“Strength 

My best friend of over 11 years has been dealt a hand that most would use as an excuse to curl up in bed and stay there. She grew up poor and neglected as 1 of 5 children. One of her brothers was diagnosed and taken by cancer when she was young. She started supporting herself at 15 and has done so since.

She married young and has since had 4 pregnancies producing 3 beautiful babies that amaze me every day. She has had health issues herself since she was young. After her 4th pregnancy she had a hysterectomy, her gulbladder removed and many organ failure scares that she barely caught in time. This amazing woman is going through menopause and is only 30. Her husband is military so he is gone all the time. She is basically a single parent with 3 children under the age of 10. One sassy girl (9 going on 19), one brilliant 8 year old son with an unfortunate severe case of dyslexia and one 5 year old boy that is rambunxious and crazy (in a cute way for now).

Well, on top of her previous health issues, being a single parent for most of her 9 years of parenthood and dealing with the uncertainty of living situations that military life brings... She was recently told that she has 3 huge masses that need to be biopsied. I broke down for the first time in front of her. I try to be strong when she tells me of new findings with her children, husbands career or herself. This time I couldn't do it. I lost all selfcontrol and just burst into tears. I may be loosing my best friend. My person. This time, not because she moved away and airfare is expensive, but because this disease may take her from me... from her husband... from her babies...

I gave her the key of strength even though she is the strongest woman I know. I prayed over that key to keep her healthy, happy and for us to be given answers. She will fight this. And I will be right there with her. This bond we have can't be broken. Not by time, not by distance and not by disease. If you see this, YOU ARE MY PERSON! I LOVE YOU!”