Summer!

Ah summer. We slog through the winter snow and ice and rain just waiting for the days we can toss aside our bulky coats and dip our toes in the ocean. We relish the long daylight hours, drinking outside, getting some fresh air. 

SUBSCRIBE! by email now available

You are now able to subscribe to my blog by email - just scroll to the way bottom and put in your email address, hit submit and you'll get a pop up asking you to type in some letters to verify you are human not robot.  You'll then get an email with a link in it to confirm  your subscription, click the link and you are all good to go!  Thank you for your interest in my brain dumps!

I'm not sure if it will email you when I update the page titled "journal."  You can get to that from the link on the top.  I have been randomly adding my old journal entries to the bottom of the page.  They are kinda raw so if you have an issue with "f-bombs" you may want to stay away.

Don't forget the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk is only 88 days away.  Please consider donating.  Even $5 makes a difference. Thank you!!!
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/malaya

...And then she died

I love survivor stories.  They provide hope, perspective, and maybe even some medical information that you can use.  You hear these stories on the news, websites, you tube, friends, family, strangers, and books.  They can inspire you; unless they end with “and then she died.” Seriously.  As in seriously people tell me stories that end with “and then she died” and seriously, don’t tell me a story that ends that way. 

Where’d all the good people go? asks Jack Johnson

So I will admit to being a bit of a cynic when it comes to people.  I’ve been told before I am too young to be as cynical as I am but that I am wise beyond my years.  I’m not sure if this was good or bad.  Either way, it is what it is.  I’ll admit though that the past year has given me a new perspective on people.  Since my diagnosis I’ve experienced kindness from strangers in every possible place and in ways I never would’ve imagined.  I’ve also seen my entire roller derby team rally around me and prove that a derby team really is your second family.  I’ve had friends and family step up to the plate in ways I never imagined.  Just today I was moved again by the kindness of strangers.

Honeymoon: Spa Day

This is a bit overdue but I still thought it was worth posting from the honeymoon.

We went on a wonderful cruise aboard the Allure of the Seas for 7 days on our honeymoon.  It was a much needed break from the day to day issues of life and we had a lot of fun.  The one thing about cancer though is that where you go, it goes.  You can try not to think about it but the treatments leave you with limitations you must always be aware of – stay out of large crowds, no sushi, no buffets, stay away from coughing people, etc.  I actually wore a surgical mask while on the airplane to try to keep the germs away since it is just recycled air.  I got a lot less stares then I thought I would.  Also, many of the restaurants on the ship were buffet so that limited us in our food choices.  I’d like to say I was blissfully happy the entire trip but the medications they give you to help with the chemo side effects can cause your mood to sink when you are withdrawing from them. I wrote this while on the cruise but couldn’t post because the wifi cost $30 per HOUR!

Packing With Cancer

I am currently sitting in the airport waiting for our delayed flight to start our honeymoon! Yay! I am so excited we were allowed to go. 

Let me just say that packing was a royal b*tch though and almost did me in. I am one of those people who naturally tends towards ridiculously organized, over prepared, and prompt. This means a normal trip for me starts with a list of things to do and a packing list divided into categories. I save my lists so I don't reinvent the wheel each time I travel and it seems to work well for me.  

FOOD FOOD FOOD!!!

This post is a two parter because I have two unrelated things to say about food.  Please feel free to read either post or both, it’s up to you.  I won’t know the difference!

Food Glorious Food! – This post is about my mouth sores and how they can affect your mood and eating.

Cancer Nutrition – This is about what I have done in regards to eating healthy and about how others always have suggestions for me.

Oh Hair!

I was not one of those women whose first thought at diagnosis was “I don’t want to lose my hair.” No, not even close.  My first thought was “I don’t want to die.”  My hair was not a real concern, not at all.  I didn't think about my hair at all until the first time I found out I was getting chemo back in December and even then I didn't dwell on it.  Sure, every time I go to the hospital and see a bald woman I get a little freaked out, a pixie cut even induced panic in me once.  All those bald heads were just a reminder of cancer.  It meant they were sick.

Val Skinner Foundation LIFE Event 2013

On Monday, June 10, 2013 I got to share my story at the Val Skinner Foundation LIFE Event.  The room was packed with about 130 professional golfers, donors, healthcare professionals and company heads.  I was so nervous about keeping it together when I got up there to speak.  How do you tell people something so personal, so fresh, so in the moment without bursting into ugly tears and sobs? 

TED talk by another Triple Negative Breast Cancer patient

What is Inspiration?: Julia Selinger at TEDxPSUAD