This is an excerpt from a note that Leah Walsh posted to her mother.
I am Joanne Walsh's daughter and that’s the most important thing you need to know. My mom has 3 children, 2 grandchildren and has just BEAT breast cancer!
I see the effect her diagnosis has had on me, as a mother, a daughter, sister, and friend. I have transcended with my mother from something small to something great and beautiful. I have never felt the emotions of strength, courage, fear, and helplessness all in one tear drop. I have never felt so needed and motherly as I had the day she was diagnosed. I had made myself Captain in the battle of breast cancer, and I was not going to lose. I the daughter had become the mother and my mother had become my daughter, which was our first transcending moment. She was my little girl, and needed ME to call and make every appointment, be at every surgery, drive her to every appointment. She needed me just the way I needed her all those years before. I must admit I ate up the authority and responsibility I had received from being Mom's "Boss". Having my cancer notebook at all the appointments as her doctor just smiled, I checked off all the questions that needed to be asked, and took notes on her every word. I don’t know if mom would agree but I think I did a pretty good job, and if she doesn’t agree, I'll just ground her! At some point, I'm not sure when, we each transcended back into our original roles as mother and daughter. She was driving herself to chemo and calling me to see how I was feeling. I thank God and Papa everyday that mom is a SURVIVOR.
Brunswick, OH
