Naive

What I did as a much younger person most likely caused where I am today.  This message is mostly for the younger generation, so please share it with your children, grandchildren, and/or anyone who would listen, maybe even your students at school.

This could happen to you, hopefully not but it could.  I know that you are probably saying to yourself ‘nah’, well I did too and look where I am.

I will start with smoking, granted that they say that my cancer is mostly found on non-smokers but my own second hand smoke didn’t help so here you have it…  I started smoking at 13 years old, got pretty heavy from my mid-twenties to early thirties and then I stopped for a couple of years.  When I restarted, I would smoke 5 to 7 cigarettes a day and up to 10 if I went out drinking.

So now drinking, I was not a big drinker until I got to my mid-twenties and even then, I did not drink that much.  But by my mid to late thirties, I would have two to three rum and Pepsi every night, again… more if I went out.  Double whammy, the alcohol was killing my good cells one by one and my cancer cells were feeding and slowly growing with the sugar from the Pepsi and the rum.

So what made me drink more?  Well stress of course.  I had a very stressful job and as the years passed and promotions came, the job demand increased and so did the stress, which of course made my cancer cells go yippy!!!

So what is next, oh yes… eating, since my mid-thirties till my early fifties, I did not eat breakfast or lunch, get this, I had 3.2 pounds of peanut M&M’s a week…  you know the bag at Costco that has XXL, well that one, every week.  Can you hear the cancer cells?  Well I didn’t then but do now.

And finally exercise, I was a size 2 most of my twenties until about my mid-thirties, I was a size 4 from then until my early fifties and then started venturing into some size 6.  Basically, I was and for the most part still am small so in my wonderful wisdom (NOT) I felt that there was no reason to exercise. 

Why am I telling you all this, oh yes, in hopes that you do not make the same mistakes, any or all of them, as you can see I made 5 deadly mistakes.  And believe me when I tell you, I did not listen and do not know what to do or say to make you listen but hope that you do because as you know I have been fighting cancer for over 2 years and now I am fighting for my life.

In conclusion:

If you smoke, stop… honestly, smoking stinks and no one wants to stand next to someone that just smoked.

If you drink, okay so maybe one here or there and please do not drink and drive, even if you think you can.

Stress is a hard one but I read once of a man who when he got home from work would put a nail in a piece of wood by the garage.  The nail represented his work issues and then he would walk in the door without taking work with him and giving him the opportunity to unwind and enjoy the family.  Someone told me once to wind up work in the morning on the way to work and in the evening unwind work and wind up the children like remember to ask how was school or soccer practice and this way you would not carry the stress from work.  I tried it but my children at times gave me more stress then work… so you know how that ended up, let’s have another drink.

If you have bad eating habits and eat junk, it is time to change that too.  Just go back to the basic food groups, meats, cheese, milk, bread, eggs, fruit and veggies and all in moderation.

Finally, exercise… you do not have to go to a gym, you can do your legs and arms from home, jog on the spot or use the WII but spend 20 minutes a day.  YES, every day.

Please know that this message has kept me up for the past few days and that is why you are getting such a long message.  And if you are still thinking that this could not happen to you, let me add that Cancer does not run in my family.  My grandfather and mother were both diagnosed with cancer when they were over their 80’s and both were smokers at one time or another.  The women in my family live way into their 80’s from both sides, mother and father except my godmother who was a heavy smoker and died of emphysema.  What I am saying is that my situation is not genetic.  Environmental, maybe but my sisters are okay and Pat is okay, so which environment.

Just accept as I have that there are things that you can control and that there are consequences to every action and in this case the consequence for me is breast cancer, lung cancer, and lung cancer metastasize and spread.

Love y’all,

ME

E-mails with no attachments

Hi there, how is everyone today?  I wouldn’t know as very few of you sent me information on ‘All about you’ so I hope everyone is doing well on this fine Monday.

Today I got and e-mail with a message that I like ‘God's Love Is Not Dependent On E-Mail!! ’ .  The main reason why I like this is because I am superstitious, don’t want to admit it but I am, so when I get those THREATENING e-mails saying send this now or else…  I delete them before reading the ‘or else’ in hopes that the punishment will not hit me if I do not know what it is.

Honestly, at the beginning of my ‘cancer adventure’ with all the following nasty events, I thought for a moment that one of those e-mails got me.  Fortunately for me, I love God, prayer, Michael the Archangel and positive thoughts more than superstition and know that it is not possible but come on, do you really forward those e-mails?  Please take me of your mailing list.

When I see one with a message that I like, I delete the part of ‘send this to X number’ and ‘in so many minutes’… even if the outcome is ‘you will have a miracle in X days’.  Can you do that?

This way we will truly feel free to send messages that are inspiring to those that we think might enjoy reading them.

Once again today’s message is not related to cancer cure, or treatments but if you are like me, with a small doubt or superstition then it is related to Expiration Date?  NOT YET.

Love y’all,

ME

PS. And for picture, I am putting Maggie with the new Uggs that I made her… how about that?

All About YOU

There is a time when life is all about ME, my cancer, my son, my granddaughter, my mom… it is not healthy to stay in this circle for too long as it will not allow me to see others.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a huge list of people that I pray for and think about every day but once that one hour is gone, so are my thoughts of others.

That is why I want to tell you that it is good to make time for others so I am making this all about YOU…  Yes YOU.

As a faithful follower and reader of my blog you are now the center of my attention, tell me how you are doing?  Are you happy with life?  Do you need to change it?  Talk to me?  You know that talking about you helps you sort out your life and figure out your next steps!!!!

This past two weeks I had a wonderful friend come to visit and our conversations went back and forth on all about ME and all about HER and at the end of the two weeks it was all about Maggie, the dogs, the weather, my family…

Do you realize how boring a conversation is when the person talking is only about them?  All the time.  That is why our visit was so pleasant because we went back and forth until there was nothing else to say about ourselves… then we gossiped about you…  No, not really.  But we were able to have productive conversations because we had our life sorted out, at least our next steps and that was a good feeling.

So here I am giving you the opportunity to tell me about yourself, for two reasons, one because I care about you and two because that way it is out of your system and when you meet the next person, you will not be so boring.

Hope to hear from you and have a nice day

Love,

ME

BOOMER SOONER

Today is a happy day because I say so.  I am happy today and will not let anything make it any different.  So, if you have something to say that is not happy then ‘don’t tell me’.  Actually don’t even tell yourself so that you can enjoy my happiness.  Why spoil a good day.

Today everyone will be smiling, and NO there is no particular reason, just got up this way.

I looked at the sky this morning and smiled… Then I got into facebook and saw Maggie’s new picture and smiled.  Then I read Michael’s post for the day (last night’s post) and smiled.

So when I went to the farmers market all excited to get fresh organic fruit and it was closed… (dmm, dmmm, dmmm)…  I still smiled because I refuse to be nothing but happy today.

So do yourself a favor and join me in my excitement, smile at anything and everything you do or see today and feel good about life.

PS.  I am saying all this as my dear sweet husband is blabbing disgusting words out there for some odd reason…  I will ignore him.

Love y’all, have a great weekend and GO BOOMER SOONER

ME

Another Angel Gone…

I just found out that another one of my earthly angels left me this past Monday.  Donna, you came to me truly out of nowhere and gave me all you had and more.  It is so hard to say goodbye.  Something must be rumbling above that God needs the help of such special people.

To your family Donna, to your friends I want them to remember you for who you were and not how you left. 

Sweet, soft spoken but strong, so strong that you fought this battle for so many years so very brave.

“I can still feel your arms around me, just a bit over a year ago consoling me on my misfortune and in the midst of it all, you made me laugh… what was it ‘the Young and the Restless???’, yup my friend I will miss you.

Do you have my key?  Probably not, no matter, we can pretend with invisible keys to each of our hearts and our souls.  “

If you are reading this, please don’t be sad that she is gone; be sad that you did not have a chance to meet her. 

May God Bless you and give strength to your love one,

ME

PS. “F” CANCER

Seesaw!!!

Sorry my friends for not writing in a while, it sure has been a busy and interesting week.  Some good and some definitely not so good…

I will start with the not so good as it is important that we finish on a positive note so that you want to read more.

This past Monday my dear Mother was diagnosed with Lung Cancer, the same kind that I have.  Hers seems to be in an early stage and hopefully she will see the oncologist this week and learn more about options.  Have you met my mother?  She is a bit older, full of life and funny, unlike her daughters, she is not confrontational and very much like me (or me like her) loves to party and entertain.  This adventure for her will be very different than mine and I will keep you posted on available options and her logic and decision when it all comes about.  For now, Mom does not plan on going through invasive treatment and hopes not to change her life style too much.  Mom will take prayers, good thoughts and positive thinking but Mom is not the kind that wants for people to feel sorry for her or be the center of attention unless she is jumping in the pool with her clothes on, but that is a story for another day.

Mom we love you, you are the best…

On a not so good not so bad I will ask that you continue to remember my son Michael. He is trying very hard to keep his head up but as time goes by he is having a difficult time dealing with his situation. 

On a better note, my dear friend Connie is here for a visit.  Her story in itself is very entertaining but she has not started a blog so for now, let me tell you that she spent the past few years in an adventure with her mother who recently died of cancer (lung) and now she is traveling around the US visiting and enjoying life.  Unfortunately there isn’t much to do in Norman, OK proper and with me and my chemo can’t even go out with her but she will survive and have fun because that is who she is.  So far Connie has done pool at moms, Louie’s, Docs with me, Dustbowl festival and today she will do the National Weather Center tour.

And last but not least the best news ever about Maggie…  Doctor checkup was fantastic so in less than two weeks, our ‘Reina’ is almost like nothing ever happened.  I will tell you that now that the blood from the heart is not affecting her lung, my goodness, she can really be load and get your attention.  I know, I know, I know you will say that she is so sweet and look at the smile and happy face but let me tell you, she can now make herself heard.

Finally latest on me, as you know I am in this ‘medical + alternative’ regiment.  Up to now I was taking loads of vitamins, Essiac Tea and the Aloe+Honey.  This past weekend I added Curcumin, Chlorella and Spirulina based on my own independent research but here is my lesson learned… powder spirulina smells and taste like algae so if you want it, pay the extra money and get pills, I decided after trashing my powder that I did not really need to have spirulina.  One concern I have is that I am doing all this on my own, all the stuff I am taking is based on people’s advice and Google.  I will contact a naturalist soon to make sure that I am not wasting money on random medication or about to poke a hole in my intestines…  Will keep you posted as there is more to come.

Love y’all and have a nice week…  Gosh, September is almost here, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas and then ANOTHER YEAR…

I LOVE THE SOUND OF THAT

ME

Shattered Dreams

Have you ever had a dream that would never come true?  Not the kind that you have when you go to sleep but the kind that you have as you grow up?  Did you have a dream that did come true?

We were hoping to get together with some friends while in Dallas but at the last minute her daughter called her with a problem ‘Her long life dream was just shattered’.  As a Mom I understand my friends pain, my Michelle too had shattered dreams and when possible all I could do was hug her.  After a few years, Michelle realized that her shattered dreams was the best that could have happened to her, especially as she sang ‘God Bless the Broken Road that lead me straight to you’ as she walked down the aisle to marry Kevin.

I too remember my shattered dreams, one in particular which I will share in hopes that it helps all the teenagers and young adults out there with broken dreams.

I come from a family of 7 girls; I am in the middle (number 4).  My sisters are all unique and similar in many ways and they are very smart, their goal was to go to college, I on the other hand wanted to grow up, get married and have kids. When I was seventeen I met a wonderful boy, he loved me and took good care of me.  It did not take long before his family treated me like one of their own.  We were always together, always.  A couple of years later I found out that I had endometriosis and that there was a very good probability of never having children of my own.  Believe me when I tell you that I thought my life ended.  How could this be?  I became a very negative person, nothing made me happy, nothing was good; I even started getting jealous every time he would talk or dance with another girl, the echo in my head said ‘she can give him kids and I can’t’.  You can imagine that it was not too long after my personality change that my friend decided to break off the relationship.  Now I really thought I was going to die.  Life as I knew it was not worth living for…  Oh my, even writing this after so many years gives me the chills.

God had given me good friends, true angels on earth who constantly called and picked me up to get out.  Honestly, it took over a year before accepting my situation and going out on dates.

To make this short story endless as Wish would say, I ended up in Oklahoma.  Met Pat, went through an experimental treatment for endometriosis, got married and have two of the most amazing kids… and now a granddaughter.

Yesterday was our 30^th wedding anniversary and looking back, I thank God for my shattered dreams, for the broken road.  Now this is not to say that when it is your problem and you are in the midst of it, this message means nothing, but if you could for one moment STOP, BREATH, and KNOW that you are special and that this experience will lead you to a better outcome.

Remember as I wrote once before,

…if it is really how you want to feel ‘like miserable’ than give yourself 5 minutes and be done because as much as I love you, feeling miserable is not the way to be, take my word for it.

And

My Dad use to say, “There are two types of problems, the ones that you can fix so go do it and the ones that are out-of-your-control so learn to live with them”

Lord, grant my friend, her daughter and all the people who have shattered dreams a moment of peace, and another and another until this dream fades away and it is replaced with a much better dream.

Love y’all,

ME