GPP: How did you feel when you were first diagnosed with GIST?
Crystal: When I first found out that I had cancer, I was scared and shocked! It took a few days to wrap my brain around it honestly. I’ve always taken care of myself. I eat healthy, and used to exercise regularly. Exercise doesn’t happen the same for me post-diagnosis. I just don’t have the energy. I really wish I did! Cancer makes me worry about the future of my family.
GPP: How did you share your diagnosis with your children?
Crystal: My husband and I are very open about my cancer journey. My cancer was an accidental finding when I was having a completely different surgery. We had the kids come to the hospital and we showed them my “boo boos”. We told them what we knew at the time and asked them if they had any questions. They didn’t have much to ask, but they have both been so good about taking care of their mama since day one. We have found that answering their questions along the way with honesty and care soothes their worries a bit.
GPP: What has been your biggest parenting challenge during cancer treatment?
Crystal: My biggest parenting challenge during my cancer journey is not having the energy or being well enough to do all the things I used to be able to do. Before cancer, I ran multiple half marathons. I was able to go on all-day excursions with my family, shopping, hiking, and fun outings.
Now, a lot of times, I have to lie and rest after a single shopping trip. I don’t always get to attend my kids’ extracurricular activities. But my husband is amazing and never complains about taking on the extra duty. The grandparents help a lot too! They love being involved. Family support is a must. We couldn’t do it without our village.
GPP: What kind of things do you do to distract yourself when you’re going through treatments?
Crystal: It’s mostly scans and appointments since I take oral chemo daily. While I’m waiting for scans I like to read and look at pictures of my kids on my phone. Helping me remember our happy times helps me feel more at ease when I’m stressed.
GPP: What are the ways you cultivate and enjoy spending time together as a family?
Crystal: We keep it simple! Family movie night is a favorite of ours. The kids love it when it includes eating dinner in the living room. That’s a treat! We also love family bonfires in the backyard while stargazing. We have an app that helps us locate where things are in the sky at that moment.
Our family enjoys spending time in the great outdoors. We have a large map on our wall. We mark places that we’ve visited and we also mark where we dream of going. Each is a different colored pin. We involve the kids. We let them put the pins in the map after we come back from a trip. We also take their ideas of places they would like to visit. The Northern Lights in Alaska and Yellowstone National Park are big on our list!
GPP: What words of wisdom or advice would you like to share with other moms who may be facing a cancer or life-threatening disease diagnosis?
Crystal: Hear me out, you don’t have to do everything! Take that nap! Ask for help! You know everyone offers, so take them up on it and don’t feel guilty.
Before I got diagnosed with cancer, I considered myself a “Pinterest mama”. I made my kids perfect lunches every day complete with hand-drawn pictures and jokes. Their birthday decorations would be magazine-worthy. I would schedule our evenings with back-to-back extra-curricular activities.
Since cancer was thrown at us, I have scaled back and have gotten my kiddos involved in helping! We make lunches together so it’s not all on me. My kids look forward to helping with cakes, food, and decorations at birthday parties. The boys are the main holiday decorators of the house now! They are proud to show off their skills and I love watching them smile. It’s more meaningful than me running around at 10pm stressing myself out.
Rethink things. How can I make life a little easier? Can Dad, a grandparent, or a friend take your kiddo to karate or basketball practice? Don’t feel bad if you miss it. Ask for a video, but just one, because you don’t want to overwhelm your helper. Cheer your kiddo on before and after. Make it a point to snuggle up afterwards to get the play-by-play. They love you!
Rapid Fire Questions:
- Saturday or Sunday? Saturday
- Passenger or Driver? Passenger
- Toilet Paper: Over or Under? Over
- Cabana or a Cabin? Cabin
- One word to describe yourself? Tough
Crystal Harrell (42) has been a kindergarten teacher in Escambia County since 2005. She and her husband, Steven, have been together since 2005. They have two boys – Falon (12) who plays the saxophone, throws shot put, and is a blue belt in Tang Soo Do; and Holden (8), is currently a red belt in Tang Soo Do. Holden loves playing basketball and is an avid animal lover. Crystal has a type of rare cancer called gastrointestinal Stromal tumor or “gist” for short. She enjoys reading, crafting, listening to podcasts, and dragging her husband to haunted tours and hotels year-round.
