Journey Out of Pink

This past week, I was blessed to have time with two of my Texas grandchildren. Their other set of grandparents wanted to bless us as they traveled cross country to visit the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. Since they were on this side of the country, the other grandparents thought it would be nice to allow us time with Gavin and Kaitlyn. We usually only get to see them once a year or so. Thankfully, everything worked out and we were so grateful for their willingness to share. The week was filled with electric energy as our home, usually quiet and serene, changed to a hub of activity. Short adventures were planned and each new day was filled with wonder. At the zoo, we watched as exhibits brought excitement and curiosity. The county fair came with cotton candy, games, rides and so much laughter. Parks, picnics, and playing in water fountains at the Splash Pad reminded me of so many things we take for granted. Seeing every moment through the eyes of a child was priceless. Turbo Man On...

I'd braced myself for bad news. Although I had tried hard not to think about my recent ultrasound, I knew I needed to be prepared just in case the news was not what I wanted to hear. Over the weekend, I chose not to dwell on the "what ifs" and did my best to enjoy the beautiful weather. I knew I'd get the results from the test in a few days and didn't expect to hear anything until Monday or Tuesday afternoon. When I received an alert on my phone regarding an email from Piedmont Hospital, I was surprised. I had been expecting a phone call. Quickly, I opened the email and went to the "my chart" link to pull up the results. The radiologist had sent a digital report to my breast surgeon. Dr. "S" had sent the report on to me via the my chart app. As I opened it, I was overjoyed to read I had a "negative" result. A negative result isn't what you might think. You may be thinking that meant my results weren't very good but it meant ...

Waiting is so hard! I have no idea whether I'm going to get good news or bad news. I know sometime around the first of this week, I'll receive a call with information about the results of my recent ultrasound. My breast surgeon thought it would be a good idea to check out a suspicious area. I'm glad she is keeping me under close scrutiny but I wasn't expecting her to find anything concerning at my last appointment. But she did. And now I'm waiting to hear the results. It would be so easy to give thanks if I get good news but would it be just as easy to give thanks if I don't? Listen to what the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Wow! That's powerful! Learning to give thanks in all things isn't only what I'm supposed to do, it's what I'm commanded to do. As I thought about this verse today, I realized I haven't done a very good job at giving...

It all started with a scheduled visit to the breast surgeon. I've progressed from the regular 3 month visits to the periodic 6 month visits now. (All of my doctors are in this same rotation pattern. Thank goodness for my trusty iPhone. Without my iCalendar, I'd never be able to keep up with every appointment. It helps me remember who I'm supposed to see and when I'm supposed to see them.) Since this was a routine visit, I wasn't overly concerned. I figured I'd breeze in and breeze out. I love going to see my breast surgeon. She's a very kind and caring physician. She never makes me feel hurried. When she comes into the exam room, she sits down on her stool and begins talking to me like I'm her best friend. She shares news about her family and asks about mine. We have a good rapport. After a few pleasantries, we get down to business. She starts palpating my chest and comments on my scar. She says, "I did good work on you! Just look at that beautifu...

Today's been a difficult day. It seems I'm having more of those types of days than I should. I've been suffering from extreme fatigue. I don't know if I should be concerned about this or if it's just post cancer fatigue but it surely is frustrating. My days start pretty early. I'm usually up between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. I don't get up that early because I have to, but because I want to seize the day. I've always been a morning person. The mornings have always seemed to be the best part of the day. There's nothing like rising early to catch a glimpse of the sunrise as the beautiful pinks and purples fill the sky. I love hearing the birds sing as they greet the day. Their joyful tunes fill the air with heartfelt hope. Rising early is a pleasure. While the house is quiet and still, I can focus on tasks ahead of me and since cancer, I've learned to slow down just a bit and enjoy the time even more. A wise friend told me life is lived in minute...

My courageous friend This is what breast cancer looks like. What you see are two very different aspects of cancer. In the black and white photo, you'll see a woman who's had surgery to remove her cancer and the surgeon has prepared her body for a followup reconstructive surgery. She still has her drains in place (look at those thin plastic tubes running along her sides. Those are to drain away accumulated fluid and blood. They are very painful and sometimes blood clots or seromas develop around the incision site. They usually stay in place for several weeks. The fluid has to be measured and recorded so the doctor can gauge when they're ready to come out.) What you don't see in the photo is her face. She's a vibrant and beautiful young woman. She's strong and brave. She's a friend of mine and I'm honored to call her friend. Me  The color photo is a picture of me after surgery was completely healed and my drains had been removed. I chose not to ...