An Inspirational Cancer Story Involving a Newlywed, a Doctor's Wife, and a Birdhouse

Being married to a doctor sounds glamorous, but trust me, it isn't all it's cracked up to be.   My husband and I have been together since college and it's been a very long road.

However, compared to my friend Colleen, my road seems like a short cul-de-sac.  Colleen met her husband in college, and after college her husband moved to Omaha for medical school.  She didn't know a soul there, but she wanted to be with him, so she enrolled in nursing school.  Just when she was getting to know Omaha, they had to move again for residency.  Colleen packed again and followed her husband to another city where she didn't know anyone.  Things were going well until she started feeling sick.  First, she got sore gums and didn't think much of it.  Then she started feeling really tired, but again tried to ignore it.  Eventually her gums started bleeding every time she brushed her teeth.  Her parents finally convinced her to get blood work done and she was out running errands when she got the results back.  The nurse on the other end of the phone told her she needed to go to the Emergency Room immediately.  Colleen was confused.

"I can't go now," she told the nurse.  "I'm just getting ready to walk into the grocery store." 

The nurse replied, "Colleen, you don't understand.  You need to drop what you're doing.  You are in serious danger.  Minutes will make a difference."

Collen was diagnosed with leukemia and her levels were so dangerous when she got that call, that the doctors told her she was incredibly lucky that she got there when she did.  She began fighting for her life in a strange city, without her friends or her family.  She spent lots of time in the hospital and at home, where she was quarantined and couldn't leave the house for fear of contracting a cold or worse.  While she was stuck at home alone, she watched lots of TV and read books, but that got old fast.  Eventually she started to just look out the windows and she noticed all the different birds.  She bought a book and she became an avid bird watcher, and found that it was a very soothing way to pass the time.

Colleen battled through and when I met her, she had a full head of hair and a vivacious smile.  I didn't even know she'd had cancer, because by this point, she'd been in remission for several months.  Since she was a nurse at the hospital, my husband knew story and when he told me that she'd just gotten over cancer, I didn't believe him.  This wonderful, energetic person didn't seem at all like a cancer patient to me, but it was true.  She had lived through chemo, being quarantined to her house, and losing her hair as a twenty five year old newlywed.  Yet she isn't bitter.  On the contrary, she has flourished.  She never complains about what she went through and she inspires me daily to look around and appreciate what I have.  She has one year left here, before they will move yet again for her husband to complete his fellowship and will finally be done with all his training.  She has made a full recovery and is 100% healthy today.

Colleen has become one of my dearest friends and my kids absolutely adore her.  They talk about her constantly and Munchkin Girl told me one time, "Mommy, it's so nice of you to share your friends with me."  Little Buddy definitely has a crush on her and every time he pulls out his pretend phone, I hear him saying, "Hi Coyeen.  Coming soon?"

As a tribute to her, my kids painted a bird house for her.  She isn't stuck at home anymore, but she still loves birds, and my kids love her, so I thought it was very appropriate.  I bought a few birdhouses from Hobby Lobby for just a few dollars.  Then I gave them some paint and let them go to work!  Munchkin Girl is nearly four and she was very particular about the way she wanted it painted.



I have written this story in connection with a project that was started by Mary Anne from a blog called, Mama Smiles.  Mary Ann was diagnosed with cancer at age 22 months.  She bounced back and is living a wonderful life with her husband and kids and this has inspired her to give back.  She has formed a group of power bloggers to write about how cancer has touched their lives and all stories will be compiled for a book, which will be available to purchase.  All proceeds will go toward Cancer Research.  You can also donate below by clicking on the link.  Thank you for your support!!



14 May Mama Smiles
15 May Artsy Craftsy Mom
           Rainbows Within Reach
16 May B. Inspired, Mama!
17 May Rainy Day Mum
           Imagination Soup
18 May Inspiration Laboratories
19 May Experimenting Mom
20 May Mama Mia’s Heart2Heart 
21 May NurtureStore   
           Mama Smiles
22 May Living Montessori Now
23 May Mess for Less
24 May Having Fun at Home and CraftoArt
25 May Outlaw Mom
26 May Angelique Felix and Sense of Wonder
27 May Sun Hats and Wellie Boots
28 May Duck Duck Octopus
29 May Smiling like Sunshine
30 May Mommy with Selective Memory
31 May One Perfect Day
1 June The Educators’ Spin On It
2 June Kids Stuff World
3 June Rainy Day Mum
4 June Teach Preschool
5 June Dirt and Boogers
6 June Creative Connections for Kids and The Golden Gleam
7 June Montessori Tidbits
8 June Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
9 June The Iowa Farmer’s Wife
10 June Scribble Doodle and Draw
11 June Learn with Play
12 June Kitchen Counter Chronicles
13 June CRAYON Freckles
14 June Glittering Muffins
15 June Wise Owl Factory
16 June Crafty Maa
18 June Lessons Learnt Journal
20 June Growing a Jeweled Rose
21 June Growing Play
23 June JDaniel4′s Mom








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Still working

Today (Labor Day) is Day three of being home alone with kiddos.  Hubby is gone again for the next 24 hour shift.  He does come home when there's no surgery happening, but it usually isn't long before his pager goes off again.  I have the day off and I went to a brunch this morning with the kids, and since today is a Holiday for most people, I was yet again the only person there without a spouse. 

I'm very excited though because this weekend I am taking Munchkin Girl to Charleston to visit my brother!  Hubby couldn't get the time off so he's staying home with Little Buddy!  Hooray!!  Ever since Little Buddy was born, I feel like I end up catering to his every need.  First, it was breastfeeding.  I was the only one who could do it.  Then he decided he didn't want anyone else so he was always glued to my hip.  Thus, I am super excited to spend some quality time with just Munchkin Girl!  So, on my schedule for today:

1.  Start packing for my trip
2.  Act as running coach for Hubby's barefoot running study

Number 2 probably needs slightly more explanation.  Hubby is doing an 8 week trial on barefoot running.  He has about 30 people participating and he is measuring to see if their foot strength changes over 8 weeks.  Hopefully if all goes well his research will be published.  At 6am, 12 noon, and 6pm someone has to go guide the paricipants through the study.  I've been filling in here and there when he can't find anyone else.  Usually it's Hubby who does all of them, but today is working so it's up to me.  I, Katie, who has never run barefoot and didn't even run high school track, is going to meet a bunch of people at the park, with my whistle and stopwatch.  I'm a little confused about what they're doing, something about Run for 60, rest for 60, run for 50, rest for 50, etc and on down and then back up.  I have it written down.  I'm sure it'll be fine...

The Joys of Grocery Shopping

Saturday is usually grocery store day for me.  Today Hubby was going to watch the kids so I could go alone because I had a huge list.  The only teensy problem was that he is on call today.  We always have high hopes that he won't have to go in on Saturdays.  We convince ourselves that he's not really working since he's only on call.  I don't know why we do this since it's almost never the case.  I guess we're optimists.

Anyway, today was no different.  Right on my way out the door, his pager starts buzzing.  Sure enough, it's the ER calling with some orthopedic emergency.  The kids are coming with me.  I will admit that I spend way more at the grocery store than I need to.  I go the expensive store for 2 reasons:

1.  It's VERY close to my house
2.  They have these really cool shopping carts that they don't have anywhere else.  Not only can they both fit, they both have steering wheels!  I wish every store, especially Target would get these carts.


So anyway, I load them up in the cart.  They both drive very aggressively and the old folks in the store smile at us everywhere we go.  The kids eat up all the attention and they swing their little steering wheels even faster when they realize people are looking at them.  One person asks me if they are twins.  (They are 3 and 1, almost 2 full years apart, but Little Buddy is huge and Munchkin Girl is tiny).  She puts her arm around him repeatedly.  He puts up with her attention for awhile but finally starts to push her away as she invades his space. 

The only problem with the shopping cart is that it is seriously HUGE.  I keep running into things and knocking cans over.  Oops!  Of course it's 10:00 so they're starving and start begging me for food.  I decide granola bars are a good choice.  Soon they are both covered in chocolate.  It's all over their hands, their faces.  Crap!  I forgot wipes!  I take the cart over to the baby isle and open up some wipes and clean the kids up.  Now I have 2 wrappers, 2 dirty wipes, and the crumbly remnants of 2 granola bars.  Why don't they have trash cans handy in the grocery store?  I shove everything in the side pocket of my purse.  Yuck!!

We finally make it to check out and everyone around us is staring and smiling.  Munchkin Girl is very aware of this and starts singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star just to show off.  Everyone continues to smile.  Even the lady scanning our groceries can barely concentrate and keeps talking to them and asking questions.  Munchkin Girl looks at me and says, "I love you Mommy."  Wow, she's laying it on thick now!  We walk out of the store and both kids wave at their adoring fans. 

When I pull up at home I'm faced with a dilemma.  I have about 20 grocery bags to bring inside but what to do with the kids?  Hubby is still at the hospital in the Operating Room.  I can't leave them outside to play in the street.  I can't really leave them inside totally unsupervised either.  Plus I really need to leave the door open so then they'll just come outside anyway.  I open up the Graham crackers and give them each one.  It's probably best if they stay in their car seats while I put everything away.  They whine a little at having to stay in their seats, but they aren't too bad.  I finally get all the sacks on the counter and now begins the real work.  Time to put everything away.  This sounds easy right?  Well, look at my competition.