The description of John McCain is one of a man who lived life full of love and honoring his values. That is what life is about. Yet some people wait until they get a cancer diagnosis to realize this. I was one of them. I was afraid to speak my truth as it would hurts[…]
Funny, sometimes, I just do not want to say that word. You know, the ‘C’ word…..Cancer. But, 3 years ago, this morning, I went into surgery, with Faith, that the doctor would remove my tumor with clear margins. You see, I already planned a victory trip and I planned on being there. Here is a[…]
I was watching the local news the other night and I overheard the word Cancer. It always gets my attention. Are they doing research? Is there a new drug approved? Who is who that got cancer, more fund raising for cancer and more. We are always moved to action when someone has cancer or we[…]
As I meet other people at a LiveStrong program that are trying to get our strong pre-cancer body back, we are sharing stories. Did you shave your head? Did you continue to work? Did you do Chemo or Radiation or just one of them? Did you get a port in your chest or[…]
I Imagine your body is beat up, muscle is gone, your tired, you’ve lost weight, you can’t sleep, your strength is gone, surgery from the cancer removal leaves scars that get inflamed and cut into nerves…there in spots that when you stretch you are in pain still, your just plain weak. YET, you are[…]
I heard this song on the radio today in the car. Very nostalgic. It first reminded me of my High School Graduation in 1979. We all had hopes and dreams that someday we would see each other again. Well, time goes on and this has a very different meaning for me today. I am working[…]
Say it isn’t so…………….I know I am not as bad as Howie Mandel……….. Ya know, when you are told you are cancer free and you have to rebuild your immune system, but it will take 5 years! Yes, 5 years. Oh boy. I am very conscious of germs now but try not to obsess. I[…]
Have you ever thought about what it truly takes to heal yourself? Of anything………a headache, a broken bone, a cold , a negative thought, cancer? Well, I think it first takes the thought that you don’t want to feel this way so you think about what you can do to feel better and be healed.[…]
Old and Ordinary or Colorful and New? Ya know, one never knows what they will do or react when going through cancer treatments. I was pro-active and shaved my head as I did not want clumps of my long hair falling out. I guess, I stayed safe. I picked a wig, that was more like[…]
I have always loved nature and being outside. I never realized how much until I had to be constantly inside after receiving chemo treatments. You see, you have to sit ” inside ” the hospital room with tubes hanging off you while having treatment and then must stay ” inside ” your[…]
Dana Farber has put out a 45 second video today. April is National Cancer Control Month. I did 4 of these items. I did not even think of cancer screening since I felt healthy. Who does right? Well, the good news is I am healthy today and I am doing the cancer screening. All we[…]
2 years Cancer FREE today! On this day in 2015, I was in surgery to remove a tumor in my lung that shrunk from chemo and radiation treatments. I am blessed that the doctor was able to remove all of it with clear margins. I think of this day as like a 2nd birthday……………but really[…]
The Patriots just won the Superbowl. Their 5th one and the parade did go on.All victories should be celebrated no how many times you win or are a success at something. I attended a class on Parade day when the instructor responded to my comment that I wish I was there in this way:[…]
How can I not mention this day………….World Cancer Day. It’s funny, when I was sick, I did not want others to know that I had the big “C”, now I just can’t shut up and want to help others with this terrible disease. Let’s all help to find a cure and honor those that have[…]
It is never too late to truly believe in what you want in life can come true. At each of my chemotherapy treatments, I envisioned the chemo, as a powerful antidote liquid that went direct to my tumor, and it would shrink it and kill it. I did not think of it being a poison[…]
“Do not dwell in the past; do not dream of the future,concentrate the mind on the present moment.” Buddha It is all about perspective! Been thinking about this a lot lately. How many times do we look back on not so good things in our life? It’s natural to look back at memories but make sure[…]
When I was undergoing chemo treatments, I did everything in my power to look ‘normal’. I did not want people that did not know me to see me as a sick person. That confused some of the people that did know me. You see, I was strong. My mindset was: I am healthy. I always[…]
LOVE this article about how we can bring the best of both traditional and alternative methods together to heal the world.Is that possible today? I hope so. That is the only way we will truly heal everyone. Working together. That is what I would like to see. GREAT ARTICLE! Click here: HEAL THE WORLD
As a Sarcoma Cancer Survivor,(I got this as a genetic mutation and not from anything I did or did not do), I just want people to know, it is OK to CHOOSE what to do when you are sick with any illness. Respect, acceptance and non-judgment is what this day is about. Traditional and Alternative[…]
As many of you know, I used the vision of the Wicked Witch of the East melting/shrinking as I had my chemo treatments. The chemo would go directly into my tumor and shrink it. It did shrink. I then underwent 6 weeks of Radiation to kill the cells. Surgery was March 2, 2015. The doctor[…]
Why do people wait until they get a life threatening illness to re-consider how they are living their life? I’ll tell you why. It’s because deep down,we all think we will live a long time.” I can do that next year, or when X happens”. I never thought about death and thought I had all[…]
Reflecting back on my Chemo Treatments, I was so focused on the immediate side effects, that I did not really think about the possible long term ones. I was trying to take one day at a time. Well, I just had a follow up appointment on the general state of my health. My main concern[…]
This is a question many people have asked. Here is a great article from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. Please continue to support research for ALL Cancers. Let’s heal everyone.#cure #cancer #cancercure Click the newspaper to read the article.
It is 8 months after my surgery. I am about 85-90 percent feeling like my new normal. I entered a contest at my workplace. I had to create a video about what I was thankful for. So many things. I could talk for hours. I had but a few minutes. I am not good at[…]
Hey, what’s up with a wig anyways? I purchased a long haired wig because I wanted to look more like the old me. Wigs can be warm. After my 6 chemotherapy treatments, a milestone to me, I wanted to start fresh again somehow. I cut my wig shorter right before my first Radiation treatment and[…]
Appropriately named, Hope Lodge is the place I stayed for 6 weeks from right after Christmas in 2014 until February 6, 2015. Patients who live far away from their hospitals that need daily treatment of any kind, can apply to live here, with their doctors’ recommendation for housing. There are places for children, like the[…]
The tumor has shrunk to about one half it’s size. The Doctors are pleased. I just want the thing out of me. It is now time for the second type of treatment to begin. Radiation. Radiation will kill any cancerous cells or burn the outside of the tumor so it can no longer grow. It[…]
It was kind of ironic that the last day of Chemotherapy in December 2014, coincided with a Healing Mass that a very good friend invited me to. I went from my last chemo treatment to a quick dinner, then to the Church that evening. Many people were there. I believe in a higher power. I[…]
I had just finished my 5th chemotherapy treatment. Halloween was a couple of weeks ago. My vision from the Wizard of Oz was working, albiet slowly. The tumor was shrinking. It needed more water/chemo. The tumor in my lung was very large and was pushing on my heart. Being too close to other major organs,[…]
I soon began to have a second Mantra: It’s all Good! Life truly is about perspective. Day surgery was a breeze compared to a Chemo treatment. I was in and out in a day! I was shutting off the blood supply to the tumor through the embolisation surgery. I was just happy not to have another[…]
One of my new Mantras began to be: “Everything is Temporary” It seemed every time I asked about something or wondered why or felt good or felt bad, it was all temporary. I would feel good soon. I would know later. I would live somewhere else. There was always an answer. It didn’t matter. Change[…]
Chemotherapy, 2 different ones, Doxorubicin, a 15 minute push, as they say in medical terms, and Ifosfamide, daily for 3 days in a row, was beating me up. I could feel my strength depleting. I just wanted a break. I had finished my fourth treatment. Resting was lying or sitting up on my daughters couch[…]
Have you ever noticed when you are walking and suddenly you look down and see a penny? This is a Spiritual sign a loved one who has passed is sending to you. “You are Loved” “You are Valued” Signs can be animals, electricity going haywire, words on a truck, repetitive numbers and more. It was[…]
I believe our Thoughts create our Reality.I believe in the Law of Attraction. Your sub-conscious is a very strong denominator in your current health status. Dis-ease is created by our emotional thoughts, like stress or negativity, that is there for a long time. We all go through life with ups and downs. It’s when we[…]
One of my first thoughts when I was told I had Cancer was “I guess I will be wearing a wig at Jessica’s Wedding”. Jessica is my middle daughter. I immediately thought of my looks and not that I may die. What??? Why are we, or should I say I, so vain? The world wants[…]
Scanxiety. A new term I was introduced to as I waited for the results from the first CT scan after 2 chemotherapy treatments. A CT Scan for me involved getting a contrast infusion to light up my body inside so the doctors could clearly see where the cancer was. It was able to be located[…]
Best selling Author and Speaker Mike Dooley says “Thoughts become things…Choose the good ones”. Wayne Dyer, Self Help Author and Motivational Speaker, says “When you change the the way you look at things, the things you look at change”. I wanted to change the Cancer inside of me. I wanted to change the way I[…]
I wanted some semblance of normal. What is normal? Normal to me was living my life with a job I liked, living on my own, spending time with family and friends and just enjoying what life has to offer. Now, I had to back up and stop this sense of normal. My Chemo Treatments were[…]
We can not control many things in life, but the things that we can control, we should act on. I was told that my hair would start falling out about two weeks after my first Chemo treatment which was July 14,2014. I did not want to be in the shower washing my hair and have[…]
I made the decision to shrink the tumor so surgery would hopefully have clear margins and get the whole tumor out of me! I wanted to maintain my strength. I wanted to still be me. Whoever that is. Can I still be that person? Will I be that person while going through this journey or[…]
I had to think quick. I wanted that tumor out of me NOW! I still could not believe a mini grapefruit resides in my lower right lung. Yes, I am in denial. I am not ready to go to the special place called ‘Heaven’ yet. At least , that’s where I think I will be[…]
Decisions, Decisions. What to do.When to do it. Am I really immortal? Where to stay during my 3 consecutive day treatments at Dana-Farber as I live about an hour away? Where to live during this whole thing. What to do with all my stuff. All my belongings. It’s just stuff. How will I feel? Will[…]
The Beginning of Tests. What is it? It’s a Mass on your lungs. Biopsy.More Tests. UGH! What the heck is it? After 3 weeks go by, I learn I have “Monophasic Synovial Sarcoma” the doctor states. I just stare at him as he doesn’t continue. I then ask “What is that? Is that Cancer?” He[…]
Where does one begin? “You’ve got Cancer” Words no one wants to hear. I certainly did not ever expect to hear those words. Imagine. One day you might too. Scary to even think about. We are fearless. We are forever thinking we have all the time in the world to do whatever, whenever we want[…]