Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Survivorship, Friendship and Healing

I never expected that the things that are helping me recover from the abuse may help a cancer survivor.

A friend of mine is battling breast cancer.   She is in the midst of her second round of chemo and has radiation and then reconstructive surgery to go.  In the midst of her cancer fight, she has been faced with problems with her children.  The kids are young adults who can't/aren't able to help their mom (even emotionally.)  She's really been struggling with this.  She knows my story, including the years that I barely spoke with my parents.  She asked me about the decision, what it was like and what it has been like to be able to reconnect with them.  What I didn't expect was that some of the tools I used to handle triggers, conversations and interactions with my family would help her.  

This weekend over coffee my friend told me about an article she read.  In the article an incest survivor who was a competitive diver told of taking back her power by screaming "no more" while at the bottom of a dive pool.  She came up for air strengthened and determined to survive and thrive.  I don't know the name of the article or the name of the diver.  My heart and inner chile cheered for that girl.

May we find strength, courage, healing and hope.

3 comments:

shah wharton said...

I'm here form the carnival against child abuse at http://margarettidwell.blogspot.com/
to offer support to all the contributors. I am one, my post is at wordsinsync.blogspot.com - My name is Shah.

You have a marvellous blog and a great blog roll which I'm taking with me. I'm relatively new at blogging so you've saved me years of collecting such fabulous contacts.

Thank you for your contribution to the carnival. Shah. x

Tracie Nall said...

What a beautiful thing to take the things you have learned through the hard work of healing and give them to your friend in that way.

I cheer for that girl as well. Very powerful.

Thank you for sharing this with the Blog Carnival Against Child Abuse.

Leah said...

Shah and Tracie,

Thanks for your comments and for reading the blog. I appreciate your sisterhood and sharing in the comments and in your own blogs.

Your sister thriver,
Leah