In February, we were starting to see the light, many things were coming to a point where they would again be managable, not likeable, but we were able to breathe again and started actually looking forward and planning some happy moment. Then (at the time, 10 month old) son had a temper tantrum and threw his head into my chest. One of those, it-was-never-a-big-deal-the-hundreds-of-times-every-other-day but this time it caused a lump in my breast. Over a month of weekly Dr visits that included ultrasounds and needle aspirations, and the only choice to help my pain and get answers as to what the lump was, surgery.
On April 6, I had a routine lumpectomy. Great, they said. We got it all, it's gone. You don't have to worry about it any more. WE TOLD YOU IT WAS NOTHING, they said.
On April 10, they called me. It wasn't "NOTHING"...it was BREAST CANCER!!
I was in Trader Joe's (a grocery store) with my 3 young children. All I remember after that was not knowing how many packages of hot dogs were going to get my kids through me having Breast Cancer...
I went to more appointments, met more Drs, went to an amazing "Second Opinion Breast Cancer Clinic" that had all the special Drs together in one room to talk to me at once and help me decide the best route for me.
May 9, I had a bi-lateral mastectomy. I know you have to recover from major surgery...but I didn't realize at the time all the things I wouldn't be able to do and how tired just sitting in a chair would make me. A week later I am getting worried. My husband has been working from home, but we can't afford that next week. He has to go back to work so we can keep our heads above the financial waters that the past 2 years have put us under.
I can't lift more than 2 lbs for at least another week, then my limit will be 5-10lbs for another 4-6 weeks (depending on how I heal). I have to keep my elbows below my shoulders.
That means I can only get my kids cups if they are not in the cupboard, I can only get drinks if the jugs are less than half full. I can't put the dog outside on the chain or bring him in. I can't change my son's diaper, I can't help my 2 year old in the potty. I can't pull out supplies for the kids to do crafts, get them snacks that are kept in the top of the pantry, or cereal or hold a pot of water to make pasta, or make mac & cheese, or cook chicken for dinner...the list goes on.
I need help.
I need to hire someone to be my kids stand-in SAHM until I can be again.
We figure 5 weeks, 5 days a week, for 10 hours while Hubby is gone = 50 hours/week
$8-9/hr is $400-$450 a week, $2,000-$2,250 that we just don't have.
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