Relay was on June 8th

I worked so hard volunteering for the Relay this year. I was the Survivor Co-Chair and was so honored to be asked. I tried my best to get as many donations as possible. I spent hours writing and emailing and was disappointed in the results. Most companies are not giving these days. I was so happy that my friends and family donated over $1,600. to help find a cure.

I took the day before off and helped set up the gym. I think there were about 8 of us there. There are hundreds of people that go to the Relay, and only 8 people set up.I just don't get it. I wanted to go back at 6am to help clean up but the blisters on my feet would not let me. I was going non stop all day and could not even move when I finally went to bed. Colleen did stay over with me so it was fun having a sleepover.

Speaking of not understanding, no one from the staff of the oncologists office came my doctor refused when I asked for a donation. Said something about the office being owned by the hospital.... Well it is still her patients that have cancer and she should support them. When Rita ran the team they were all there, lots of staff and almost all the support group. A few friends from the group were there and one member who proceeded to tell me just how bad the Relay was. I told him he should volunteer and then he can talk. Of course he was the one who won my teams liquor basket. All donated by my friends and family.

Some positive notes were my friend Giuseppi came and cut hair to donate to make wigs for cancer patients. My good friend Colleen and her husband both had their hair cut. Giuseppi is going through treatment now so it was extra special. Almost as special as the survivor lap, which was all put in perspective when this little girl about age 7 was walking with us.

It was a nice day, my family was with me and although my best friend Denise could not make it I know she was with us in spirit. When we were walking the first lap, we saw Flo, the wife of one of the support group members who passed away last month. That was a good moment for some tears. I did walk part of the survivor lap holding my sons hands. That made me teary too.

This was my fifth Relay and I will be a 5 year survivor in August. They say you can stop worrying after 5 years, but I don't think you ever do. It is scary and I just wish there were one day when I would not even think about cancer. Somehow it always sneaks in, maybe it is something someone says or maybe it is an ache or pain I did not have 5 years ago.

Please pray that I will have the motivation to continue to volunteer. I love doing it I am just a little uninspired at the moment.

I went to the American Cancer Society Relay Summit back in the fall. It was amazing. So empowering, it was so good to hear so many great stories about Relay and all that the American Cancer Society does for so many people.

I am now the Survivor Co-Chair for this years Relay and I am so honored to be working with such a great group of people. I want to get as many survivors involved in Relay because I want them to know that they are not alone. Having cancer is scary and sometimes it helps to speak to someone who has been through what you have are going through. I wish I had gotten involved in a support group or Relay while I was in treatment. I did not get involved in anything until after I was finished with treatment.

Today I went to the store to get rocks and sharpies. I am making Hope rocks to pass out to survivors. There is an old saying that a rock cast upon the water will send ripples our further and further into the water.  We want survivors to hand them out to someone in treatment because as a survivor, we want them to use the rock to send out “HOPE” to others on their cancer journey.

Just another update

Well it is almost September and the Relay was back in June. It was good not as good as usual. It rained and they had it inside which meant there were a lot less people there. Daniel and his friends had a table and raised some money. I spent the day with my friend Bev who is a two time survivor. Both our families were there for a while so that was nice too. I cry every time I do the survivor lap, this time I got to cry with Bev. I did also hang out with my friends from the survivor group.

It was very funny when her daughters won the teams liquor basket. The one I had one my first two years. I did win tickets to Medieval times. One night this summer my boys Dom,  Kayla and I went. It was lot of fun.

I recently celebrated my four year cancerversory, on August 14th my moms birthday. I don't think I worry that much about it, but I am always a little worried that it will come back. Every ache or pain makes me wonder.

I did join the Relay for Life committee and am going to go to a weekend summit in September. I want to help make next years Relay a great one for my fellow survivors.

Relay is really in three weeks!

Once again another year has flown by. Life is good! I have been busy with work and the rescue group I volunteer with (START II). Two weeks ago I had a table at the Bark for Life. combining my two passions, animals and cancer awareness. It was a great event and I had lots of fun with my nephew Dominick. I will write again before the Relay. My thoughts are not flowing today. It has been over three years and I still get Chemo brain....

Relay in three months

I wrote this a few months ago and never posted it....

It is the highlight on my year to go to the relay and do the survivor lap. It is the most amazing feeling to be with others who have been where you have been and who feel just like you do. I cry every year.

It will be sad this year because my friend Laura passed away a few months ago, She was a fighter. So strong, suffered too long. I met her in 2009 at the support group. We were both just finishing treatment and we would compare our stubble on our heads. I gave up my wig a while before she did. When her cancer came back, I felt bad, and even worse when she would tell me how much she loved how my hair looked. RIP my friend.

Also, very sad this year was that my surgeon passed away of a heart attack. He was such a warm, wonderful man who truly had a wonderful bedside manner. More like a friend than a doctor. So my cancer can not come back because there is no more Dr Ibriham.

Another year Cancer free :-)

It's so nice that life is so ordinary these days for me. It was a good year, this year's relay for life was held on a rainy day in mid June. I did not win the liquor basket, which is a good thing because that would have been weird to win three years in a row. I still get all choked up every time I walk the survivor lap. It's just such an uplifting experience.

I did have a scare earlier this year. I went for a oncologist visit and she thought she felt something, so I went for a mammogram. First I went to get my mom and aunt to go with me. It turned out to be fine, but it was the longest day ever. I don't think you ever get over the fear, once you have been diagnosed.

I also learned that I am diabetic. Found out on my birthday so I decided that this was a wake up call and it is time for me to take a more healthy approach on life. I have lost 10 lbs in 5 weeks and have many more to go, but I figured slow and steady is my best way to approach this. I am also trying to meditate.

I am still involved with the survivor group. It's hard to see some friends having to keep fighting this horrible disease. But I am happy to know them so I guess the best thing to do is to pray for them.

I will hopefully write again before another year passes. Stay well and  be happy!

Relay for Life was Great

Well, thanks to my family and friends I raised over $600. myself this year. I hear that my team may have raised over $6000. Speaking of my team, I won the liquor basket again this year. They actually had two, and I was relieved that I did not win the bigger one. People would really hate me if I won that one for the second year in a row. But I did buy my share of chances for both, and many other things at the Relay. It was such a great day. The survivor lap was amazing, did it while holding hands with my fellow group members who are also survivors.

I went for my three month check up,all is good but my doctor said I should go for both an MRI and a mammogram before my next visit. That shit just scares me. I know they are just being cautious, but....it still make me go hmmmm.

My birthday is this week, I will be 45. Not sure how I feel about that. I do know I need to get myself a present, not sure if I want camera, a new laptop or another cat. I really want to become the crazy cat lady before I am 50. Maybe I will just foster one for a while. I do not have money to do any of these things, and right now I should be finding my papers so I can get my hospital bill reduced, but fuck it. Life's too short to worry. Must get moving....more updates soon.