Over the last couple of years her health has not been the greatest. Even typing that I feel like it is an oxymoron. She is the HEALTHIEST person I know. When she goes to a restaurant she eats half her meal, she never chews gum or drinks soda. She eats LOTS of fruits and vegetables with every meal. She exercises! She has followed the word of wisdom her entire life! She enjoys an occassional Almond Joy and a few other treats but does everything in moderation! So, when she began to have a few health problems it was hard for her. Oh yeah... she also PLAYS with the grandkids. I mean gets in the ocean with them, jumps the waves, goes down the slides at the zoo, rides the rides at all the theme parks, reads to them, sews with them, makes cookies with them, swims with them.... SHE is ACTIVE, SHE is FUN! Her hands were not working as fast as she wanted. Her motor skills were slowing down. She went to doctors.... oh, many doctors. There were many diagnosies.... but, none were correct until she was diagnosed with Non-Tremors Parkinsons. Scary- yes. Treatable- YES! In fact, patients with non-tremors Parkinsons do great with the medication. They get back most of their mobility that had slowed down or been lost. And guess what! The medication has done wonders!
Then.... after a routine mammogram their was a spot that doctors wanted to check out. Test came back fine but the doctor wanted to do a biopsy. Well, the results came back and... BREAST CANCER. 2 ugly words that I have heard a lot! 2 friends... 2 mothers... and many others that have been effected by this disease. Luckily for my mom, it was caught early on. The doctors say they removed it all but she will still have to do radiation. YUCK! HOWEVER... I have seen all the possibilities and treatments that come with this disease and I am so grateful that it is not worse. I know that my mom just wants to be better. Once she got the diagnosis for Parkinsons, the hope of the treatment and then saw the benefits--- I think she thought she would be able to do all the things that had been hard for her before. Now, she will have to endure some more treatments. She is so strong and so courageous. I feel bad that her health has been a bit of a hinderance to her. Even though... she has still done everything. I sometimes wonder how hard it has been because I never hear her murmur. I watch and see how some things have been harder for her but she still pushes on. She is Amazing, She is Strong, She is Beautiful and She is MY MOTHER! I love her so much and am the luckiest person on earth to know her and to call her mom.
