Happy National Caregivers Day: You are not Alone

    Each day is a success. When the sun goes down, you may not be in the right spot to see it, but there is beauty and victory. Moving one foot in front of the other, taking the breath to face the next thing- the weight of success in these tasks is unmeasurable.
    The loads people carry often go silently. People do not want to burden others, or they feel uncertain who they can ask. Factors in our time can isolate and divide. But at the end of the day, if we can say we are part of a community that uses their hands to reach out for help and to pull each other up, then we, as a community, win.
    This day, February 18th, 2022 is National Caregivers Day. Relay For Life of Shelby County wishes to lift up this special group of people. The responsibility and success these caregivers have each day would tip the scales. May none of them feel like they are alone.
    There are so many stories that deserve to be told. Today, we feature Nancy and Mitch Osborn. Though Nancy admits to times when it is hard to face the cancer diagnosis of her husband, Mitch, she offers her experience and encouragement to all.
    They were childhood sweethearts who started dating when Nancy was in 8th grade and Mitch a freshman. Nancy and Mitch married on August 20, 1983 and had three sons. They ran a fast-paced life, raising a family and running their family business. That hasn’t stopped. To give this interview, Nancy worked around her many activities: subbing at the school, attending a book club, playing music at church, and doing some auction work to name a few.
    Also, there were treatments to work around. Cancer became a part of their schedule in 2014. After finding two pea-sized lumps in his neck in April, Mitch was sent home to watch them.
    “He was diagnosed in August of 2014. He really felt fine. Woke up one morning and found swollen lymph nodes all throughout his neck area. It literally was overnight.”
    Mitch started the treatments, but July 7, 2021 he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He now battles two different types of cancers. Nancy and Mitch have worked his treatments into their lives.
    “He takes a daily chemo pill and does monthly treatments. He’ll do that every month for the rest of his life. He is positive about it. He always turns it around. He said- Well that’s only 12 times a year.”
    Cancer has run in both Nancy’s and Mitch’s families. Nancy lost her dad and Mitch his mother to cancer. Two out of five of her immediate family had cancer. The question of “Why?” has entered her thoughts, but she offered some advice.
    “Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Go to your yearly appointments. Do things with friends. Continue to have a social life. His doctor, Dr. Bociek, gave him the best advice- Live your life. Don’t let cancer be your main focus.”
    Nancy also mentioned the importance of community. She is on the Osborn Auction Sold on a Cure Team for Relay For Life. They had participated in it long before his diagnosis. Now, it is a personal connection of community and support.
    “It is a club that you never asked to be a part of. But all of these people have a connection. You hear of more and more new diagnoses. All the people that you have seen…There is great support with thoughts and prayers…
    [Don’t forget] to ask for advice because you are not in this alone. There is a whole community of people. So, lean on that community.”

 
 

 

Harlan Newspapers

1114 7th Street
P.O. Box 721
Harlan, IA 51537-0721

(800) 909-6397
news2@harlanonline.com

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