My Journey through Cancer: August 2012

Friday, August 17, 2012

Summertime Fun!

Good day all, having trouble sleeping tonight so will keep on blogging....

Here is some great memories shared with the kids, family and friends the last couple of weeks.....

Boys at the BMX Track

Jason's pro backward summersault!

Gary and Jason playing it cool!

Tanner goofin around with his magnetic earring!

Best Buds Forever we just get better with age Damn Lisa Girl you look good!

Mama and her babies--hair is coming back slowly....

G- entertaining the FAM

Nana patiently waiting what could have been the longest game of pool played Ever!

Treasured Friends Darlene and Joe visiting from Florida

Takin in the car show with the boys!

Oh Ya I got this Mom!

Jay Man! Growing up so fast! You are so special.... Mama celebratin her 46th B-day...

Mom & Tan

T- Man How I adore you

Joe Cool oh so cool my boy I love you!

Fearless Joe!

T- Faces his fears and jumps from High Diving Board! Way to go Tan :)

Tanner's Pro Dive!

Joey's Pro Dive!

Tanner following his tube down the waterslide think you are supposed to be in it T- Man

My Brother T... this is how it is done...watch an learn lol....

Miss Ray chillaxing!

Don't forget your camera capture those memories...

Sleep well all...

Later

Hello all,

What great weather we have been blessed with this week!!

Wanted to share some information with you all, that hopefully will help prevent you or your loved ones from ever getting Colorectal Cancer. First to know it is the second leading Cancer in women and men and the numbers are on the rise. 90% curable if caught soon enough, here is what you need to know. If anyone has a history of polyps in your family either cancerous or non-cancerous you need to get checked out now!!!! Everyone else by 50! That or any blood in your stools, do not second guess... get it checked out... Ask your doctor for a colonoscopy and do not take no for answer.

Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cancer cells grow in either the colon or the rectum. The colon and rectum are parts of the body’s digestive system that remove nutrients from food and store waste until it passes out of the body. Additionally, the colon and primarily the rectum absorb water from ingested materials. Normally, the cells in the colon and rectum divide in a regulated manner. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue called a tumor forms. A tumor can be benign or malignant.

Colon Cancer

A benign tumor is not cancer. It does not spread to other parts of the body. Colon polyps are most often (but not always) benign tumors. By contrast, a malignant tumor is cancer. Cancer cells divide and damage tissue around them. They can enter the bloodstream and spread to other parts of the body. Some colon polyps develop cancer in them, but some colon cancers appear to arise from the lining of the colon without a precursor polyp. Benign colon tumors are usually colon polyps. Colon cancer can originate in colon polyps or can rise without the presence of a polyp in the colon.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women and an estimated Colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer if you seek treatment early, and the rate of success is high, especially when the cancer is treated early.

Ask about your family history, if one of your parents or grandparents had a history of polyps at age 40 for example,you should get checked out in your 30's and the next generation or your children need to get checked out in their 20's. If the age is later deduct 10 years per generation.

Enough preaching no if and's or BUTTS get it checked out please!

Update on my situation, I am changing oncologist what have I said in the past you have to be YOUR OWN ADVOCATE...the oncologist and team I was dealing with have dropped the ball, three critical times, a fourth situation occured this week....when asked if I had lost confidence in the team I replied, yes and they said they understood if I needed to change oncologists...

The oncologist didnt have the courage to deliver the news of their latest mistake direct to me she did it through her nurse, her nurse indicated that the oncologist is a scientist, so bed side manner is not necessarily her specialty....huh?? I am not a lab rat, nor or all the thousands, millions fighting this very challenging illness, come on health care professionals get it together!

We are better educated through the process back on track with regular chemo as tough as it can be it is what will buy time and help shrink the tumours.... more joy and wonderful memories!

A shout out to a friend my age fighting cancer from Onoway. She requires a bone marrow transplant. A fundraiser is being held for Shelly Veltman on September 16. Shelly needs to spend four months in Calgary, along with her family & support team.The expense is enormous, and any money raised will allow the family some peace as they have had to go through so many changes and challenges in a very short time, so Shelley can fight for her life.

The dinner, band and auction is Saturday September 15 at the Redline Diner in Spruce Grove. For more information contact:

Ken Munro
shellysfightforlife@hotmail.com
phone Ken: 780-962-4646 or Nicole 780-968-3848

Shelly my thoughts, support and prayers are with you....strength, positive thinking, and courage girl, and you have the fight in you, stay strong!! You can do it!

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.

-Khalil Gibran

I am convinced that attitude is the key to success or failure in almost any of life’s endeavors. Your attitude-your perspective, your outlook, how you feel about yourself, how you feel about other people-determines your priorities, your actions, your values. Your attitude determines how you interact with other people and how you interact with yourself.

-Carolyn Warner

Peace Out.... :)

Monday, August 6, 2012

Go BIG Go to Texas!!!!

11 Days in Texas.., what a great BIG state. How wonderful I had the pleasure to travel with Jason, and two beautiful, oh so witty, wonderful teenagers! Ray my numero uno girl and her best friend Jen, who I could adopt at any time! We had so many great laughs and we were really sad to see the trip come to an end, and so very grateful for the memories that will last a lifetime.

All of Jason's family is in Texas and what a special family he has...They all welcomed myself and the girls with open arms and big hugs, so accepting, it was very wonderful. I had met Jason's Dad before, but it was the first time meeting his two brothers and their families, and his Mom, Step Dad and Grandma, Lynn and Jim.... A lovely, loving family. We all were able to get some great visiting in, and some wonderful Texas meals!

We enjoyed the lake near his Mom's and were also able to get together with his brothers and families and do a tube ride down the New Braunfels River. The weather was HOT and the water felt wonderful, a good time was had by all...

We were also able to meet up with my dad for a couple of days as well. Mom and Dad have a cute place in Austin by the College, where we stayed and Dad toured us around the great city of Austin the next day. We appreciated the time together and so happy that every bodies time lined up!

We headed to San Antonio, where Jason's Dad lives, first making a pit stop to the huge outlet Mall that the girls were quite anxious to get their shopping on!! Hooked up with J's Dad for a few days taking in Six Flags-(roller coaster park)or part of it, we have to do a do-over, as we were shut down due to an electrical storm!! Girls were understandably a bit bummed out! The girls headed back after 8 days and Jason and I spent 3 days on our own which we enjoyed.

We checked out the beautiful Riverwalk, had some good Mexican great Brazillian food, it was so much fun. Had the pleasure of meeting Jason's Dads friends who are such a wonderful group of people who care deeply for his dad it was really nice to see.

So all told it was a fantastic trip!! Only downfall in getting back as we miss everyone and wish we all didn't live so far apart!

Here are some pics from our trip....