Thankful for...

Where have I been? The question should be where haven't I been. I finished the 3Day and was home a couple of days only to do a day trip for business to McAllen. The next week I was off to St. Louis, MO for four days on business and on Friday our PPAS Board worked all day on our year long plan. So much in such a short time. This week I've been working here in Dallas and on my presentations for our national sales meeting in CA next week. On top of all of this, I started radiation on my lung tumor and had my Friday AM chemos, a new crown on a tooth, worked with a co-worker on a "game" for one of the presentations for next week and was able to get new "hair" today. WOW! Oh and Hunter came for a visit last weekend. Yes, the little man came to stay with me. He was so cute and so loving. I enjoyed every minute. He's 27 months old now. The cutest thing is that he would gather pictures from around the house and point to his Mom and say "Ma" and "Da" and "Uncle Chance" (well the best you can) and wanted to know when they were coming. It broke my heart when he pulled me to the sliding glass door and wanted me to sit down and wait. We did this once when his mom and dad went to a movie when he was just a year old and he still remembered that. Smart boy. We played trains and cars and he has this little dance he does that just makes me laugh. He was going to the potty and wearing big boy underwear. When we went to bed he had to put a photo of his mom and dad right on the pillow. I loved having him so much. Before I took him home on Sunday we went to Petsmart and looked at all the animals. He loved that!

As Thanksgiving arrives in a few hours I reflect on the past year. I'm Thankful for so much! I'm thankful that I have friends and family that love me, even when I'm grouchy and not the most pleasant person after treatment and going thru some of the roughest times. When medicines make me feel as if I have the most vile stuff in my system. I'm thankful that I have a company such as Evans that has seen me thru the economy and thru some rough times. I'm thankful that I still have two children, one that is getting the help he needs and has given me a daughter-in-law that is willing to stick out the tough times with him and given me a grandson that is healthy and happy and another son that has two great jobs and is independent and takes the time to participate in things such as the 3Day with me and calls me. I'm thankful that ASI awarded me the Bess Cohen Humanitarian Award - a most humbling honor. I'm thankful that I have a man who continues to love me. I'm thankful for all the doctors and nurses who take care of me and continue to give me life. I'm thankful to the drug companies that continue to develop drugs that they allow me to be a guinea pig of. I think this is the one thing I can do to make a difference. If it doesn't heal me at least it will be a stepping stone in curing someone someday. I'm thankful that my Cowboys are winning a few games lately (Yes - I am!). I'm thankful that God has decided that I'm worthy of being on this earth another year, when Seriously, I should not be according to doctors. What are you thankful for?

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3Day/21 years ago!

I did it! I made it thru the 3Day 60 miles - OK I managed 54 miles this time. Friday morning was cold but absolutely beautiful. Our team of eleven, nine of us were able to walk together. We had two that were slower walkers but 9 us us that could keep the same pace. We began the day at Colin Creek Mall just as the sun broke and walked our little legs off. About one our encouragement and nourishment team met us at a little place right around the corner from my house. I had fajitas and a Corona (Yes I did) before we continued on the day. At our last cheering station our "e&n" team had "pink pantie pull downs - our signature drink" for us and our friend Tim came and did massages for us. My hip was killing me and sometime during the day my left knee was hurting for some reason and the last three miles was giving me some pain. But I finished! My favorite two things during the day was the Mother standing next to her daughter in the neighborhood that thanked us for walking so she could be healed to now take care of her daughter who is battling the disease now. And the young lady in the Ellen tee that was in a wheelchair trying to maneuver these Dallas streets and Jason assisting her up the curb to camp. She was a hero in my eyes.

Saturday started off cold again but was another beautiful day on the path. I woke up feeling pretty good. The legs were feeling fine after a nights rest in my own bed. The "e&n" team had breakfast with nuggets, burritos, hot chocolate w/Godiva chocolate and mimosas (I even filled a flask with one!). A half a mile from lunch I turn to say something to the team and I turned back around a hit a "toe crack" and caught my toe and twisted my left knee and I was hurt. I called for help while I kept walking but I knew I was in trouble. My knee felt like I had popped something. The entire left side felt like it was burning. The L man picked me up and took me to get cleaned up (with a flushing toilet-this is huge for a walker, since we use port a potties for 3 days) before taking me to meet everyone at the lunch site. There was a super surprise waiting for me. Chance had arranged for Ashley and Hunter to come join us. Yes! Of course I started feeling better when T-Lee saw Hunter. I had to take off my cap for him to recognize me but the moment I did he smiled so big and came running up to me. I was crying and it wasn't from my knee either. I was able to get seated and get ice on my knee and Hunter was talking to me. It's been over 3 months since I've seen him. He's so big and Ashley sat right next to me. It was decided that with the pain being so bad no matter what position the knee was in that I should not finish the next 6 miles with the team and take it easy. I went home with the family and just rested the knee and iced it off and on all day and night. After Ash and Hunter went home, Chance and hit the bed about 8.

BTW: Ashley has promise to allow me to see Hunter more!

Sunday morning I woke up feeling really good. The knee felt great. Larry swore I wasn't going to be able to walk today. But I was good to go. I met the team at 6:30 and off we went. Our encouragement and nourishment team had a great lunch for us at Arlington Hall and we were able to rest for a while. We were on a kick rear pace and we all felt good for having walked. Sharla would be so proud.

We had a team dinner last night. Tons of toasts were made. Kay and Al - Sharla, Jason and Shelva's parents, spoke about how Sharla would have been proud of us and how proud they were. Sharla Schooley's Angels do rock.

21 years ago today, my precious angel, Taylor Cheyenne Garrett went to heaven. I miss her! I know she's rocked in the arms of Jesus. I was proud to be her mother for 8 months and 10 days.

"Our memories give us...

Seriously, It's Thursday and the 3 Day begins tomorrow. I'm in RUSH mode already. This week has flown by already. I tried my best to rest over the weekend. I sofa surfed as much as I could, though I did sneak out for a party on Saturday over to my girlfriends for a Ranger watching party and apparently that was the secret because they won but we just couldn't pull it off the rest of the series. But it's okay - those Rangers made me proud, they played with heart and soul and to see Jim Sundberg again and Nolan Ryan every night - WELL that can make a girl HAPPY! Now for my Cowboys, let's just say I still have HOPE for them. HOPE they can find heart and soul to play like the old team they were.

Monday I drove down to Houston for appointments and a luncheon. Monday I got the news that I have to have Mohs surgery on the cancer on my face and back for sure. Tuesday, I finally was able to have that schedule for December (my November is booked solid) and I was told that I have to start radiation again on the lung tumor that has grown. I had a small melt down and my rant against cancer and how badly I hate it. It lasted a whole 45 minutes before I realized that I could stomp it out this weekend with a good walk. LOL! I'll start radiation on Monday. I drove home on Wednesday and worked until Midnight. I have a long list of things to do today, to get ready work wise just so I can take off a couple of days. I also have to find a new Executor of my Estate, as mine told me yesterday that she doesn't want to do it after being on it for a year. I just wish she could have waited to tell me instead of telling me a couple of days before the walk. When she said she's been wanting to tell me for a long time - whatever that is suppose to mean. She rode in the car with me for 600 miles 5 weeks ago, could she have told me then.

Tonight we have our team dinner. Our teammate Jana has it at her house so we can "carb up". I love this. We have 13 walking on our team (ok 12 - we still count Sharla even though she left us on March 10th) - Sharla Schooley's Angels. My friend Mike came up with an inspirational quote for us. I love him for it. "Our memories give us the energy to take each and every step. It is the hope that gives us the determination to finish." Seriously, that is what will get me to finish 60 miles this weekend. OK and the support and love of my family and friends!

If each of you will say a prayer for our team, I would be thankful. Chance will keep everyone posted on Facebook. Seriously, stomping out cancer is on my list this week!