So what if my day was ruined? It was her BIRTHDAY (Part 1)

It was January 27, 2010. My mother's birthday. I was 36 weeks pregnant with Greg, and had a hankering for Taco Bell. So, I loaded Susanna into the car and drove through Taco Bell to get a double decker taco with guacamole and no tomatoes. I was pulling out of the drive-thru when my phone rang. I saw from the Caller ID that it was my mom. I answered, wished her Happy Birthday, and she asked if I was home. I said no, that Susanna and I were out and about. She asked me to call her when I got home. I agreed, and we hung up.

Immediately, my brain went into overdrive. My mom and I frequently talk on the phone while in the car, so her wanting to wait to talk until I got home meant that SOMETHING WAS UP. I latched onto the real possibility that she had bad news to tell me, and spent the next fifteen minutes (as I drove home and then put Susanna down for a nap) wondering what was wrong. Obviously not an emergency involving her, my dad, or my brother. If that had been the case, she would have told me immediately so I could head right to...wherever. My dad would probably be the one of call me if it involved him. Was something going on with Bart (my brother)? One of my aunts or uncles or cousins? A close family friend? I didn't really think about the possibility that what my mother had to share involved HERSELF. After all, she was in great health, exercised, ate well, and looked and acted like someone 10-15 years younger than her true age. I had no doubt that she would live well into her 90s and be around to watch my children grow up, maybe even be able to see Susanna and Greg get married to their respective spouses and meet her future great-grandchildren.

Within five minutes of calling my mom back, those expectations were suddenly and excruciatingly colored with doubt. Mom told me that she had breast cancer and was scheduled for an MRI the next day and a mastectomy on February 25, which just happened to be the day after my due date.

Once we hung up, I spent the next hour sobbing uncontrollably, and even once I calmed myself down, I cried on and off for the rest of the afternoon.

(To Be Continued)