Posts

Image
  Common Courtesy I know I’m not alone in thinking that it is polite to show up on time for an appointment.  Sure, I’ve gotten appointment times wrong and shown up the day before (never, thankfully, the day after), but usually I am there a bit early, hoping that the appointment will get over with. Yes, that’s the attitude you develop after having hundreds of them. And even the docs will acknowledge that sometimes you need to go to a lab, an infusion room, or their offices more than once a week.  And it’s not pleasant. So why can’t they hold up their ends by signing the damn paperwork so that my medicine is all set to go for my two o’clock appointment? Now, before I rant, I want to say that this cancer center was thoughtfully planned (for the most part. I still don’t think the blood lab with its wide-open door is very private). The cancer center is located at a downtown hospital. It’s a separate building but joined by a footpath to the rest of the hospital.  The imaging scanning office
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  A Warrior, Not a Worrier How I wish      “So, when did you have your third Covid shot?”      “I don’t remember,” I answer the tech. “I had the fourth shot last Monday.”      She notes that, but continues to probe. “Can you remember the month you got that third shot?”      “No.” I chuckle, then tell her, “I don’t carry that card around with me.”      “Well, we need to know.”      “Ask the cancer center people,” I tell her a bit forcefully. “They have all that information in their system.”        Oh, how I wish the three different systems talked to one another!        Finally, she gives in. On to the next questions about medications. She tells me a Latin name for some drug and all I can respond is, “What does that drug do?”   Because if she can tell me what it does, I can tell her if I take it or not, and tell her that common name.      But she can’t. And why would we expect technicians to know all about drugs?         Ha!   Why do they expect US to know all about d
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  Grandma with my daughter (an old picture) No Choice in this Matter In my muddled opinion, there are two times – two months – when people should not die:   December and October.      December is obvious to me – I don’t wish anyone to die during the holidays.      Okay, okay … I realize that this is faulty thinking.   People die when their times comes around.   I have this theme throughout my Tales of Resilience, especially in Fine, Just Fine which will release next year.        From Fine, Just Fine, coming in 2022: I need to trust him.   He is a minister of God. “Pastor Edmund,” Asia began, paused for a moment, then continued, “I have not told anyone yet that I’m … well, that I’m going to die soon. I am not long for this world.” “None of us are,” came his quiet response. Asia shook her head.   “My cancer has returned, and I am choosing not to do any more treatments.   I’m so old –.” “No, ma’am.   God takes us when he’s ready.” Mama always said that.      October
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  Finding My Own Peace During BCAM Finding My Own Peace  during  Breast Cancer Awareness Month   October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Since Finding Peace is the story of a breast cancer survivor, I find it fitting to discuss this month and acknowledge its. purchase here      It’s a month I look forward to and dread.  The dreading comes because my cancer was diagnosed in October. Who wants to rehash a bad memory?      I also enjoy October because it's the month my daughter was born and Fall is here, the leaves are changing color here in Iowa, and many wonderful breast cancer advocates are sharing tons of interesting information.       I love bright pink and have several blouses and shirts in that color.  But I don’t wear pink to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and please don’t wear it for me.  Wearing a color does not make the illness go away; I hope it perhaps alerts people that breast cancer is an ongoing horrible thing.  But with my Metastatic Breast Cancer diagnos
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
A Reason to Keep Going     Some days are harder than others in Cancerland.  And some days are so good that they remind me to be thankful for all that I have.  For instance, attending the National Balloon Festival in Indianola, Iowa with my granddaughters. Emma was so excited. “One! Two! Three! Four!” Her thin arm stretched toward to the sky where the hot air balloons were flying over a Morton building that serves as a museum about the National Hot Air Balloon Festival (held each year in Indianola, Iowa), a souvenir stand, and a bunch of food trucks. “Five! Six! Seven!” she said, giggling with each count. At first, I thought we’d see maybe ten balloons.  Then I saw a chalkboard that stated that there were twelve balloons. Okay. Good.  “Eight!  Nine! Ten! Eleven!” But they kept coming, and my granddaughter who is four, stood from the blanket we’d spread in the field and then recounted from the beginning, lengthening her count with the sighting of another bright balloon.  While waiting fo
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  Nancy’s blogging challenge 2021 I read a lot of cancer blogs.   One of my favorite is Nancy’s Point.   During August she asks those of us who blog to answer some questions, place those answers in our blogs, and then she prints them in her blog. I appreciate Nancy so much.   She was the first blogger who ‘spoke’ to me about what I was going through and she is constantly reading and sharing information with her readers.   If you are in the cancer world, I urge you sign up for her weekly blog.   I guarantee you will get valuable information. So here’s my contribution to her 2021 Summer Blogging Challenge: My  2021 Summer Blogging Challenge Answers: Who are you? Tell us your genre, how long you’ve been at it, who or what inspires you or whatever you want us to know.    I am a 66 year old in the Second Act of life, a wonderfully loved wife and mom, an oldest sister of seven.       Oh, and I have Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer.      And I’m a Unicorn.      Well,
12 comments
Read more
Image
  She isn't really a new author to me, but I do love her writing! Several years ago I found her on FanFiction and fell in love with the story sbout Aidan and Elisa.  Elisa was an international student who wanted to stay in the U.S.  Since I was an international student advisor, this called to me.  But the man she falls for is everything I wanted in a Book boyfriend - rich, terribly handsome, and prepared to give up everything he has for her.  But he has HUGE issues and they get in the way.  Not telling you any more because it would spoil a great story.   This book was published in 2015. Ani took a bit of a break, but alerted those of us who loved her that Elisa was calling to her to write book two.  She's writing it chapter by chapter, making it available on her  blog  all the original characters are there and some new ones.  The angst is still there, too, and it pulls me back week after week because I have to see this couple make it through!
Post a Comment
Read more