Amy's Story: A Star Shining In The Dark

My name is Amy and my story starts when I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 3. I survived after having my right kidney removed during exploratory surgery and 18 months of chemo and radiation and 6 weeks of an experimental drug. I lived life pretty normal after that and was married at the age of 20 and pregnant with baby #1 at 21. He was a premie but healthy. He and I were involved in a serious accident when he was 4. I had a severely broken leg and he had a burst liver. My leg required 3 surgeries over the next several years. During that time I had baby #2 and we discovered after I almost died that the experimental medicine I took for the cancer had damaged my heart. I went through a divorced and quickly remarried a guy I had known all through school. My health was stable and I had managed to get through nursing school at the age of 37 but then the unthinkable happened…… my husband had gotten high and came home to find my brother helping me put a swing set together. After they exchange words he came outside with a shotgun and shot around me to kill my brother. He was successful inspite of my best efforts to keep my brother alive. It was a blow that I didn’t know if I could but I found myself needing to be a rock for my kids and family. I was so alone during that time because I lost my brother and my husband at the same time, but I pushed through the pain and buried the rest. I kept nursing working 20+ days in a row with no breaks. I thought I was doing Everything right because I wasn’t thinking about everything that was happening around me until my health stopped me in my tracks. Not mention another very serious car accident. I now live on disability and do the best I can from one day to the next. I’ve had one heart surgery but the damage to my heart is permanent. I’m looking at needing a heart transplant in the next 7 to 10 years and I’ve had my heart broken several times over the years but I try to still look for love and happiness  My kids are grown now. My son got married this summer and I’m moving my daughter into her dorm tomorrow. Life isn’t always easy but I keep trying every day to make it better than it was the day before. Thank you for allowing us to have a clothing line that lets us know we are strong and that our battles have been worth it……… everyday. 

I’m in love with the Dream Catcher and the Best Life collections. I try to live my best life as many days as I can but sometimes I have to remind myself that I am a star shining in the dark.