My best friend of 8 years has gone through a lot in the time we have been friends. She is married with two children and her husband has a pretty demanding job so he is not home a lot. At times, it's almost like she is a single mom. She does it all. She takes care of the kids, house, walks dogs for extra cash, coaches, volunteers at school, and is co-president of the PTA. She puts a lot of time into her kids, their school, and their sports.
She was diagnosed with Stage 3 Melanoma cancer 4 years ago and had several lymph nodes removed. During the many weeks of chemo, I was there for her, driving her to the appointments and staying with her for the sessions. I snuck up after her surgery to see her after visiting hours. I held her hair back when she was throwing up, put blankets on her when she was shaking cold. I made sure the house was clean and helped with the kids. So, I know how hard she works for her family.
I'm proud to say she has been in remission for over 3 years. Her husband asked for a divorce and it's something she wasn't expecting, but is dealing with in her own strong way. I'm giving her my key to remind her that if she can beat cancer she can overcome this bump in the road too.
-Jeanine