Cancer Sucks

Today, I got a call from my mom. She told me that her best friend passed away today. Sheri had been battling breast cancer since about 1998 if I remember correctly. It could have been 1-2 years before that though. Sheri wasn't just my mom's friend, she was also my friend. You know how you have those people in your life that are your parent's friends but they would do just about anything for you too? Well, Sheri was that person to me. Sheri fought a long, hard, yet graceful battle with this stupid disease. She did it with a smile on her face and a fire in her eye that let everyone know she was going to beat it! There were a few years she was in remission but then something would happen and it would come back. Every time that happened and she let my mom know, my mom would get so angry and Sheri would say "oh it's okay, I know what to do now." She'd get back to fighting it. She had such grace and positivity beaming out of her that you had no choice but to believe she was going to beat this crappy disease. Sheri never let her fear (if she really had any, I don't think she did) show and her voice never wavered on the phone until these past few weeks. That's only because one of her vocal chords had been paralyzed by a tumor and she could only speak in a whisper. The point of this isn't for you to feel sorry for Sheri, Sheri's family, my mom, or me. It is to let you know that we are all fighting some sort of battle. How Sheri handled hers will go down in history as one of the best fought battles ever. Her grace, positivity, will to win, and her outlook on life is some of the best I have ever seen. This is not mentioning she held her head up and kept fighting throughout one of life's roughest battles.


Sheri came to my Master's graduation ceremony. She sat through that boring ceremony with my mom, dad, brother, and nephew and when my name was called, she stood up and clapped like I was her own child. She won't be able to do that at her son's Master's ceremony next month. But I know she will be yelling at the top of her lungs then because she is no longer hurting. Sheri never forgot a birthday or Christmas with my brother and me. She never forgot my mom or dad's birthday, Christmas, or their anniversary. Sheri was such an influence on my life and has taught me so much about my attitude and that I am in control of that no matter what battle I am facing. I owe her a lot and I don't think I said "thank you" to her as much as I should. 


I hope you have a Sheri in your life. One that pushes through adversity while radiating love and joy to everyone around. I hope you have someone that has shown or is showing you that battles are merely speed bumps along our path but our attitude is how you get around or through those battles. That's what Sheri did for me and I will forever remember and use the lessons she taught me.


To her family, I cannot imagine your loss but I know she is smiling on you because you were her rocks throughout it all. 


Sheri bent but her attitude, willingness to fight, and love for all never broke. She gave so much before she ever took. What a woman of character and so much grace!!!!!! I love you, Sheri.


I'll be seeing you,
Hilary