I got an email today from a man who has a friend fighting ovarian cancer. He thanked me for sharing my journey and how I had helped him be a better friend to her because of it. It made me very emotional because when I started this journal I had no intentions other than keeping family and friends updated during the process and to document the journey for my small children. Honestly I started my blog for my daughters if, god forbid, I didn’t make it. I wanted them to know that I fought and how often I thought of them during that battle. They are so small and I can’t bare the thought of them forgetting me or ever questioning how I felt about them. There have been days in this journey when it seems so hopeless and I have thought if I didn’t have them I might just give up and let the cancer kill me. I know that is not what I want but there are days when the pain is so much and the emotion so overwhelming that you question your ability to win the fight. It’s people like Josh, the people on Facebook who say I have changed them for the better and my kids that keep me going. I want people to know that the best thing you can do when you are on the bottom of the stack is to keep climbing to the top. You will fall sometimes but you just dust off and climb again.
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You embody this chinese proverb: “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”
Crystal, there is real power in all the sharing you do with others on this site. The struggle is yours, and we’ll never fully understand it, but in sharing everything you’re going through, it does help us to better understand the people who are battling things like this in our own lives.
I don’t know you, but I am thankful for your life and for all that you do. You are an inspiration.
With love,
Nate
I don’t know how people like you do it, Crystal. Not only are you a mom, but you’re battling one the hardest battles ever. Know that if there is anything you ever need, please feel free to shoot me a line.
Your strength and inspiration is overwhelming, and it helps to put things into focus for us who are lucky enough not to have been bitten by Cancer. You inspire me to love harder all of those who are near me.
You’re amazing, and I’m thinking of you today.
Thank you for sharing your story. Your struggles & triumphs help put so much into perspective and serve as a reminder of just how precious life and loved ones are. I’m sending lots of positive thoughts & prayers your way!
You are a true survivor and your children should be proud of you.
Crystal –
Sharing your journey with others is a powerful thing, and I have a huge respect for what you are doing. It takes a lot of guts to ‘go public’ with it, so kudos to you.
Holding you in my prayers-
Derek
Crystal,
I love your story and that you are sharing it with so many people. I have had a scare with this disease in the last month and have experienced cancer in my family, losing my father and uncle most recently. Your journey has many layers as did theirs. They fought hard but since it was pancreatic – there were very few options and no cure.
The fact that you reach out, share and take others with you through this, though we can never really go through it with you, is beautiful. We can support you, pray and encourage which is what I am choosing to do. I thank you for teaching me what real courage looks like. I will share your story with many, especially my girl friends and daughters.
May you always be blessed with your hearts desires.
With love,
Vickie
What a wonderful, courageous and loving woman you are, Crystal. Your story is beautiful, as are you.
From one mama to another, I may not be able to understand your cancer, but I do understand the love and compassion of a mother and I can safely say that there is absolutely NO danger of your children EVER forgetting you. No way!
You are part of them, as they are you – keep climbing sister from the bottom of that stack you find yourself at; you have so much love and support around you.
Rae x
Crystal, you are an inspiration…keep fighting
Crystal, we don’t know each other but I just want to encourage you to keep up the fight. You will win, and you’re children will win. You are strong and brave and full of so much more life to give. To everyone, even if you don’t know them.
I am thankful for you.
Crystal, you are so inspiring and amazing. Your post is so touching and it brought tears to my eyes. It is people like you that make me realize that no matter what challenges life throws my way, I can overcome them. If you can go through all of this and still get up and dust yourself off, I can face anything. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I wish you and your family all the best.
Hi Crystal, I don’t know you personally but I can see from this post what an inspiration you are to others, and your strength and outlook is so admirable. Thank you for what you are doing in the world, and you’ll be in my prayers.
Crystal, I can’t imagine the struggle you are going through. To look through your site & see how much you are loved & how strong you are brought tears to my eyes. I wish you the best and many more years.
Telisa
Crystal,
You are fighting a valiant fight and are quite an inspiration. Please know there are many people who admire you and are cheering you on!
Hugs,
Danae
Crystal,
Keep fighting the good fight! I can only imagine, having two small children myself, what it must feel like for you. You are so strong to write this blog. What a great idea for your children too. When they are older they can read it with you! They are probably to young to understand it all now. Stay positive! Wishing you all the best, and thanking you for your honest courage.
It’s fantastic that you are able to reach out to other people through this website, even if that’s not how it was intended. Your strength, determination and courage are inspiring, I wish you all the best. God bless x
Hang in there! You are in my prayers! :)
Remember, for every one person you hear of that you inspired, there are many more silent voices that get hope from knowing you are keeping up your impressive fight!
Crystal,
Although I cannot imagine how hard this battle has been for you, and it sounds cliche to say it, but I admire your strength. I also think that your idea to blog about the whole process is wonderful, especially because your daughters will be able to read it and better understand this part of your life someday (hopefully with you reading over their shoulder too!)
My grandma died of breast cancer while my father was still young, and I wish she would have kept a diary or any written record of her battle so that I might have known her at least in some way. She was not open with her children about the disease, and they didn’t know the severity or the risk until she was about to pass on. I think that made it even harder for my father and aunt to cope with the loss.
Please keep up the blogging and keep your spirits up!
Caroline
I can’t even imagine how difficult a journey this has been for you. Sharing your life with the world is such an incredible gift, not only for those who are going through this themselves, or watching a loved one struggle, but for those of us who need a reminder of what is truly important in life.
Thank you.
God bless you Crystal. I really admire your strentgh and courage. God is the “Great Physician”. Lean on Him and trust in Him. My prayers are with you. Big hug and love,
Celene
Crystal, your courage is an inspiration.
Your story is overwhelmingly touching and beautiful. I am new to your blog, but I can already tell that you are a lovely and amazing woman. Your kids are lucky to have you, and this blog will prove to be a wonderful memento of this time in your life. Even though this is a difficult time for you and you may not want to “remember” it in the future, these memories of your fight will help you realize how strong you are. Don’t give up your fight. You inspire people more than you realize!
you are so inspiring and strong, your girls are so lucky to have you as their mom =)
Your story is touching and overwhelming…
I am studying medicine, and have come across a few patients suffering from ovarian as well as other forms of cancer. All I can say is, keep fighting, and don’t lose the hope and the verve for life till as long as you can. May god bless both your daughters and may they know how loved and precious they are. Whether or not you tell them about your story and your fight yourself when they are older, know that they have been touched and changed forever because of you!
Thank you, God Bless!
Keep on fighting! For yourself. For your kids. For everyone. You’re such an inspiration!
It is so amazing to hear your story, and I can assure you that your daughters will never foget you, and I will pray for you to be able to see them grow up. As a daughter of a grandmother that survived breast cancer, I know embracing every minute is so important.
This must be so difficult for you and you are so strong. You’ve inspired me to be strong with all of my failures and to ‘get up and dust myself off.”
Thank you so much for the inspiration.
Love,
Samantha Grace
Crystal, your battle and courage to keep fighting despite the odds are truly inspiring. I pray for your health and for strength so that you never reach the point where you have to give up. Keep fighting, you are an amazing person.
What an inspiration you are! Thank you so much for your fighting spirit and being open enough to share your story with everyone. My prayers are with you and your family.
Hello. You’ve never heard of me, but I wanted to tell you that you have an amazing story, my Aunt had teh same thing, its hard. God will get you through it, only him. You have inspiried me dearly.
Love,
Grace
Thank you for being so strong through all your struggles. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts.
Crystal, your journey is inspiring; it must be so difficult, but its amazing that you have your courage to keep on going, especially for your little girls. Keep fighting it. You’ll be in my prayers. God bless x
Hey Crystal, I just want to let you know that you are a huge inspiration and help a lot of people more than you know. Your strength and resolution are humbling, don’t give up! You’ll be in my prayers.
Crystal,
You don’t know me but I wanted you to know that your strength has given me strength. To face so much and not give up makes you a truly remarkable woman! I hope you win your battle, I hope you climb to the top of that stack, I hope you get to spend a whole lot of years with your little girls. Most of all I hope you never stop inspiring other people xx
My thoughts are with you
Jo
Crystle,
You are one strong person. Thanks you for sharing with us. It is worth it to go through the treatments. I am a cancer survivor. I am praying for you tonight.
Thank you for sharing your story. Inspirational is too small a word to convey the power of what you are giving the world; to others fighting along side you, the people who them and the rest of us.
Your bravery, compassion for your family and honesty is absolutely inspiring. From reading just one post on this blog you are a bright light. My thoughts are with you!
you’re amazing…simply amazing <3
My thoughts and prayers are with you. hang in there!
Crystal – you are an amazing and incredible human being! keep fighting and keep believing because we believe in you! I hope your Crossfit event is a big success tomorrow – it’s like a couple thousands miles away but I am entering anyways and dedicating my workout to you!
Your strength and courage are so inspiring. It makes me happy that there are compassionate people like you to influence others to keep on fighting :)
Crystal,
Your strength and courage is amazing. Thank you for sharing your story and for beginning this blog. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Susan
[...] spirit. One that has really resonated with me is a woman who is battling ovarian cancer named Crystal Heimgartner. Fighting cancer can be extremely difficult both emotionally and physically. I [...]
Keep fighting Cyrstal. I pray that God will shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor. Ellen
You are an amazing person-thank you for sharing your story you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Thanks for sharing your story – you are an inspiration! Your kids are very lucky to have such an amazing mom, who fights every day to keep getting stronger for them. Keep climbing!
You’ve connected to the thing that will see you through. Your love for your children, helping others and finding purpose in all that you do.
You’re children are young but they will never forget the love they feel from you.
So proud of you!
“Love Bomb”
:)
Wow! You are so strong! and you’ll be in my thoughts. :)
Crystal, you are an inspiration! Your children are very lucky to have such a wonderful mom, your family is so blessed to have you. Always remember that :)
Thanks for sharing – you are a great inspiration. You and your family are in my prayers. God Bless!