Happy Birthday Aunt Betty!

Today is Aunt Betty's 61st birthday. I had thought about taking her a cupcake with a candle in it to surprise her, but my mother-in-law invited us over for dinner and we didn't leave there as early as I would've liked. Not only that, I got a phone call from Aunt Linda earlier in the day saying that she was baking a cake and that she was calling my uncles (Betty & Linda's brothers) to kind of surprise her with.

I got there a little late, and even though I was just at Aunt Betty's the weekend before, I was happy to see her and she was happy to see me. I figured, since it is her birthday today, I'd make my entry about her.

On a message board, the question was asked, "Who in your life, do you admire"? I didn't even have to think about that one. It's my Aunt Betty. She is one heck of a woman and I could not imagine walking even one day in her shoes.

My Aunt Betty is a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984. She had a mastectomy to remove one of her breasts. It was a scary time for all of us, but Aunt Betty would never let you see her down. She became very sick and lost all of her hair from the chemotherapy. He white cell count dropped very low, and we were so afraid of losing her, but she would not give up her fight. I was just 14 years old at the time, and it was so hard for me to see her like that. I always thought that if you had cancer, it meant you were going to die. Twenty-one years later, Aunt Betty is living proof that it can be beat, and I am so thankful to have her here.

In 1988, my grandfater became terribly ill. He had suffered from heart disease, and he was very sick. Who was the person that was at his side, taking care of him for many weeks as he layed in his hospital bed at home? Aunt Betty. She stayed by his side and was at his house every day to care for him. She was right behind the ambulance on the day that they rushed him to the hospital where he passed away.

In 1994, cancer had struck again. This time, it wasn't Aunt Betty, but her son, Bobby. He was just 24 years old at the time. It started in his spine, but was a fast spreading cancer that eventually made it to his lungs and other vital organs. I know that Aunt Betty was crumbling on the inside, but on the outside, she was a very strong woman for Bobby and for the rest of her family. She was at Bobby's side the entire time. Sadly, on June 25, 1995, after a 9 month fight, God took him home. Still, Aunt Betty stayed strong for the rest of the family. I have never experienced the loss of a child, but I've always imagined it to be the worst thing for a mother to ever go through, and it breaks my heart that a mother would have be put through so much pain. To me, it wasn't fair that it had to happen to her. It was the hardest thing, I think, that I have ever done in my life, but I was there with Aunt Betty to help her pack away Bobby's things . It was a moment in my life that I will never forget. We cried, but we also laughed that day in Bobby's room, and I think that was the day that brought us even closer than we already were. I am so grateful to have had that time with her, and I cherish every memory of that day, even though it was so sad, yet happy. It's just indescribable.

Ten years, and 1 day shy of the anniversary of her father's passing, Aunt Betty received terrible news. Her 7 year old grandson, Brandon, had been in a terrible car crash in Georgia. He was in the front seat of the car, wearing his seatbelt, when the car collided head-on with a truck. Brandon's mother died instantly, and his little brother in the back seat was also injured, but not severly. As soon as Aunt Betty got the news, she rushed to be by his side. Brandon was in a coma for quite a long time and eventually came out of it. He came out with severe brain damage. The impact caused his brain to pretty much bounce around in his skull, and this causing damage to his brain stem. He was paralyzed, and the dr.'s kept telling Aunt Betty that there was little hope for him, and that she shouldn't get her hopes up. He would never be able to walk, or speak, and he'd have to be tube fed. He'd be a "vegetable".

Aunt Betty's son, Brandon's father, just walked away. He had just met a woman, a few months before, and he packed up and left for Missouri. Brandon was eventually put into my aunt's care, and when he was "well" enough, he was placed in her home, and she was granted guardianship. Brandon needed constant care, and who was there to do it? Aunt Betty! She had to learn how to take care of him, and she did and still does. He is now eating and swallowing. Something the dr.'s said he'd never do. Being deaf before the accident, he has re-learned some signs to communicate with her. If it weren't for her, I'm not sure what would've happened to him. His own father turned his back on him, but Aunt Betty made sure that he would be with her and he would get the care and love he needs and deserves. She did all of this without even thinking about how hard it would be for her and how much it would change her life. She is truly and amazing and selfless woman.

Not long ago, Aunt Betty told me how most women dread getting older and hate birthdays. She doesn't think that way at all. She thought that her time was up when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Every year, she not only gets older, but she gets another year with her family, and she is so grateful for that. She celebrates life, not just on her birthday, but everyday, and for that, I admire her.

So, Happy Birthday Aunt Betty! You are an inspiration to me, and I love you! I am so blessed to have you in my life, and I am truly grateful.