Saw Newborn Today

In the midst of my fight against cancer, that gave me joy

Photo by kaushal mishra on Unsplash

This morning, I went for a short walk after waking up. It was early — because this is Texas. Walking later in the day is suicidal. But at 7 in the morning? It’s pleasant.

I am going through chemotherapy.

This is to treat metastatic brain, lung, and liver cancer.

I am often very tired, so it was a real treat to have the energy to go for a short walk.

What made it even better — on the way home I saw one of my neighbors and her mother. My neighbor has just had a baby. Like, literally. She gave birth 2 days ago.

I was planning to go see the baby today, since his Mom told me she wanted me to do so.

Seeing that little baby being cradled by Grandma filled my heart with joy.

I am fighting death, but seeing new life brightens my heart.

Here is something I’ve learned, at least for my own life. I share it with the hopes that my experience might help someone else.

I’ve been fighting cancer on and off for 18 years now. I was first diagnosed in my 30s with inflammatory breast cancer. It’s pretty aggressive and the oncologist told me I only had 6 months to live.