*By Debbi Anderson, Conservative Ladies of Washington Education Lead
Eight years ago, I was in the best health of my life. I had lost over 100 pounds. I was walking two miles every day. I was teaching and walking up and down a big hill to the school, pulling a cart heavy with books. One day in my exercise routine, I was startled when I experienced a real problem.. I thought I had already gone through menopause, so this was a bit concerning. But…I shrugged it off and thought , “Dang, it sucks getting old.” Several weeks later, it happened again. This time, it lasted longer. I ignored it. One day driving home from school, I experienced such pain in my stomach. It was so bad, I sweated and groaned. A fleeting thought came that I should drive myself to the hospital. I didn’t. I took my niece wedding dress shopping. My mom, sister and nieces went with us. I started to experience so much pain, I thought I would pass out. I mentioned lightly on the way home that I should drive myself to the hospital because I was hurting so bad. No one picked up on it, so I just drove myself home and gave them my car to continue. Months passed with more issues. It stopped me from doing anything. I couldn’t leave the house, I couldn’t exercise. I remember just standing in the shower, sobbing. I hated doctors. They were so invasive. But I knew I was in trouble.
I watched a show called Little Couple. They are a pair of little people who adopt two little children. Jen, the wife, went to India to pick up an adopted child when she started to have the same issues I experienced. Jen is a doctor and she was immediately concerned, telephoned her doctor in the U.S., received instructions to go home immediately, and she did. She was diagnosed with cancer. It woke me up. Had I waited too long? Putting my shame, embarrassment, fear, privacy, aside, I made an appointment with a doctor. That began my cancer journey I’ve shared with you. Ultrasounds, biopsies, scrapings, and exploratory surgery revealed I had endometrial cancer. In fact, the way I was told by my cold doctor was, “You are the poster child for endometrial cancer.” Harsh. Major surgery happened soon. 11 hours. They found the cancer had spread to my fallopian tubes (that was the pain), but it did not spread to my lymph nodes. To be careful and make sure it was all caught, I went through seven bouts of chemotherapy.
I was lucky. Endometrial cancer is one of the slowest moving cancers. If I had gone in right away, it would be 99% survival rate. Waiting over a year, it was down to 84% survival rate. Obviously, I survived.
This was difficult for me to write. I’ve never told it before. You see, it’s vulnerable. It shows my issues of shame and fear. No one wants to be exposed. But it’s the best example I know of waiting almost too long to do what you have to do.
Do you have a personal meter when Enough is Enough? What it takes to move you to action? I’ve not been in a domestic abuse issue, but my friend has. It took years for her to finally leave. I remember thinking (but never stating), “All it would take for me to leave was that first hit.” But it took her years because it wasn’t Enough yet. What about the kids? What if I did something wrong? Shame, fear stopped her. She’s fine and in a new marriage, but she put up with something for years before she had Enough.
At the store, a cashier gives you a dollar too much in change. Is that Enough to bring it to her attention? Would a penny be Enough? Maybe it would take $20 or more. Or maybe you would just be happy and call it good luck.
You order something online and it arrives damaged. Is that Enough to send it back, or do you just shrug it off and don’t want to take the time and effort to return it. The post office is so busy!!!
We’re in a pretty awful place right now. Can you track each situation back to its origins? Maybe when abortion was made legal? Was that Enough to get you to take action? Or did you hope someone else would and now they are killing breathing, heart-beating infants after birth. I think this is Enough for most of us. A year ago a virus entered America. We were told we had to shut down businesses. That was Enough for the business owners, but it wasn’t Enough for a lot of people. BLM destroyed blocks of businesses in Seattle. They proclaimed it was their property because the whites owed it to them. Was that Enough? A lot of people were moved to action. The mayor wasn’t. She was in her element, “Season of Love!” That proclamation was Enough for me and I rallied the troops to try to get rid of her.
President Trump was replaced by Resident Biden. We all know that story. Was that Enough? It was to most of us. Let me take it a bit further. When Biden still remained Resident, even after the case was proven against him, did we still rally? Or were we disheartened because we didn’t win and the evil was too great? I believe most of us are even more Enoughed? Lots of fighting and protesting still going on. 2022 candidates proves that!
Look at the school situation. Children are being faced with wearing masks and being indoctrinated by teachers and authority who do not have their best interests. Parents are being swept aside with laws of age 12 and over. Many, many shouted Enough and still do. I am so proud of how many are still standing up each week at the school boards. Despite all the impossibilities that need to be overcome, parents are removing their kids from public schools. Teachers are quitting because they refuse to take part in this new indoctrination. Some are still not quite at the Enough stage.
Rumors are flying around that hospitals and doctors will not take care of any unvaccinated people. I thought they had an oath to DO NO HARM. Maybe it will be Enough for me when I need medical assistance. I’m not there yet (says she, with shame).
I should have said Enough when I first encountered the pain. I didn’t. I let it go and it still turned out ok. Is there a time when we move our Enough meter too far? I could have ignored it for another year or more, and you wouldn’t be receiving these blogs (no comment please). Maybe we’re waiting for our first child to turn completely against us and declare independence at age 12. That’s right here now. That should be Enough.
I don’t write this to shame you. I just have heard the word Enough too much lately. I admit thinking, “Oh great, you’ve had Enough NOW?! Where were you a year ago?” My thought was to examine my personal meter and decide where my own Enough is. Do I have it set too far? I’ve had Enough of everything TODAY. I am tired, I am still full of fear and shame, but I’m going to keep fighting the School Boards. I’m going to keep trying to encourage everyone to take action because they too have had Enough. Think about it please and examine your meter. Today.