Take That Cancer

I did it! Not by myself of course! But I managed the last week of the hardest days. Less than 4 months ago I never imagined that I would be sitting in a Hotel Room in downtown Minneapolis writing my blog about just walking the 3Day here. Having a huge tumor removed from me sitting on my sofa that week in April there was no way I thought I would be doing this today. But with the grace of God and the support of the Encouragement and Nourishment team I did it. Take that Cancer. I always call this week of our show week - Hell Week. First it begins in Dallas at the MAPPS show. You set up on Sunday, Show on Monday. I flew to Houston this time love those $59.00 dollar flights. And thanks to great friends like the Pauley's and Mr. Deveau to help with hauling and shipping I was able to get items here and there. So on Tuesday was Set up for HPPA show and then Wednesday the Show and flew home that evening. On Thursday, I did all the follow up and samples and flew out on Thursday to MN for th 3Day event. Dinner with Reed and Lorenzo was Awesome! A little sushi and we were doing great! Friday began the event of a lifetime (I say that each time - I know). This is my 5th 3Day and each one is a awing event in my book. It's like I've never walked another. Opening always makes me cry - I don't care how many times I've done it. The pictures Laura took were so endearing. Our Encouragement and Nourishment team is great (Laura, Heidi, Greg, Reed). We could not do this walk without them!!! The cities in MN came out in full force. I love them and so did our Angels. The weather was perfect. The view incredible. We were able to sit on Jody's couch and take a picture. Jody was a woman who after every treatment just wanted to come home and sit on her burgundy couch and after she passed away her husband brings that couch out on the 3Day and sits it in the best views on the route and allows walkers to sit and take pictures on it. It's an incredible story! I had read about and could not wait to see it. Yes, I'm bawling as I write this. I was able to get a button with Jody's picture on it and she will walk with me from now on. I gave her husband a huge hug and told him thank you. We had to walk up stairs to cross a highway - we I reach the top I scream out over the expressway - "F U Cancer" and I have to say, that made me feel so much better. I finished 17.5 for the first day. Much more than the the 5 I had promised the doctor. Saturday, we started early and thankful with a full cup of coffee. I didn't know at times if I was going to be able to finish but by gosh I was going to do it. At lunch Shelley, Alyssa and Tracey joined us and I swear that gave me a little energy. I forgot to show Tracey that I had her sister, Snooks' picture on my "memory hook". She lost her battle from breast cancer and I carry her with me when I walk. I was happy for my TX friends to meet my MN friends. That always makes my day. Shelley gave us a fantastic dinner suggestion and we went to Acqua for dinner. OMG was she right. Great food near the water. Sunday, it was difficult to crawl out of bed but we did it. Again, with coffee in hand we headed out. Minnesota nice is so right. These people AWE me. I love them and I would love to come back and do this walk again. So, I have blisters and a few bruises. I love, love, these people. They rival the TX people in hospitality. Sunday, we sat down for a long lunch then we kicked some booty up a hill and saw a perfect hilltop view of downtown St. Paul. It was worth every pain to get up that hilltop. We ended up raising 5.3 million with 2100 walkers. I won't stop walking until I find a cure. We cleaned up and headed out for a surprise dinner. Our crazy Encouragement and Nourishment team had surprised us with a dinner boat sunset cruise on Lake Minnetonka. Our own private cruise - Just Us!!!. I loved it. 15 of us on a boat eating, drinking. Having the time of our lives. I'm looking back to less than 4 months ago sitting on my sofa and thinking I wouldn't be walking this - I just did it! Take that cancer!

Who is on your side?

Well this past week has been a doozy! Saturday after I posted and got up out of bed and on with my day I knew I wasn't feeling my best. I was out doing some shopping, picking up a few things for the 3Day next weekend and kept having a sharp stabbing pain in my right calf. I finally cut my trip short and came home to wrap it in some heat and relax it thinking I had a muscle pull. I rested most of the day and then went and met Lariat and the Hunter "man" for some dinner. I love that little boy. He is so fun and he's turned 3 on Friday the 12th. He's just amazing. I received kisses and hugs and he was amazed at the shark hanging at Joe's Crab Shack. He wanted to come home with me but then decided that he would miss his Daddy and ended up going home with him. I understood.

Sunday, I woke up with my leg feeling worse and I laid around with alternating ice and heat and taking Advil and it wasn't getting better. I thought I might have a DVT but as I told the L-man and Chancer. I would rather have a clot hit my brain than go sit in the ER. SERIOUSLY! Finally Monday I went to the doctor. I had a doppler on the leg and she called on Monday evening to say, yepper - It's DVT. I started on blood thinners. They've had to give me Heparin shots in my stomach - the first thing I said was "I don't have rabies". Seriously! I have 60 miles to walk next weekend!! The doctor is like a little exercise is good for you BUT...Really. She doesn't get me. It was like the perfect storm in my body happened. I have cancer, I travel a ton, I started taking a new drugs for the hot flashes, and my body finally went "let's throw a clot". My doctor said it was bound to happen eventually, it's just a good thing I was home and smart enough to come in.

The meds I'm on have made me feel like crap, flu like symptoms. I just have been feeling like crud the past couple of days. This morning I was crying and told the L-man, I don't question Him very often but with everything coming up, shows, the 3Day walk, so much, why now, why this, I don't need Him to do this to me". L said "honey, this was not His fault, this was man made, He will heal you just as He as before. Don't be doubtful now, just believe.". I just broke down and sobbed because he was right, I was doubting when I needed to be leaning on the Man the most. I was allowing the strongest devil thoughts to edge in on my thoughts that He walks with me every single day. As long as I ask, He will carry me when I need Him to. He has before. I'm in love with one smart man. Just don't tell him! LOL!

I went to a gluten free store today. I'm so excited! They had breads and sweets and trail mix and bars for me to eat. And the best part - it tasted great! I was able to buy some bars for me to eat during the 3Day next weekend. It is so important for me to be able to eat something that has nuts and fruits but no gluten to upset my stomach. And their cinnamon pecan rolls were delicious. I purchased 3 loaves of bread that you can freeze and thaw when needed. It is owned by a Mother and Daughter and the Daughter's name is Taylor.

Yesterday was Hunter's birthday. He turned 3. I can't believe 3 years have zoomed by. Oh my! I love him, love him, love him.

I have shows here in Dallas Monday, fly out to Houston on Tuesday, show in Houston, fly home on Wednesday, fly to MN on Thursday, walk 60 miles on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Fly home on Monday, Fly to KS on Tuesday, show on Wednesday, meetings and fly home on Thursday. I'm not busy at all. I may have a clot but I also have God on my side. Who is on yours?

Time Wasters!

I've been home all week! Seriously, it feels like a mini vacation with work. Sleeping in my own bed each night and eating good food. Oh, it feels good.

On a Monday night I was vacuuming my own floors and no it was not my fairy godmother doing it - though I have thought about getting another cleaning service to come in and help me again. Though I did promise myself that that expense is just that an expense.

Tuesday after work I went and joined Jason to help celebrate his birthday. Oh dear how I love him and this gang we call the Angels. I still don't know how they came to accept me as one of them but I love them. We will be walking in MN in just a couple of weeks and WOW it will be an adventure. Sharla is still dearly missed and I know she smiles down everyday on how her precious brother has made her fight with breast cancer his mission to destroy it now. Our team is AWESOME. Jason's birthday celebration was a blast and we had some fun.

Tuesday I had to have some cancerous places removed off of my body again. 2 from my chest, 1 off my back, 1 off the back of my head (very small precious hair loss), 1 from lower left leg, 1 from the bikini area (most concerned about - mole looked very suspicious). Damn things grow better than the grass here in TX does. SERIOUSLY!

My big complaint this week is TIME WASTERS. I'm sick of them! Let me explain. Tuesday I go to see a new dermatologist. I get there 30 minutes ahead of schedule as they indicated since I'm a new patient, they had called on Friday to verify my insurance and I had even offered to fax in my paperwork but oh no, just bring it in. My appointment time comes and goes. I swear when they give you that time it should really say "Appointment time: good luck sucker" Anyway finally called back, nurse goes over why you are there - never under stand this because you have to say the same darn thing to the doctor when they come in. I say I'm there for a full body check - wait another 35 minutes. Doctor comes in and she sits down, asks me a few questions (note this), then states she needs a full body check, I needs to be in a gown, "Let me step out a moment, while you change.". Now, I'm already undressing out of my shorts and top. I'm not modest and the nurses (yes there are two for some dumb reason) is telling me to leave on my undergarments. They step out, so 5, 10, 15 minutes go by and I'm fuming. I put back on my clothes, gather my things and step into the hallway and the nurse with the blond hair and an attitude (like I don't have one myself) wants to know where I'm going. I explain a "moment" to me is less than a minute and my time happens to be valuable and not 15 minutes of moments. She tells me the doctor is coming right now. I said "right now as in by the time I turn around and get my clothes off right now". I was still undressed and sitting on the table 2 minutes later when the witch came in. She states "you got undressed faster than I thought" Bullshit, you just wasted my time! I swear! Now with the cutting and burning, Time Wasted: 2 hours 45 minutes

Sunday, I go to pick up prescriptions (I take a few!!!). The pharmacist states "do you have a new card for this one drug, the card seems to not be working". I said well it is good until the 12-31. Now, this means I have to go home, wait til Monday, call about the card, it is still good, but they allow me to print another, go back, to the pharmacy on Wednesday, give the card another pharmacist there, he gives me the card back (after 15 minutes), tells me I have to activate the card (I had left my phone in the car to charge) didn't even offer me to use their phone and it is 106 here in Dallas, I walk out to my car, activate the card (cell coverage in TARGET (yes I'm stating their name since their service was crappy this week), and when I get back inside, I ask "what happened to the original card on file that is still good. The pharmacist said "you have one on file?". Why yes Jackass I do. He goes back behind the little counter and comes back 10 minutes later and states "oh I ran the prescription on the original card and it went thru just fine. I don't know what happened the first time, I didn't run it the first time". Do you want this card back (the card I just went out to activate". Hell YES!. Time Wasted: 45 minutes! not including my Sunday and Monday on the phone and Internet. Time Wasters!!!!

I can count so many times this week of people questioning something I've done or said. Someone in customer service thinking I didn't know the colors a product came in and wasted 20 minutes of my time so I could track down that information, etc.. So, I'm asking you, think about what you do. Will it cost someone time? Think about your response, your actions in traffic, will allowing that one car in really cost you time, sometimes, it will get you there faster, yes, think about it. Think about your spouse or friend, is there something you can do to save them time. Perhaps you are going to the grocery store, same cleaners, post office. And maybe the best time saver of all. Listen!