Cancer Mind over Matter of Life!

Written on the 12th of December 2008 by Jenny Regeling

In 1997 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 38!  The minute this happened my whole life changed before me, BUT NOT FOR THE NEGATIVE - FOR THE POSITIVE!  I was confronted with a lifechanging situation and I had to make decisions.  When asked by my youngest of three girls, Amy, who was only 11 years of age at the time, if I was going to die, I immedaitely answered - "NO!  This is going to be good for us - they are going to get rid of the tumor and then we are going to do everything to get very healthy and live a long and happy life together!!!"

I have always been a positive person but this was a big test as to how positive I was.  From then on everything changed for the better and it hasn't been any different since.  No matter what happens in life, there is a purpose for it and good always comes from that purpose.  There is a lesson to learn from every mistake or challenge and that is the positive, exciting thing about life.

As I lay in hospital for 10 days it got me thinking alot.  They put me in a surgical ward as the cancer ward was full.  As I lay there and saw people come and go I realized that each one of those people were worse off than me - and that is what really changed my way of thinking so much more.  Now no matter what goes wrong there is always someone else out there with alot worse than me happening to them.  So I just move ahead and count my many blessings.

Through Chemotherapy and other treatments we as a family made sure we laughed alot - one experience I will share with you was one day after I had lost all my hair, our girls & I were parked at  a set of red lights.  Next to us was parked a car load of surfie guys eyeing off our girls.  So I lent forward and took off my cap and waved - they just freaked and took off.  We laughed so much for a long time over that, and still do about alot of experiences.  Don't get me wrong, we had our very difficult times but we always got through them and we always will because we are very blessed to have what we have - each other.

So if you are feeling down or struggling through hard times, one of the best cures for depression or just self pity is to look around you and you will always find someone, if not many someones, so much more in need than you!  Have a great day and a better life!

By the way I am still cancer free and I thank God, my family and our positive attitude for that!