CANCER SISTERS MEET AGAIN!!!

I'm keeping that road between Seymour and Greenwood "hot" these days!  Today I went up there to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch with my "cancer sisters".

I just love these girls!!  We met back in April and have bonded as the "cancer sisters" and have all watched each other go through the "journey".  Carin (on the left) is the oldest of us, but she won't say how old she is.....but, considering I'm 59, well....I'd say she's holding up real well, wouldn't you?  :=)  I hope I look that good when I get to her age....oh, who am I kidding?  Carin had just finished up her chemo the last time we met and was still bald....but, wow, look at her hair now!!!!   Carin is not only the oldest of the group...she's the ornery one (yes, Carin, I'm pretty sure I spelled ornery correctly, but if not...let me know...lol) Amy, lovely sweet Amy, is on the right.  She has such a sweet spirit about her.  Her 16 year old daughter, Erin, joined us for lunch today.  I have an Erin too!  Poor thing..she had to listen to our "boob talk"...lol! 

We are like our own little "support group".  We all have the same plastic surgeon....Dr. Jackson...and we all had the bilateral masectomy with immediate reconstruction with the tissue expanders.  We can soooo relate to each other!  Like when I say I feel my breasts each morning to see if they are softening up....Carin pipes up that she feels her's every night!!!  It makes us feel more "normal" to have each other...lol!  We all now have our implants....me being the last one to get them.  I was able to ask them questions since they are a little ahead of me.  It so helps to hear from someone who's "been there, done that"!  Carin is still receiving treatment for her cancer, while Amy and I are finished with the treatment, except for the Arimidex we both take for the next 5 years.  We are SURVIVORS!!!

Whoooohoooo, you go Carin!!!  Isn't she lovely?  I'm going to have to learn to pose like her!!!  I wonder how my photographer, Sheila, will feel about that...lol...especially when I do the spectacular nudie pose that Carin showed us!  lol! 

This is only my second time to be with them and I'm beginning to know their personalities more....I call Carin the "naughty one".  lol!  She has a sense of humor that I can relate to!  I'm learning I'm going to have to "stay on my toes" when I am with her....you never know what she's going to say!  I can take it...I warned her that I can dish it out too...lol!  Now, Amy, on the other hand...I call her the "sweet one".  She is just precious and sweet and all that!  It's Carin that I have to look out for!!!  I think our personalities compliment each other....and I'm a believer that God has brought us together for His purpose.  We don't live in the same town....we are different ages...in different seasons of life....and would have never met if it hadn't been for "that diagnosis"....and now we are lifelong friends...not just friends...we are sisters!

After what we've been through we aren't afraid to pose or talk boob-talk right there in a restaurant!  Now that I'm home, I'm wondering if our waiter picked up on our conversation...lol!  We talk non-stop....even the table of women sitting next to us joined in with us!  I think others can tell we're having a good time and have a special bond.  I like to think we have a "heavenly glow" surrounding us...lol! 

I had a great time today and plan to interview both Amy and Carin about their cancers and feature them on my blog soon.  Each one of us had "different cancers" and "different treatments", but we all understand the journey we each took.  I want them to share "their stories" with you!  They are amazing and brave women!

Until next time....go have lunch with your girlfriends/sisters this Christmas Season! 

Cindy

A special note to Linda!

Linda, we missed you today....both girls were dissappointed you couldn't be there (me too!)...next time, girly!  We already set the date!  :=)  Hope you're feeling better!



MEETING ANOTHER CANCER SISTER!

Last night I got the opportunity to meet another "cancer sister" I have met on this journey!  We were connected on facebook, but this is the first time I got to actually meet her in person!  I was soooo excited and looking forward to it!  My buddy, Linda, went with me!

This is Andee Pagel from Greenwood, Indiana....just about 50 miles from me.  You might recall that Greenwood is where my doctors and hospital are, plus my favorite shopping spots....so it's become a "second home" to me!  My car just drives itself up there now...lol!  Isn't she just the cutest little thing?  Andee is young enough to be my own child...29....and has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  She did the chemo but it came back this year.  I loved her positive, fighting spirit and we just "connected" in a way that those with cancer do.  It's not a "family" you want to be a part of, but there is quite a "sisterhood" when you meet...you just connect.  We actually sat at that table at Outback Steakhouse chatting up a storm with each other in "our own little world".  It was sooo good!

I was thrilled to finally get to meet Andee in person.  I got connected with her in the strangest way....a wrong phone number text (long story).  I like to call these kind of things a "God thing".

I also got to meet her little family, consisting of Karl and their beautiful little girl, Kayliann!

What an awesome, supportive fiance Karl was.  I was so happy I also got to meet him!  I just loved seeing all of the support that Andee obviously has on her journey.  I got to meet the rest of her family too....her mom, two sisters, aunt, and neice.  It was such a blessing to meet them all!

Our waitress took this awesome group shot of us and I'm so glad she did! It was an awesome evening and Linda and I were truly blessed to meet this great family!  As a mother myself, I can't imagine watching your child have to go through this...especially at such a young age.  But, Andee's spirit is just so inspiring and I know she gives such positive hope to her own family.  Will you please add Andee to your prayer list....thank you so much!

My new shoes....

Aren't these awesome?  LOL!  I had first seen them down in Evansville when I set up at the Chico's store....one of the sales girls was wearing them!  I thought, "Oh man, I need some of those"!  Well, little did I realize that a foot doctor just down the street from me sells them...I saw them advertised in the newspaper during October and was so surprised that they were right down the street!  So, I popped in and ouch...the price tag put me in shock!  LOL!  NO WAY do I spend that much money on shoes...never have!  I just can't justify that.....but, darn I want them!  Ever feel that way?  lol!  Well, a lightbulb lit up in my head and I asked if they did layaway, thinking that would be easier for me to justify paying $25.00 every other week until they were paid for!  Yep, they let me do that....so that wasn't so painful!  Funny how doing it that way makes it "feel" like they were cheaper.  :=)  And I have to tell you, I love, love, love them!  They are clogs, but have a back to them and they are so incredibly comfortable.....real good arch and support.  So, I will justify the purchase by knowing they are good for my feet!  That works!  :=)  And they are patent leather.....super shiny!  Dr. Venkatesh noticed them right off when I went to visit with him and remarked on how shiny my shoes were...said I could see my reflection in them!  LOL!  That's what I love about him....he's so personable.  How many other doctors would have even commented?

My newspaper/picture collage

I finally got it done!  When our newspaper article came out, my daughter Jennifer laminated it for me.  I was thrilled and told her I'd frame it!  Isn't it awesome?

I had to take the picture at an angle, as the flash just made a glare straight on.

I had to find a rather large frame because it was so long, but there was lots of space around the sides, so I decided to just add some photos of some of my "supporters" from my journey.  I really like the way it turned out!  I have another frame that I will be putting more pictures in....another day!  Way too many special memories and special people from this year to be able to include them in just one frame.  Just looking through these pictures of this past year brought warm memories of each person who helped me through this and I smile every time I see this hanging on the wall.  It makes me feel so blessed to see how far I've come.  The battle is behind me now, but I don't want to ever forget it and the blessings that came in the midst of it.  God truly walked beside me the whole way.

Until next time, watch for those blessings that God brings us every day.  Sometimes we get too busy to recognize them, but they are there.  And, just a reminder....GET YOUR MAMMOGRAM!!!!  :=)

YOU HAVE TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF...RIGHT?

Chemo brain...it kinda scares me!  But, sometimes I just have to laugh at myself and the things I forget or say!  I met my "cancer sisters" (Amy and Carin) for lunch yesterday in Greenwood.  My good buddy, Linda Morrow, drove up with me (I'm glad she drove, as I had two sleepless nights in a row and was rather tired).  Anyway, as we were traveling up I-65 I told her my funny story from Monday....only one other person knew this story...Linda Curd, who I had lunch with on Monday!  It's a story I was reserving for my closest friends...lol...kinda embarrassing, ya know!  She laughed with me and said, "oh, you have to put that on your blog"....uh, I don't think so!  LOL!

Then at lunch yesterday, when the subject of chemo brain came up, Linda started laughing and said I just had to tell Amy and Carin "my story".  So, I broke down and told them....I figured, "ok, they're my cancer sisters....surely they'll still love me...lol".  Well, then they were all urging me to tell "my story" on my blog.  Argghhhh!  I resisted because it's a bit embarrassing and I don't want you all to think that everything about me is fake!  But, hey, laughter is good for the soul, so if it gives you your laugh for the day...or maybe some of you will even identify with it....then all is good.  And if it runs some of you off (LOL), well, maybe you didn't like me anyways...hehe!  But those who stick around will now be considered my "closest friends" because this story is only reserved for "closest friends"...lol!

Ok, here goes "my story"!  I was to meet Linda Curd at the Edinburgh Cracker Barrel at noon Monday...hadn't seen her in 8 years and was so excited and didn't want to be late (which is in my nature...not horribly late, but no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get out the door early).  Anyway, I was rushing around trying to get everything done, after sleeping too late....got my make up on, clothes on, shoes on, supper in the crock pot, paid a bill online, brushed and curled my hair (lol, ok joking about that one).....ok, that's it, I think I'm ready to roll!  I was so proud that I accomplished all that I needed to do that morning and it didn't look like I'd be more than 5 or 10 minutes late.  Awesome!!!  Ok, so I'm be-bopping down the interstate jamming to my music that was blaring and am almost to Columbus, which is 20 miles into my trip and just below Edinburgh...not much further to go!  And then I realized what I forgot!!!!  At first I was mortified and in a panic....what am I going to do???  Then I started arguing with myself..."I've got to go back.  No, you're almost there...you don't have time to go back....ok, maybe she won't notice!"  Now, you've heard the saying, "I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached."....well, let's just say I'm sure glad my head is attached at this point in my life!  LOL!  But I did manage to forget something that wasn't attached.....my bottom teeth!!!  There, I said it!!!  LOL! 

Now, get up up off of that floor and wipe those laughing tears away and pull yourself together.  Yes, I have false teeth, fake boobs, and a boy haircut (hey at least the hair is real now!).  LOL!  Now, I'm not proud of having false teeth, but anyone who knows me knows I didn't have good teeth and I finally gave up on the expense of trying to fix them.  Besides, I'm getting old (almost 60, ya know)...lol...and although I would love to say I have my real teeth, it wasn't meant to be!  Now, let me assure you that other than my boobs and my teeth, everything else about me is REAL!

Ok, you've had your laugh now!  And after arguing with myself in the car, I finally just started laughing.  Here I was driving down that interstate laughing out loud at myself!  I even looked in the rear view mirror and smiled to see if you could tell it!  Nope, you don't see my bottom teeth when I smile...good!  And there was no indented place that showed...I'm good for pics!....because there was no way I wasn't getting my pic with Linda after 8 years! 

See, you can't even tell, can you?  If I didn't tell on myself, no one would have known.  But, some stories just need to be shared...lol!

 I knew I'd confess my lack of bottom teeth to Linda.....(I just didn't know at the time that I'd be confessing it to the whole world!).   I first made her try to guess what I forgot that wasn't attached.  She couldn't guess...good!.... then that probably means the waitress can't tell either!  I was self conscious, but after awhile I totally forgot about it.  Linda and I had a good laugh about it all and sat and visited for the next 5 hours!  Thank God I was at Cracker Barrel where they had soft food like meatloaf and mashed potatoes...lol!  Well, that's "my story"!

Like I said earlier, the chemo brain scares me sometimes. Besides forgetting my teeth (first time ever, by the way), I've left 2 ATM cards in the machine since I began chemo (never did that before either!), I walked out of the bathroom this morning forgetting to shut the water off (didn't take long for me to realize it), I jumble up words or call people by the wrong name.  And sometimes I just feel a "little fuzzy".   Now don't get me wrong, I'm still very functional and this isn't a 24/7 thing.  But, I'd rather have a physical problem than a brain problem....the brain scares me.  And with that being one of the areas breast cancer can spread to, it scares me even more.  But, I'm sure it's just the treatments and it's only been 4 months since they ended and I've read that the chemo brain thing can last up to two years.  So, I'm sure that's what it is.  Plus, I've had a couple of sleepless nights this week, so that can't help!  Slept pretty good last night, so all is good!

CANCER SISTERS

Ok, so yesterday I met my "cancer sisters" for lunch at the Olive Garden in Greenwood.  It was wonderful to see them again!

Yes, dang it, I have the same outfit on...I guess I forgot what I wore on Monday...lol....yes, I'm a dweeb!  Hey, it was clean, so that makes it ok, right?  I'm more concerned that I forgot to put my earrings in....egads!

If you've read my entire blog, you might remember that I met Amy (in the middle) and Carin (on the right) at the "Look Good, Feel Better" progam up at Greenwood.  We hadn't seen each other since then, but became friends on facebook and have followed each other's treatments and progress.  We knew we'd see each other again, but it's been hard to get together between the chemos and surgeries.  We had to wait until we were all done with that and we'd all feel better at the same time...lol!  Yay, Carin and I have the chemo done and we all have our major surgeries done.  We finally all felt good at the same time and could meet!

Even though this was the first time we actually got to sit down and REALLY TALK, it was like we were forever friends.  We were so connected because we knew what each had gone through.  We understood....it was like we were in a "support group".  One of us would mention something and the other would say, "Me too...I wondered if that was normal".  It was great to find out it was!  We were able to encourage each other that things were normal and share out fears, knowing the other understood those fears.  I don't let fears take over....but they are always there.  We were just so connected....so bonded!  I love my "cancer sisters"....even though I'm old enough to be their moms, they don't treat me like I'm an "old lady"....LOL! 

Cancer sisters plus one....my dear friend Linda.  She's an "honory sister"....we don't really want her to be a full fledged member of our club.  Bless her heart, she surprised us by buying our dinner.  Thanks so much Linda!   Linda is such an awesome person!  I love her for many reasons, but one particular reason stood out yesterday.  I loved her yesterday because she said I was skinny!!!  LOL....hey, do you know how long it's been since someone said I was skinny?  I coulda just kissed her right then and there, but we were in the doctor's office surrounded by other people.  I've lost 50 pounds and am so hoping to keep it off....I feel much better with it off.  I'm kinda stuck there....not losing any more....but at least it's staying stable and so far I haven't gained any back!  That excites me, especially since I'm eating more now and trying all of those awesome new crock pot recipes!

Now, here's some food that won't make me fat!

Look what Amy surprised me and Carin with!  Thank you so much Amy!  I can't wait to dig into it!  We weren't able to have a "five hour lunch" (probably could have talked that long!)....I had to get over to the doctor to get my port flushed and Amy needed to be somewhere to pick up her daughter.  So, big hugs all around and we parted, but we vowed to do this on a regular basis!  Love ya dear "cancer sisters" and am already looking forward to the next time!  They all 3 kept me busy and laughing and gave me support on a day that would have been harder for me....the 10 year anniversary of my dad's passing.  It was a good day!

Until next time....learn to laugh at yourself!  Don't be too serious!  And treasure those relationships that God brings to you.  I have met some amazing women because of this journey I had to take and they have enriched my life.  Even bad news can bring you great blessings....I never would have met Amy and Carin if it weren't for the cancer.  Find good in anything....even the bad....it's there! 

Cindy