To the beach!

Well, by the time I finished all my treatments, and finally got to have my thank you celebration, and got through the holidays, I was ready for a total break. So I emailed my buddy Lori (in Texas) and asked if she was up for a road trip. Lori is ALWAYS up for a road trip! So the day after Christmas I loaded my little blue bug and drove to my cousin's near Ft. Worth and spent the night and enjoyed a good visit with her and her daughter, Tanya - and our little side trip to Ikea was fun, too! Then the next morning I drove to Love Field Airport and picked up Lori and we were on our way - destination Port Aransas, Texas, a wonderful seaside town with miles of beaches. We spent three glorious nights and days just wandering the beaches, and laughing and talking, and drinking a tiny bit of wine. It was exactly what the doctor would've ordered. Oh, and while I was there, I also got a tattoo!!! It was my cousin's idea and it turned out beautifully - a pink awareness ribbon, emblazoned just above the body appendage responsible for my incredible journey of the past year. Heck yeah, it hurt! But no worse than some of the other stuff I went through, so it was bearable. And ABBA connected us with some amazing people while we were there. You absolutely cannot go anywhere or talk to anyone that isn't touched somehow, closely, with breast cancer. We got mardi gras beads from 2 shop owners who lost a dear friend to breast cancer; our motel manager is knitting a prayer shawl for me because she was so touched by our attitude and joy, and had friends and family touched by the disease. So it was a trip that fed my mind, and my body, and my soul. I've posted photos below, and hope you enjoy. Just to help you understand them better... the pink stuffed flamingo? That's Pearl. Ya see, I don't really want my picture right now... I'm losing the weight, and I'm getting the hair back, but I'm still not up for lasting memories of this body image. Soooo.... Pearl became my "stand in" girl, and she was a real trouper! She helped to make the trip a hoot! Thank you, Lori, for playing photographer, and accompanying me on this wonderful respite journey, and for helping to heal what I didn't even know was wounded. It's so good to laugh again.... and thank You, ABBA, for the entire journey otherwise known as my life. I love You. Now it's time to birth DORCAS! WOO HOO!!!

Let's partayyyyyyyyyy.....

I am so behind on posting, but there's just too much going on, and not enough time, and I'm still moving slower than I'd like. So if you'll bear with me, I'll update as I can. I know I promised an online party, and that was my sincere intent. Then the weather interfered... and then when I finally had the party in real time, my "real" time evaporated shortly thereafter. We finally had the "Thank You Celebration" on Sunday, December 16th, and I was truly amazed by how many people made an effort during a busy time of year to stop by and let me serve them a tiny bit of my gratitude. And the cakes were an absolute hit! Really yummy and sooooo pretty. So if I can figure out how, I'll post a few pix to share with those of you who couldn't be there in body. Please know that I love you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love. I couldn't have made it without you. Onward we go!!!!

Vote for the Cure!

The following is a "reprint" of an email I get from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Please take a sec to read and follow as your heart dictates? And don't give up on me - I have much to bring up-to-date! Love & hugs!

Hi,Do you know that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime? And that more than 40,000 women and 450 men die of breast cancer each year?
I know you're as troubled by these numbers as I am. That's why I wanted to tell you about a concrete step you can take - right now - to help end breast cancer. Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance is launching a new campaign called I Vote for the Cure (TM). It gives all of us a chance to challenge the 2008 presidential candidates to make breast cancer a priority in their campaigns.
Our next leader will have the power to make significant advances in treatment, screening, and research - for all Americans. And we have the power to elect that leader. Join me in telling the candidates: American voters want to end breast cancer forever. Take action at IVotefortheCure.org.