up my sleeves and accomplish the necessary activities of each day. Also, never forget to express our caring feelings to family and friends.
I observed my mother contributing one hundred and ten percent every day; she continued to participate in life and work. I gained a new respect for her. She maintained grace, poise, humility, and a selfless love of her family throughout her