Seriously! It's been a year!

Seriously, It's been a year! I'm sitting here pondering all that has gone on the past year. I reflect on the doctor's words last March 27th. "Talana, we've exhausted all the trials, medications, every avenue to keep you alive. You have a year at best." "Less more than likely.". WELL, guess what suckers! I'm still living, fighting, breathing, going on with my life. I told them I would. Oh, I prepared, that's me. But really, after about a month - yes I had a long pity party on this one. I got my stuff together and began the fight of my life. I was going to try everything there was to try and try it again.



Year update: the liver tumor and bad boy of the one! Damn him - just wants to take up residency and not pay rent. The least he could do. Not grown, not reduced remained the same. Chemo has kept him at bay. Love him, hate him but as the doctors say if he will remain the same I can live with it. It's the fact he throws his cancerous shit off that causes the problems. The cancerous tumor on my lung has reduced from the size between a ping pong ball and golf ball ( I like athletic terms - don't give me those medical sizes I tell them - I can't imagine those in my pea brain size head) has reduced to about the size of a shooter marble. The radiation is killing that sucker!!! The cancer is in my bones, right hip, right shoulder blade and right rib cage. I feel it and deal with it.



People ask all the time how I do it every week. Not easy but why complain. Seriously! Would you really? I'm still living! I wake up every day. I'm grateful for that breath in the morning. Sure, I'm tired and I get bitchy but don't we all from every day stress. So, I'm no different that anyone else. I've learned to appreciate life a little more and I've learned that Thank You and I appreciate you are kind words. I love life!



I love my family and my friends! Without the support of them, I could not do this every day. My company has been great about allowing me home on Fridays to do my chemo. But I make sure I'm back in the office by 8:00 -8:30 to get my job done. I want to make sure they don't think I'm taking anything from them because they have a sicky on staff. And I don't want my co-workers to think that upper management is giving me anything special because I have cancer.



This past year I became really involved in the 3 Day for a Cure with Susan G. Komen. I walked with Jason Contreras and the Sharla Schooleys Angels named after his sister Sharla. I had met Sharla a couple of years ago. The brightest person I'd ever met. Well, she received her pink Angel wings on March 10th of this year. I'm even more dedicated to walk these walks. So many asked why these walks, 60 miles over 3 days. It takes a toll on the body, mind, but never the spirit. I do it because I believe it doesn't matter that I don't have breast cancer I truely believe that if a cure for one cancer is found a cure for all cancers will be found.



I want to find a cure for cancer in my lifetime. This is my hope, this is my wish. I pray every day that this will happen.



Today as I celebrate my year of being alive and doing what doctors said I wouldn't be doing. I say HA! I say don't ever stop believing in yourself! Seriously! It's been a year!