Mammograms, American Cancer Society, and other Blessings

At New Year's, I drove 11 hours to spend a few days with Teresa. We went to the American Cancer Society's Huntsville, Al office, to find a wig for her. What wonderful people the American Cancer Society people are. The office was closed, since we were there Friday of New Year's weekend. But, when I called them from a nearby intersection, lost, the woman who'd come in just to finish some paper work, invited us to come ahead and select a wig. She spent time with my sister, helping her try on wigs, and she was so patient and kind toward her. Of course we were an imposition, because we'd just shown up during the holidays! But, she didn't treat us that way. She was wonderfully kind to us. Teresa chose a short, curly blonde wig which looked alot like her own hair, and she felt so pretty in it! She also chose a hat, AND, how could I forget that she was able to get a prostesis and a bra for it? All without any cost to my sister. What a blessing the American Cancer Society is!
Teresa got very sick after her last chemo treatment. She became dehydrated and her blood pressure dropped. Her way of handling it was to take a sleeping pill and try to sleep until she was better. Since I'm a worrier, and calling her several times per day (I live 11 hours away) I called the clinic and told them about it. They had her go in and gave her fluids and anti-nausea meds intravenously. It made her feel better for less than 24 hours, and she had to have it repeated. That helped alot and she felt better for the next week.
She called me on her birthday, January 17th, to say that she really felt good. She had gone out and put new dishes and flatware on the lay-a-way at Walmart. My first thought was 'why did you waste money like that?" She's on Social Security disability, her only income. But, thankfully the Lord held my tongue and I didn't blurt it out. I realized that this is her way of showing that she has hope for the future and she's going to meet that hope with new dishes and flatware!
I've also decided that only God decides who lives and who dies--and it's not a matter of beating the odds. "I've decided", how prideful that sounds. No, I haven't decided, I have learned through God's grace that this is the case, and it is my responsibility to trust Him with her life, my life, etc., etc, and expect life- not death.
After my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, I made an appointment to have a mammogram. I've been sporadic with those, at beast, although I have been better at checking myself. I had the mamogram a couple of weeks ago, and then yesterday, my doctor's nurse called me to say that it had come back with a problem with one, and I was to call to have another mammogram as soon as possible. I have an appointment for this Friday.
How unnerving this is. I hate to be melodramatic, but even this has caused me to rethink my priorites: I am going to love and enjoy my children for whom and what they are, and not stress out over their performance-or lack of performance at school. It's too easy to get caught up in parental competition with other's over a child's abilities and successes. I'm done with that.