Congratulations, Nancy, and I’m so glad you get to have those newborn snuggles. Get as many as you can! I hope you get lots of years with those grandkids as they grow!
Thank you for the congrats. It was wonderful to get those snuggles. We don't live close by, so I had to savor them. Hopefully, many more to come. Though they won't be newborn snuggles, they'll still be wonderful.
Loved this, Nancy! Congratulations on your new granddaughter! I am a first time grandma (3 weeks now) and have plane tickets to visit my grandson at the end of June. Can't wait for those newborn-ish snuggles!
Thank you so much for the congrats and for reading, commenting, liking, and subscribing too. I'm so glad you here with me. I will check out your writings soon.
Congrats on the birth of your new grandson! Being a grandma is pretty awesome and the newborn snuggles are precious and unforgettable. Enjoy the time you get to have with your new family addition. We don't live close to ours, so I know what that's like. Thank goodness for video calls! Thanks again and welcome!
I'm so glad you and Dad were able to come out and see Evie when she was only 8 days old! Thank you for all your help and can't wait for you to see the grandkids again soon. And the dogs need the extra attention!
I'm so glad we made it when Evie was so little, too! Special times. We thoroughly enjoyed pitching in where we could and look forward to our next visit. Dogs are doing great with the adjustment, I'd say. Thank you for reading and commenting, too. I know how busy you are!
First of all, I'm so happy for you and your loved ones. Congratulations on the arrival of your beautiful granddaughter. That is certainly something wonderful to celebrate, indeed.
My something wonderful is my almost 16-year-old daughter. Can you believe it? Diagnosed with breast cancer while I was still fertile, I lost my fertility with treatment. Despite my grieving and hopelessness, I found a light: toward adoption. As you know, I adopted a 13-month-old beautiful baby girl from China, which was no easy feat. It was really my last-ditch effort toward motherhood after I felt the walls toward that dream were closing in on me. People tell me my daughter is so lucky, but the truth is that I'm the lucky one.
And, yes, I also feel survivor's guilt. My friend Faun and I each were around the same age and rendered infertile from chemo. We both were so alike, and we both wanted at least one child. We both dreamed about this becoming a reality, but her cancer metastasized, and five years later, Faun had died. I feel somewhat guilty that only I realized that dream. Yet, like you say, we have to live our best lives to honor those who didn't survive.
Great post, Nancy. Once again, I'm so happy for you and your loved ones! Enjoy each moment!
Thank you so much for your congrats! I feel blessed, that's for sure.
I am sooo glad you have your wonderful daughter, and yes, it's hard to believe she's almost 16! I guess she'll be driving soon! My goodness, where does the time go? I'd say you're both pretty lucky to have each other!
I have a feeling Faun would be so happy you achieved your dream of motherhood. You two must've been so close. I'm so sorry she died from this blasted disease. You are honoring her by living your best life and continuing to talk about her. Of course, you know this, too, but survivor guilt still rears its head from time to time.
Thank you for reading and commenting too. And thank for being here - always one to support my writing. It means so much.
Nancy - what a wonderful experience!!! I am so glad you have these memories and I wish the same as you, that all cancer survivors get to realize their life ambitions! Be well.
It really was wonderful to make these special memories. I hope we all get to make a whole lot more of them. Thank you for reading and taking time to comment, too. I appreciate you.
Thank you so much. It's so nice to hear from you. Three grandchildren is pretty darn wonderful. I'm grateful indeed, but also feel those pangs of survivor guilt from time to time as so many aren't able to enjoy such moments. I hope all is well with you and your family. Thank you for being here.
I feel it, too, Nancy - especially when I’m with someone with metastatic BC. I feel so guilty trying to support them when knowing that it impacted them but not me. It’s in ongoing life issue.
BUT, I’m doing well and participate in an advocacy group in NJ called Pathways, where we share our BC experience with students who are studying to be nurses and interns, to give them an understanding of what their patients will be going through. I find it to be extremely satisfying to impact how future nurses and physicians will treat their future BC patients. I share the good and the bad experiences I had, and how it still impacts me today, 14 years after my initial diagnosis. Just so you know, I read all your posts but don’t usually write a note - I’m so impressed at both your blog AND your multiple books. All my best to you and your family. ❤️
I think we all feel survivor guilt from time to time. How could we not? I truly believe living our best lives is how we honor those who don't survive. But it's still hard. As you know.
I'm glad you are doing well, and I LOVE what you are doing in Pathways!! What an amazing thing to be able to impact future care patients will receive because of generous people like you sharing your experiences with future nurses and doctors. I'm so proud of you.
Thank you for reading my articles and for sticking with me over here on Substack. Your support means the world to me. It's wonderful knowing you're out there. Sometimes, I wonder if anyone's "hearing" me anymore. Thank you for your kind words about my books too. You're a gem of a loyal reader, and I appreciate you so much. My best to you and yours, too, Claudia.
Congratulations, Nancy, and I’m so glad you get to have those newborn snuggles. Get as many as you can! I hope you get lots of years with those grandkids as they grow!
Hi Alene,
Thank you for the congrats. It was wonderful to get those snuggles. We don't live close by, so I had to savor them. Hopefully, many more to come. Though they won't be newborn snuggles, they'll still be wonderful.
Loved this, Nancy! Congratulations on your new granddaughter! I am a first time grandma (3 weeks now) and have plane tickets to visit my grandson at the end of June. Can't wait for those newborn-ish snuggles!
Hi, Cherie,
Thank you so much for the congrats and for reading, commenting, liking, and subscribing too. I'm so glad you here with me. I will check out your writings soon.
Congrats on the birth of your new grandson! Being a grandma is pretty awesome and the newborn snuggles are precious and unforgettable. Enjoy the time you get to have with your new family addition. We don't live close to ours, so I know what that's like. Thank goodness for video calls! Thanks again and welcome!
Thank you, Nancy! Yes, what would we do without Zoom? And thanks for subscribing to me as well. I'm glad we'll be connecting!
I'm so glad you and Dad were able to come out and see Evie when she was only 8 days old! Thank you for all your help and can't wait for you to see the grandkids again soon. And the dogs need the extra attention!
Hi Lindsay,
I'm so glad we made it when Evie was so little, too! Special times. We thoroughly enjoyed pitching in where we could and look forward to our next visit. Dogs are doing great with the adjustment, I'd say. Thank you for reading and commenting, too. I know how busy you are!
Hi Nancy,
First of all, I'm so happy for you and your loved ones. Congratulations on the arrival of your beautiful granddaughter. That is certainly something wonderful to celebrate, indeed.
My something wonderful is my almost 16-year-old daughter. Can you believe it? Diagnosed with breast cancer while I was still fertile, I lost my fertility with treatment. Despite my grieving and hopelessness, I found a light: toward adoption. As you know, I adopted a 13-month-old beautiful baby girl from China, which was no easy feat. It was really my last-ditch effort toward motherhood after I felt the walls toward that dream were closing in on me. People tell me my daughter is so lucky, but the truth is that I'm the lucky one.
And, yes, I also feel survivor's guilt. My friend Faun and I each were around the same age and rendered infertile from chemo. We both were so alike, and we both wanted at least one child. We both dreamed about this becoming a reality, but her cancer metastasized, and five years later, Faun had died. I feel somewhat guilty that only I realized that dream. Yet, like you say, we have to live our best lives to honor those who didn't survive.
Great post, Nancy. Once again, I'm so happy for you and your loved ones! Enjoy each moment!
Hi Beth,
Thank you so much for your congrats! I feel blessed, that's for sure.
I am sooo glad you have your wonderful daughter, and yes, it's hard to believe she's almost 16! I guess she'll be driving soon! My goodness, where does the time go? I'd say you're both pretty lucky to have each other!
I have a feeling Faun would be so happy you achieved your dream of motherhood. You two must've been so close. I'm so sorry she died from this blasted disease. You are honoring her by living your best life and continuing to talk about her. Of course, you know this, too, but survivor guilt still rears its head from time to time.
Thank you for reading and commenting too. And thank for being here - always one to support my writing. It means so much.
Well-said. Arielle is learning to drive this summer. I'm not ready!! 🤣
Nancy - what a wonderful experience!!! I am so glad you have these memories and I wish the same as you, that all cancer survivors get to realize their life ambitions! Be well.
Hi Lessly,
It really was wonderful to make these special memories. I hope we all get to make a whole lot more of them. Thank you for reading and taking time to comment, too. I appreciate you.
Oh, I’m soooo happy for you! Three grandchildren, now! What a beautiful, life affirming gift! 💕
Hi Claudia,
Thank you so much. It's so nice to hear from you. Three grandchildren is pretty darn wonderful. I'm grateful indeed, but also feel those pangs of survivor guilt from time to time as so many aren't able to enjoy such moments. I hope all is well with you and your family. Thank you for being here.
I feel it, too, Nancy - especially when I’m with someone with metastatic BC. I feel so guilty trying to support them when knowing that it impacted them but not me. It’s in ongoing life issue.
BUT, I’m doing well and participate in an advocacy group in NJ called Pathways, where we share our BC experience with students who are studying to be nurses and interns, to give them an understanding of what their patients will be going through. I find it to be extremely satisfying to impact how future nurses and physicians will treat their future BC patients. I share the good and the bad experiences I had, and how it still impacts me today, 14 years after my initial diagnosis. Just so you know, I read all your posts but don’t usually write a note - I’m so impressed at both your blog AND your multiple books. All my best to you and your family. ❤️
Hi again, Claudia,
I think we all feel survivor guilt from time to time. How could we not? I truly believe living our best lives is how we honor those who don't survive. But it's still hard. As you know.
I'm glad you are doing well, and I LOVE what you are doing in Pathways!! What an amazing thing to be able to impact future care patients will receive because of generous people like you sharing your experiences with future nurses and doctors. I'm so proud of you.
Thank you for reading my articles and for sticking with me over here on Substack. Your support means the world to me. It's wonderful knowing you're out there. Sometimes, I wonder if anyone's "hearing" me anymore. Thank you for your kind words about my books too. You're a gem of a loyal reader, and I appreciate you so much. My best to you and yours, too, Claudia.