Other times, entire conversations drop out of my brain. Poof. Like it never happened. Sometimes, they are significant bits of information. Like, for example.... hearing that someone is expecting a baby. Yesterday, I was participating in a conversation wherein the other person THOUGHT they told me something so I sat like a bobble head idiot, figuring for sure, I dropped the conversation. Found out later..... I really DIDN'T know. The people in my life need to take more care with me.... I can't add, "I thought I TOLD you already" into this already confused repertoire going on in my head.
Back to #FearlessFriends. I thought it was a tweet chat and as it turns out, I was right. Those words first appeared in a tweet by Rachel Cheetham Moro.
The other thing abt living with mets, is our worlds start to shrink. That's where fearless friends are so important. #bcsm
— CCChronicles (@ccchronicles) January 24, 2012
She owns those words. Sadly, she spoke them in the very last chat in which she participated. One week later, she was absent from the chat. In fact, her final seven "tweets" are in the screenshot at the bottom of this post. Seeing those hearts fuel me further.
Those hearts remind me. Those who can, SHOULD. I can. I should. I will. I am fearless. Even when I have "some fear." ESPECIALLY when I have "some fear." Having fear and acting anyway is the epitome of fearlessness, wouldn't you agree?
And, if I ever forget, all I need to do is look at this bracelet that came in the mail on Saturday. It was from my mom. For no reason. Because that's what moms do.
Rachel's very last tweet was asking if the Stage IV patients were finally being heard. The link she included is here. And to answer the question, I don't know if anyone is listening, but I'm not going to stop talking because I am now and I will continue to be a fierce advocate and a #FearlessFriend.
I remembered! And I believe that you are being a fearless friend! We won't stop talking about it! Thinking of you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathleen!!! October is right around the corner. We have to do better this year. We have to change the conversation. It's TIME.
DeleteYour mom is a wonderful woman - and she raised a wonderful daughter!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ellen...
DeleteMy mom is great. The timing was impeccable. I was having a rough moment and the package was in the mailbox.
xoxox
I also wondered where fearless friend came from but I knew the term felt right to use. Thank you also for reminding us of Rachel. Your mom sounds like she is awesome. Why not-she has a great daughter!
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,
DeleteThose words do sound right, don't they? They have now officially become part of Rachel's growing legacy. I miss her voice.
Hugs,
AnneMarie
I'm listening! The world needs to hear you, so keep talking & writing
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nancy!!!
DeleteIt's nice to hear feedback. I'm not stopping until big changes start happening!!
xoxox
Hi AnneMarie,
ReplyDeleteI'm listening, too. This post is poignant, and I, too, remember that tweet about Fearless Friends from Rachel. I've always said that courage is having fear but acting anyway. Anyway, it is important for us to be the kind of friends Rachel valued -- Fearless Friends.
Yes, it is...
DeleteThe connections we have made online have so tightly bonded us together. I will be forever grateful for the deep friendships that continue to grow each day.
xoxoxo
AnneMarie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post [and[ tracking down the origin in response to my question!
I don't think I should approach a post given such a personal origin within the breast cancer community, most especially those with mbc [and] though I identify with the frustrations, I am not considered part of this community rather I will RT and post the link to our blog.
I am a survivor of ewing's sarcoma, a pediatric malignancy, to my left chest wall; treated [and] cured with chest radiation [5000rads] and multi-agent chemotherapy, including doxorubicin.
I also walked through the failure [and] death of my heart secondary to my curative therapy. I underwent heart transplantation in 4/2008. I have many friends who walked through the valley of heart failure with me, but only a handful that are #fearlessfriends who continue to be in relationship with me.
Rachel's words "your world shrinks" when you are living with metastatic breast cancer resonate with me as a survivor b/c everyone wants to be associated with my cure, but it's the few who want to be identified w/ the ultimate failure of my heart and the other late effects of my therapy. Heart transplant is not a cure; it is more time, but no one know how much more time.
I've been trying so diligently to get into the #mbc and the #bcsm circle, but to no avail. You are the only one who has chosen to follow me, myHeart back. I wish each of you all the best. Persevere in your efforts to have research $$ reallocated to reflect the best interest of everyone with any stage of breast cancer.
myHeart, yourHands will certainly be promoting breast cancer awareness as many survivors and individuals living with mbc will develop cardiac issues, especially those who received the herceptin/doxorubicin combination.
very simply
Stephanie
Dearest Stephanie....
DeleteThank you for your beautiful words and I would like to offer you the opportunity to tell YOUR whole story here. In its own blogpost for the social media crowd to see.
We are all connected and those who have survived childhood cancers, especially with radiation, are often at risk for other cancers later in life. Some of those who are involved in the breast cancer community had other cancers years ago.
I WANT your voice here....
MUCH LOVE,
AnneMarie
xoxox