It's All About Livin'

eareviewranch — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:52:38 +0000

I don’t know when I even posted last! Shame on me! I know I am not the least bit busier than the next person, just “time” has gotten by.

There is the Memorial today, for my good neighbor, Prater, that lost his battle with lung and liver cancer last Saturday. I just hope Sandy will be o.k. The Dr. asked her at one point, once the cancer had gone to his brain, “How long have ya’ll been married?” She replied, “All of our lives..” This is going to be a very trying time for her.

I took my golf cart to get the paint job on it. Vicki went with me. It is going to be painted a pearlized hot pink with white ribbons all over it. Of course, on the front will read: “It’s All About Livin’” !

I got to thinking the other day, on the Susan G. Komen walk, we should be able to put people’s names in memory of or survivor, etc. on the ribbons. So, they are going to seal the ribbons with a Dry Erase film, so we can put the names on with a dry erase marker for the walk! Pretty cool, huh?!

We leave Saturday, 5:30 a.m. for the cruise. A sad point to that, is Vicki and Dennis aren’t going to be able to go. DAMNIT! But, I sure understand. All three of her boys are going to be in for Thanksgiving and she would NOT be. She hasn’t had them all here together for some years now. Also, as you may remember, the one year anniversary of Josh’ death is November 20. So, she needs to be here with her boys! She sure will be missed though!

So, if I don’t get back to the site before Saturday morning, ya’ll all have a GREAT Thanksgiving, and NEVER forget:

It’s All About LIvin’!

“THE ZONE”

eareviewranch — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:16:24 +0000

I began my next part of my journey yesterday, Tuesday. I started taking my Tamoxifen.

I went to see Dr. Lang on Monday and she gave me a script for my daily pill. The best part of the day was having the opportunity to lunch with Joy Dawn and have her go with me to the oncologist. I guess I need to have someone go with me each time I go. I didn’t remember any of what Joy Dawn shared in an email Monday evening. I really didn’t know how to respond. I have to agree, it is a “God Thang” because I didn’t remember much of it. I guess I was in a zone. I do remember Joy Dawn saying something as we walked into the room to see Dr. Lang about a God Thing or something, and I wasn’t sure what she meant. After reading her email, I do now! Wow!

Since my tumor was hormone receptive, AI am going to take Tamoxifen to “block” the estrogen.

THERE’S NOTHIN’ LIKE KIDS!

eareviewranch — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:40:59 +0000

Oh what fun I had this morning! I went to watch Joy Dawn’s youngest, Hanson and his “Jog-A-Thon!” What fun! And Parents, if you don’t think you make a difference, you should have been there to see this one young man in tears being escorted by the head master and another adult around the track. He couldn’t find his Mom. They finally called her over the loud speaker to find her. “All Was Right With The World!”

Now as a retired educator, the gift the educators brought to him, was while walking with him encouraging him to accomplish his goal, #1, you can’t quit #2, a little more critical “adult” thinking, actually the “biggest” life lesson was Life Goes On! Anyway, an AWESOME morning!

Joy and I sat in her car talking. I didn’t stop to think she had other things to do. All I know is I wasn’t ready to end the morning with her!

KEEPIN’ YA AWARE!

eareviewranch — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 23:39:58 +0000

10.17.08

I just took my bandage off from Wednesday! He said I couldn’t get it wet til today!

I have to tell ya, Cindy, Vicki, and Patricia were sure gettin’ some funny looks Wednesday. Ya think they were remembered from four months ago? Or do ya think they weren’t being stared at, maybe it was my Kiwi head!

I have always luuvved gray hair. The most obvious coming out right now is gray. I won’t be completely gray, but much more than when I started!

I stayed over Prater and Sandy’s last night (my neighbor that has the lung, liver, now brain cancer). The night before he had a seizure. Sandy has NEVER seen a seizure and they didn’t tell her what to expect. Poor thing. I felt bad, cause I didn’t call Wednesday evening to check in. She wanted to call me but didn’t want to bother me because of my port removal. Damnit! I wish I had called. I didn’t sleep anyway that night. I woke up at 2:00 and was up the rest of the night.

Anyway, no seizures last night but lots of coughing! What a difference a week makes. He has lost considerable weight and really is showing the illness.! He won’t take his anti-seizure meds. Tastes real bitter to him. Sandy said the hospice nurse tried to give him the meds yesterday when she was there and Prater held them in his mouth, alongwith the pudding, for 20 minutes before spittin’ it out! He is an hard headed son of a gun!

Well, I went into town on my golf cart to get feed this morning about 10:00. I stopped at Lorina’s, the florist. She was the one that brought the plant for Daddy and the basket for Cindy. Anyhow, her oldest daughter was the only one there. Lorina had a meeting she had to go to, and the youngest is pregnant and having problems, so she was at the Dr. She had deliveries that she needed to get out. So how fun! I was a delivery person today! Really had a good time! Got home about 3:00.

I went down to the barn to unload the feed and noticed the Jack was at “FULL” attention, as was my gelded jack that was in with her. Hmmmm, two males showing THAT much attention tells me she is ready! I put my Jack in and, well, uh, I guess I will have a baby Jack around next October 17!

Saturday 10.18.08

Cinidy, Tisha, Kaylee, and I went to Kathy’s house today. They had an estate sale today to help with funds for her stay in the facility she is in. She is unaware of the activities, but her retirement only pays for two of the four weeks in a month.

She has some nice stuff. It looked as if things were really selling. So, hopefully things will work out.

After we left there, took Tisha back home and Cindy and I went to an herb show. We ended up getting dill. Vicki made some pretty darn good pickles last week. We called her and she said, see if you can find some little cucumbers. We did, so, tomorrow we are going over Vicki’s and make MORE pickles! I’ll let ya know how “those” turn out!

PAYING IT FORWARD

eareviewranch — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:25:38 +0000

I have been slackin’ JD on my duties here. But, have been gettin’ back into some of my “Paying It Forward” duties.

I don’t think you can “ever” really pay someone back for the time they give you. For instance, Cindy and Vicki and the time they have given me in the past months. As much as it means for someone to give of their time (life), you or I at least, just can’t pay back something like that. Soooo, I choose to “Pay It Forward!”

I have been to see cuz Kathy. She is still lucid. However the emotions are “everywhere.” I got a call from a neighbor two weeks ago one evening from a neighbor who’s partner wasn’t feeling well. Went over and took temp., got symptoms, etc., and yep she was sick. Couldn’t get her to go to the hospital, so, told her to call me in the morning once she got her Dr. appointment and I would take her. Come to find out, two days later, she was having problems with her appendicitis. Had surgery three days after the initial call. I have been checking in on her.

My neighbor, Prater, who was diagnosed with liver and lung cancer June a year ago, was found to have brain tumors. So, I have been more of a sounding board for Sandy his wife. She has MS and needs lots of reminders to rest when she can so she can be an effective caregiver. They have called in hospice. So, all I can do is be there for them, if needed.

NOW, we need to get ready for the Walk on April 4. We need T Shirt designs. So, get your creative stuff started! I have neighbors that have an ex student that does T Shirts, so we “may” be able to get them for nothing or next to it, anyway.

This’ll be short today. I have just been “laaaaaazzz today. Need to get things ready for manana. I am having my port taken out. YOO HOO!

LIFE IS BETTER THAN GOOD!

eareviewranch — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:34:50 +0000

10.01.08

O.K..! I just hung up with Joy Dawn asking me to update this site!(10:15 p.m.) So here goes JD!

I went through my last chemo September 22. It was quite a celebration! We took a meat and cheese tray, a fruit tray, cookies, and brownies! In trying to be sensitive to those that aren’t doing as well as I am doing, I didn’t want it to be a YOO HOO! It’s my last treatment! So, luckily, Gina, my chemo nurse “just happened” to turn 41 on the 22nd! So the celebration was known to everyone else as a celebration for her birthday. The timing was perfect! It was pretty special to see patients getting up and coming over to get something to eat and visiting along the way! If some didn’t get up, family members came over to get food! It worked out GREAT! We even had the It’s All About Livin’ sign up!

Before I went into chemo, I had my visit with Dr. Lang. She informed me I would be on Tamoxofen (pill) for two years, and another pill for the three after that! So I go back November 3, to see how I am doing and to get my first script for the Tamoxofen. In the meantime, I am working on getting back on some sort of schedule. I slept quite a bit last week. A combination, I guess, of the chemo as well as “the chemo is over” I just really relaxed! I haven’t pushed myself to do anything I didn’t feel like doing. I “have” had an excuse. NO MORE! Life does go on………………

I will talk to Dr. Lang and hopefully get the genetic testing process underway. We’ll see if I qualify to be tested! Joy Dawn is going with me on the 3rd of November. She has some questions re: her “breast health.”

Cindy, Vicki, and I, went over to see Kathy, Daddy’s sister’s daughter. She was diagnosed five years ago with breast cancer. She underwent a lumpectomy at that time. In the past five years she has gone through several strokes, and just last week was told she has tumors on her brain, some as large as 1.5 inches, some as small as a pea. The doctor doesn’t seem to think any type of treatment will do any good. So at this point, they are going to let it run its course. It is difficult for her to converse. She can get 3-4 words out trying to get a thought across. It’s tough to see and hear, but no doubt, not half as tough as it is for her. I went back the next day and gave her Part 1 of an “Extreme Makeover.” We shaved legs, took dry skin off the feet, used one of those “Pedi Eggs” to take off that skin that was a little tougher to take off the feet. Went up to the knees. Will go back and do from the hands on up. I just hope she had half as good a time as I did. We laughed alot. Yeah, we even cried some.

It is really tough for me to see Kathy, my neighbor, who has lung and liver cancer, to hear of Rick, Joy Dawn’s working associate in California that died three days ago of kidney cancer, Christine, Felix and Mary Jane’s daughter that died, leaving two young uns; of Bob Brencat, who just went through a stem cell transplant. Things aren’t going like they have hoped up to this point for his progress. I have been sooo extremely blessed! It was much easier to offer up my diagnosis and treatment without question. Boy have I questioned why I have been chosen to be the one healed! Lots of tears have come with that question…….I know there is a reason. This part of my journey has been the toughest! Whew!

O.K., I need to change this part of the subject.

Cindy, brought up yesterday something she saw on her early morning show! HAHAHAHAHA! Talk about an oxymoron! Cindy and early mornings! Anyway, she saw a doctor talking about curing breast cancer in her life time! I checked it out and saw her on the news last night. All I can tell ya is it is worth a try. GO! GO! GO! GO! to this website. You can volunteer! There are going to be places in your area where you can be part of a study! How awesome will that be to see that you, your grand children, their kids, will have ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT IN ADULTHOOD! Please, check it out!

www.armyofwomen.org

Going to go out and try to get my golf cart working. I am going to replace the Fuel Pump! Ha! This will be a first!

I am going to keep this up, I promise, Joy Dawn! It’s been kind of a strange thought that someone would want to keep up with what’s going on with me. BUT I will! Especially as I find out other stuff about breast cancer!

eareviewranch — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:22:58 +0000

09.17.08

I have NO idea what is in the air! My eyes look like I have been on a 12 day drunk! Bright red; no whatever you’re thinkin’, NO!! The pupils are toooo big! Anyhow, I need to get outside and trim. I may have some evacuees coming and staying. A friend of mine’s family lives in Galveston. It is going to be at least a month before they are going to be able to get back down there for any length of time. At this point FEMA is taking good care of them. So we’ll see. Right now, Galveston has a “In at 6:00 a.m., out by 6:00 p.m.” window of opportunity for them, so the twin brothers are down there right now checkin’ on things. So, we’ll see what happens.
I have started affectionately calling “Tammy,” my personal PA and surgical asstant. She is the one that assisted on my bi’lateral mastectomy as well as my knee replacement two years ago, She assists two plastic surgeons as well. So, when I get around to getting my “free tummy tuck” she’ll assist on that too! Anyhow, she only has one asst. job this morning, so she’s coming out to do some work around here. We’ll see just how tough she really is………..

Tammy just left, “dog tired!” I have one of those DR Trimmers and it is pretty powerful. She trimmed around the two houses.

eareviewranch — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:30:47 +0000

Whjat a fun “night out!” I think they said they raised their goal of $100,000! Pretty awesome!

Had I known in the past 53 years all I had to do was have “no hair” to meet someone I wanted to meet, well, uh, nah, I don’t think I would have done it. BUT, maybe I would have!
I had mentioned I was going to try to meet Leslie Mouton re: doing an awareness of sorts here in Marion! I was in the room where the silent auction items were, talking to friends, and “LO AND BEHOLD” this person came up and said, “I Love Your Head!” It was Leslie Mouton! She went on about courage and crap like that! HELL! Courage would have been to let all that hair fall out when it was ready and the courage would have been cleanin’ all that mess up! Anyway! When she said, “I Love Your Head!” I said, “I am SO glad you do! I was going to try to meet you this evening because I need your help in my community for an awareness event! She said, O.K.! We talked about some other things with “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” coming in October. Pretty Awesome! Coincidence? I don’t think so!

I got to see Trevor today! Made my day! Damn he looks good! He and Vicki came by for a little bit today! Yay!
Vicki said Dennis is doing well! He is walking to the end of the cul-de-sac. I am so glad! You see someone as active as Dennis having to have something like this done, you certainly pray for healing!

After Vicki and Trevor left this afternoon, I sat in the recliner and out I went! I slept from I guess about 1;00 til Tammy called about 4;00. Guess the night was a good one!

Anyhow, overall, a good day!

Galveston, Oh Galveston

eareviewranch — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:13:04 +0000

Poor Galveston folks! Although, I just talked to my friend, Monica. She is from Galveston and her family still lives there. She was telling me who all was here from her family and like she said, it sounds like 100 people. There is probably close to 20 here. All are safe, Thank God! All are Catholic too!! Maybe that’s why there are so many!

Yesterday, I went down to the Shamrock to wash my truck and realized the guy over charged me. I walked in and saw a friend from church who obviously hadn’t seen me in probably 5/6 weeks. In a real nervous tone, said, “Hi!” Then, all but ran out of the store. I had to laugh! That was a first through all this. At least the first one I noticed!

The WINGS benefit is tonite. It will be interesting to see what will go on.

I have been trying to be more diligent riding my recumbant bike. I am not doing that much, but I guess it is ‘Much’ more than nothin’! I have been doing 2 miles in the a.m. and 2 miles in the p.m. Every little bit helps.

Had a good day today. Gonna get in the shower and get ready for my “night out.”

eareviewranch — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:35:20 +0000

Wow! I am honored! Thank You Nimi for taking time out of your busy schedule to share in my journey! Joy shared your email with me. Thanks.
I apologize for not being able to understand some of the things in my blog. To be honest, there are times I don’t quite understand myself!

For those of you reading this, Nimi is CFO for Joy Dawn’s company.

Got up this a.m. about 7:00 a.m. I think I am going to have to try my CPAP machine again. I am just not sleeping through the night. Perhaps that’ll help. I think I will try it tonite. It doesn’t help, having flashes throughout the night.

Went out to feed and damnit, “hershey squirts!” Hopefully it is a one time thing. I couldn’t get back to the house in time. It doesn’t help, I guess, that I have been off my schedule the past 4-5 days. HA! That would be Vicki’s line, NEVER mine, til now. When Patricia was here, I ate different and it definately caught up with me. NOT blaming her, just got off.

I stopped by the fire station yesterday to talk to “Dart”, he is in charge of the EMT’s of the department. We got to talking about the medical I.D.’s and all. Anyhow, he brought up the “pink” fire truck that is travelling around. The guys wear pink bunker gear and they pull a 10 foot breast cancer ribbon on the back of a trailer.
The Marion FD is in need of some ‘positive” PR right now, so, we may see what we can do to get the truck here, possibly a representative from WINGS and maybe Leslie Mouton from KSAT to bring some awareness in our community. I’ll see who I can meet Saturday night at that benefit.

Dennis is having his back surgery tomorrow. As Vicki said, “It’s time.” He’s got a pretty severe case of spinal stenosis that has started to affect his legs. So, she is right, “It’s time.” Keep the prayers headin’ to San Antonio starting tomorrow a.m. around 7:00. I need to put this on My Family for prayers!

Lets see if the charms that Toby got for me will show up!