The day we were shut down by covid. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. What happened after that will never leave my memory or my heart. I will never stop being grateful or will l ever forget how blessed l am.
My teammate Lauren reached out to teammates from the past 12 years and shared my diagnoses with them.
For months and months a day didn’t go by that there wasn’t something left at my door. Gift cards, meals, flowers, gifts for my 11 year old son, phone calls, emails, texts and a promise that when l got better and returned to hockey my league fees would be covered.
There was some really tough days. In the middle of my chemo treatments. l fell and broke my collarbone and it also resulted in two compression fractures in my back. I was bedridden for 6 weeks, except for when l would use a walker, a whack of pain meds and some how managed to go for my chemo treatments. I know l would have never gotten through these last 16 months without the love and support l received from all these amazing, generous, caring women.
Hockey is way more than just the hour on the ice. It’s the time in the dressing room before and after the game. Where you share so many laughs, sometimes tears, sometimes hugs when you know that your teammate sitting beside you is going through a tough time and of course trash talking the other team. Lol
I learned that my teammates are way more than people that l got together with a couple of times a week. My teammates gave me the gifts of strength, support and love through the worst time in my life. It’s like they just knew when l needed a text, or a phone call to let me know they were thinking of me and keeping my in their prayers. My teammates became my angels. Not just in my eyes but in my 3 kids and my husbands. Which l cannot leave out of my gratitude and my blessings. Cancer doesn’t just touch the person that is diagnosed, it’s tough on the whole family.
I am working extremely hard in physio hoping to return to hockey in September. I am looking forward to playing again, but to be real honest. l am really looking forward to hugging and thanking these amazing women, and once again sharing laughter. As we all know laughter is the best medicine.