Thursday, March 29, 2012

Prayer Warriors needed for a sweet lady getting chemo

Hello, I was not feeling inspirational the last week so I didn't update my blog. Now I am feeling much more positive and know I am very blessed in so many ways. :)

A friend of mine had a bilateral mastectomy a few months ago and she escaped having to have chemo and/or radiation. Her mom was diagnosed for the second time with breast cancer just recently also. Her mom did not escape chemo. She has had one round and has several more to go. Please say a prayer and send positive thoughts to Mrs G. She has a great support system but needs lots of encouragement for doing this a second time. Thank you for your support as we fight this dreaded disease.

Remember to schedule your well woman checks, breast exams and mammograms. I don't have to have mammograms anymore :) but remember them so well. I had small breasts so it was always a smashing good time.


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

What Cancer Cannot Do and Positive Thinking


Dr Norman Vincent Peale was the author of the book The Power of Positive Thinking. Amongst his many words of inspiration are the following:

“Never talk defeat. Use words like, hope, belief, faith, victory” 


“It's always too early to quit” 


and also  “Change your thoughts and you change your world.







WHAT CANCER CANNOT DO (version 2 anonymous) 
Cancer is so limited that:
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot corrode faith
It cannot destroy peace
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot suppress memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot steal eternal life
It cannot conquer the spirit



Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The lone orange gerber daisy.....

I have mentioned before that having cancer helps you allow yourself to look at the world through the eyes of a child. I had a huge garage sale last Saturday. I would estimate that 150 people came, it was chaotic but I did get rid of lots of stuff I just don't need anymore.

I have noticed in my run down flower bed that there has been 1 bright orange gerber daisy. It has been there for a week and no one has commented on it. A little girl in the midst of chaos at the sale noticed the flower. She told me mom to look at the beautiful flower. I, of course, was so touched! We are always or think we are always too busy to look around and appreciate God's gifts to us~a beautiful flower surviving alone in a run down garden persevered, stood high and offered beauty to everything around it. :) It only takes a minute to enjoy looking through the eyes of a child---so full of appreciation and wonderment.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Gotta love the cardiologist as much as they love me :)

Well, the saga continues.......I spent 3 1/2 hours at the doctor's office today for a CT Scan of my heart. This was my 2nd try as my heart rate was too high the first time. So they gave me meds to lower my heart rate, but it  was not low enough this morning for the test. So they gave me more meds orally and through my IV in the vein they had to DIG for.  I guess they like to bruise me before taking pictures. What is up with that??

I got 2 invitations from the cardiologist today when my appointment was over. They want to see me again 3/30 and 4/20. So glad they give me advance notice so I can make sure my calender has some open time.

I had a huge garage sale this weekend.....made $238 and had to use it to pay for a speeding ticket, $208.10. I paid them in cash and 50 of it was in one dollar bills. It took them awhile to count it but now I don't have to go to jail. LOL  I would be so grouchy if I were in jail that I am sure I would have gotten an early release.

Still packing and trying to stay focused.......I have 10 days without a doctor appointment so I should get a lot done.

Please say a prayer for me that the cardiologist stops wanting to spend so much time with me.


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

My new best friends at the Cardiologist

Today as I continue my Celebrate Life week I got to have lunch with friends that I worked with at Pier 1 Imports. I had not seen them for a few years so it was great.

Actually, I had a Cardiologist appointment again for a 3 hour CT Scan of my heart. BUT my heart rate was too high so they gave me meds to take and rescheduled my appointment for next week. These people must really, really like me as this will be the 4th week in a row that they have invited me back. I must be very photogenic. Now, why would my heart rate be high you ask; can you say FEAR?? I have bad veins and each time I get a scan done they have to dig for a vein.  So often by the 3rd try I am crying and have to remind myself to breath. So since they couldn't do the scan I got to go to lunch with old friends. YaY!

A girl I used to work with has just gone through breast cancer surgery but escaped having to have chemo. She says she feels like she won the lottery! Her mom just got diagnosed with breast cancer again after 20 years of being cancer free. She had surgery and will now have to have chemo and radiation. Please say a prayer for a quick recovery and strength for her to get through the chemo and radiation.

Tomorrow my baby will be 19 years old. :) One more reason for my Celebrate Life week.

Celebrate life week~Call an old friend

Still celebrating my 5 year "survivorship"  :)

Today I met a friend of mine who I have not seen in many years for lunch. We went to grade school together in Kansas City, MO. We have both lived in Texas for 20 years but , rarely, get together. It was such a great day, we spent  3 hours catching up and looking at wedding pictures of our children. It was awesome, almost like I saw her a month ago. You know you always have friends that you could call in a moment's notice even it has been several years since you have seen them last. That is the kind of friend I met today--the ones you cherish for a lifetime.

So since this is my celebrate life week, reach out to an old friend or family member that you have not talked to for a long time. It will make both of you feel so good.


Monday, March 12, 2012

My Prayer of Thanks for being a Five Year Survior

Dear Heavenly Father,
Today, through your blessing and grace, I am a 5 year survivor. You gave me the strength and courage to survive my cancer journey. The glorious feeling of exhilaration that I am feeling today is beyond description--I feel like I have scaled a mountain. Today I realize that this experience and my walk with you has given me an inner peace and richness that I may never known had I not gone on this journey.

Thank you, Lord, for the out pour of love and kindness I received from family, friends and strangers. Often we forget that we need to let people help and that most people are kind and giving. It has taught me to look for the goodness in everyone instead of judging. Open your heart and they will come. The prayers and encouragement offered me hope, strengthened my faith, and helped make me the person I am today.

Please bless all those that have touched my life and please help me find ways to give back to those facing a breast cancer diagnosis. Please give me the initiative to offer hope and inspiration to others going through breast cancer treatment.

As I continue to face struggles in my life please guide me and help me embrace the changes in my near future.

And Lord, please make me walk on the treadmill so I can look awesome in that little red dress for Heart Disease Awareness.

In Jesus name- Amen

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Tomorrow I will be Five Alive

Tomorrow I will be a 5 year cancer survivor!!! Go Katy!! Go Katy!!

Here is some great information:
Reach to Recovery on the American Cancer Society's website, www.cancer.org...is a great tool for information. They offer services and support for breast cancer patients and survivors (any kind of cancer). It is a great website so visit it, there are also volunteer opportunities. :) For me personally, they just opened a new office in N Fort Worth so I am going to volunteer. :)

Last week when I was invited to have 5 hours of tests done at the Cardiologist I found out they really really liked me as they have invited me back for 3 more hours of CT scans of my heart. It is so nice to be liked--only I am paying them they are not paying me. So remember if the doctor's title ends in "GIST" they act like they really like you BUT they charge you even when they keep inviting you back. I pose for them, they take pictures but I don't get paid. Maybe it is age discrimination! LOL

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Next week I will be "Five Alive", a 5 year survivor

I should rename my blog "The Saga in a Survivor's Life". So please if you have a loved one that is going through breast cancer I would love to offer them support. If  you want to leave a comment in "loving memory" of a loved one or friend please do so. I would love to offer hope and encouragement to anyone needing it. It can be a difficult battle and it is always nice to talk to someone that has been through treatment and surgeries for reconstruction. Then my blog would not be all about me, I feel so selfish. :)

Today I spent 5 hours having an array of tests done at a Cardiologist. I was feeling sorry for myself and was starving after fasting. One of the employees told me that the doctor's wife, in her 40's, was going through breast cancer for the 2nd time and it had spread to her bones. Oh my gosh, it sure put my tests and pity party into perspective! I felt so bad for her and the family. Please say a prayer for my cardiologist's wife and family. Thanks for your support.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Turning the page to a new chapter

Hello, today I am realizing that the home owner chapter of my life is about to end. I am so sad (but somewhat relieved) but medical bills and unemployment have not been financially lucrative for me.  I look around my yard that needs to be mowed, the house that needs to be painted and I just can't do these things myself anymore. SOOOOO, on a brighter note I will not have to worry about replacing the fence, heat pump failure or flooring. I never found that person that longed to do these things for me. My father lives too far away. LOL

I have been so blessed, as I got to raise my children  in a nice home. The kids went to decent schools and we always felt safe and secure. That is what we hope for as parents--for our children to feel safe and secure. After my divorce the kids and I had this house built and been here for 10 1/2 years.

If  I only look at my patio I see beautiful flowers that bloomed all winter long. It was my first experience having pansies that do well in the Texas winters and even on the cold dreary windy days I had a ray of sunshine on my patio. :) So no matter why I end up I will always have a patio for plants and flowers. And I can't forget the mean little dog that goes with me.

So pray for me as I pack and prepare for a new chapter of my life's journey. I have so much to thankful for so life is good!!