Choosing Blessings
When you are young, you think you are invincible.
Words like cancer, thankfully, were not really part of my everyday thoughts as a young adult. As a college student at Mizzou, I didn’t really worry about my health. My biggest concerns were studying for tests (yes, I had lots of those as an atmospheric science major) and deciding where I would eat my next meal.
I lived in an all-girls dorm, and in every bathroom stall hang tags were attached to the shower heads with reminders to do your monthly breast self-exams. I saw the signs every day, so I decided to start checking. The first time I checked I thought I felt a lump on my left breast. In all honesty, I thought I must have done the check wrong. I didn’t think much of it until the next day and weeks that followed, when it didn’t go away. After a visit with my Ob/Gyn we decided to monitor the small lump for a few months. After a few months and more testing, the lump was still there and my doctor recommended left breast biopsy surgery to have it removed and tested. After surgery I don’t remember one moment I was concerned or worried about the results. I was more concerned with scarring and the minor discomfort post-surgery. Now as a parent myself, I can only imagine how my parents must have felt. Thankfully all tests came back clear and my normal college days returned; I was an invincible young person.
The news wasn’t as great the year I had my first child. Both my sister and father were diagnosed with cancer that year, within weeks of each other. There was a moment during those weeks when it really hit me; I am not invincible, and neither are my loved ones.
I am so happy to report that both my father and sister are cancer-free today. The journey didn’t come easily or without challenges, surgeries and many months of chemo included for my sister. She is my rock star. She is my hero. She is my everything, and the perfect example of how to thrive during life’s most challenging times. She found more joy and happiness during her nine months of chemo than she had felt before treatment started. That was a choice. She chose that, and that is a blessing. I hope the same for everyone reading today—many blessings. ■
Written by: Erin Little
Meteorologist Erin Little starts your day off with a smile and the forecast each morning on KCTV5 News This Morning. With over a decade of experience forecasting the weather in Kansas City, she understands it’s not all about the weather, but how it will impact our busy lives. Erin is thrilled to be raising her three young children in her hometown of Lee’s Summit. You can find her Monday through Friday, 4:30 a. m. to 7:00 a.m. on KCTV5 News. Connect with Erin: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @erinkctv5.
