Surviving for Lily

A guest post from Heather Von St James:

I couldn't wait to be a mom.  As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I went straight to the bookstore and bought every book I could find on pregnancy.  I avoided unhealthy foods, I found the best doctor, and I spent every waking second preparing myself for our new addition

I knew that my life would be changed forever but I could never know just how much.  Lily was the most beautiful little girl in the world and I couldn't believe how lucky I was to be her mother.  However, just three short months later, my world would be torn apart.  I was diagnosed with cancer.  When the doctor first told me I had pleural mesothelioma and discussed my prognosis with me, I was terrified.  How could I possibly have 15 months and miss out on a life with my little one?  At that moment, I decided that I wasn't going to let that happen.  Anything I could do to stay alive, I would do it.

My husband, Cam, and I decided that I would seek treatment in Boston, which meant that I had to fly 1200 miles away from my precious baby for who knows how long.  Instead of snuggling my Lily as I intended, I was going to spend countless hours in the hospital undergoing radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery.  While my parents watched our daughter, Cam stood by my side as I went through treatment. My treatment included the removal of both my left lung as well as the lining surrounding my diaphragm and heart.  All in all, I was away for a month and missed out on a lot of the first year of my little girl's life.

 

Once I finally was home, I couldn't get enough time with Lily.  We went to play dates, walked outside, and played as much as my tired body would let me.  All I wanted to do was soak up every minute I could with my darling girl.  Almost eight years later, really nothing has changed.  We still appreciate and love one another more and more each day, knowing that life is precious.   We shared our story with Lily who, at the time, was too small to remember and we are glad we did.  She has developed such a beautiful, happy personality and appreciates the value of each and every life.  Amid the chaos and the uncertainty, we stayed strong and became the family we are today and we wouldn't change it for the world.

While dealing with mesothelioma was beyond terrifying, I can't deny that so much good came out of that pain.  I hope that sharing my story will encourage others who are going through a similar difficult time to persevere and to know that they are never alone.  Take heart and know that there is always hope.