Life Changes After Diagnosis

When I was diagnosed eight years ago, I never thought I would go through some life changes, but thank goodness I got to experience them. Some were good, and some were bad. But that’s life, right? Supposedly it’s teaching us something we need to learn.

A journey through loss and joy

My mother's death was one of my biggest life changes after my diagnosis. I spent at least another three years with her, which wasn’t easy.

Losing my mother was harder than getting diagnosed with lung cancer. It took me a very long time to bounce back, and trust me, you’re never the same and never get over it. You just learn how to go on without them, holding on to those precious memories and her unconditional love.

In the midst of this darkness I was in after my mother passed away, there was a beautiful bright light at the end of that darkness: my first grandbaby!

I think my mother knew it would be very hard for me and knew I probably wouldn’t have made it without her. You see, I was very, very close to my mother. She was my strength when I was diagnosed. I looked up to her to help me get through the beginning of my lung cancer journey.

My mom was a 2x cancer survivor, but a massive heart attack took her from me. So she did the next best thing and sent me a beautiful angel, my granddaughter Leyana! Three months after her passing, I found out I would be a grandmother. That amazing news brought back joy into my life.

The many blessing of grandmotherhood

I knew then I had to get myself together because that bundle of joy needed me. As they say, “Mom knows best,” and my mom sure did.

I remember being told I wouldn’t get to meet grandchildren, and here I am, a grandmother of two. I plan to be around to meet a lot more grandbabies. My two grandchildren have brought me so much joy and happiness. I can’t imagine life without them.

Talking about grandchildren and another life-changing event after diagnosis, I would have been grandma to number three. I was super excited when my daughter told me she was pregnant. Once I discovered this, Grandma started planning the baby shower, theme, colors, menu, and games. You name it, and I was planning it.

The baby was due in September, and I looked forward to it. Then we received the call that no one wanted.

Navigating life's challenges with trust and reislience

My daughter was taken to the ER and had a miscarriage. I think this was the second worse news I’ve received since diagnosis. I just couldn’t understand why this had happened, and I became so angry and depressed again.

I was told by many friends and family that it just wasn’t meant to be and for me to look at it as a blessing because the baby was probably not developing correctly, and the baby may have been disabled. It was explained to me when a fetus isn’t developing like it’s supposed to, the body will reject the baby, and a miscarriage happens.

It’s been months since my daughter lost her baby, but she’s doing well, and so am I. I talk to the baby almost every day and let it know that he/she is loved and missed. It helps me get through this.

We go through many life changes in life, but I feel that the bad ones I’ve encountered happened after my diagnosis. I believe I went through lung cancer and all the ups and downs that come with it, and it helped me or even prepared me for these life changes I’ve gone through.

There’s always a reason and a purpose. I’ve learned to trust the process.