I cope with adversity by putting one foot in front of the other

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Kathi Nailling

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December 5, 2011

Kathi Nailling The Athens Review The Athens Daily Review Mon Dec 05, 2011, 08:49 AM CST

Athens — There was a time I thought 2004 was the worse year of my life. That was the year I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. That illness creates a hyperactive thyroid.

For those who aren't aware, your thyroid can effect almost every organ in you body, including your heart, brain, lungs and kidneys, and everything in between.

When the thyroid is hyper, all these organs get over-active. They are hyper. Does that make sense?

I had my thyroid removed in May, 2004, using radioactive iodine.

Let’s see if I can explain. It's iodine used to kill your thyroid. Since your thyroid produces iodine, the radioactivity kills it. Not medical terminology, but you get the jest.

First problem in 2004 solved. That was just the start.

In November, 2004, I was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer.

My family history shows no one has every survived any kind of cancer.

Why should I be different?

I knew I had a long road with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

I also knew I could do anything for six months to save the rest of my life.

I was very lucky. I have now been seven years cancer-free.

The next year was much less stressful.

Fast forward to 2011.

What a year.

My husband of 37 years, Jackie, lost his battle with cancer.

Everyone who knows Jackie and I, knew Jackie was my best friend. And I think about him daily.

It has been a big adjustment, just not seeing Jackie every day.

But that was just the start.

The week after I buried Jackie, I was told the Cedar Creek Pilot and the Athens Review would be merging.

As much as I loved the Cedar Creek Pilot, and did not want to lose that paper – in retrospect, it was a good move for me.

The Athens Review still covers the lake area, and I am lucky enough to still be able to spend most of my time at the lake.

But I loved the Pilot. I will always have many fond memories of my years at the Pilot.

The year just got worse.

My 36 year-son had a heart attack in November.

Losing Jackie was the worse thing in my life. Losing Justin would have almost been unbearable.

Justin had quadruple bypass surgery on Nov. 14.

He had five blocked arteries. It was hard for me to believe my only child was going to have this major surgery at the age of 36.

Justin’s problems started when he was 19.

He too had a thyroid problem, and was told he had high blood pressure.

At the time, he felt fine. He put the blood pressure thing at the back of his mind, and that is where it stayed for many years.

During the time Jackie was sick, Justin was sick, but never complained. He was there every time I needed him.

It has now been about four weeks since his surgery, and he is doing better. It has been a hard road, but luckily that road is coming to an end.

The rest of his life, he will be considered a heart patient. That’s a lot to take on at the age of 36.

If he is anything like his mother, he will survive.

Ready for 2012.

There is a saying God won’t give more than you can handle. I believe that.

Sometimes I wonder, why do you have to handle everything at one time? Please God, spread it out.

My sister, Patty, had a real good description of me. I found what she said very interesting. I overheard her conversation with some people whom I didn’t know.

Patty said, “When bad things happen to Kathi she puts one foot in front of the other, and keeps on walking.”

I think about that often now. Just put one foot in front of the other, and keep walking. Eventually, you will walk out of the bad times, and back into the good times.

I am ready to walk out of 2011, and into 2012.

Kathi Nailling is Managing Editor of the Athens Daily Review.

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