Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Rock my world and then rock it some more- I can handle it!

Well, I can't believe it has been a full year since my world was rocked. One year since Dr Robbins walked into the room and told me it WAS cancer. I was alone, while Kim and Lloyd are in the waiting room. The picture below is the picture I took while I was TRYING to be positive. I was putting on a happy face and thinking, this can't happen to me. There is no history in my family. I am the one to take care of people and raise money and give support for OTHERS that have breast cancer. My world was already difficult enough, can I handle more? 

As my Pink Suitcase Sisters were packing to go on yet another trip without me, I was preparing for shoulder surgery (which was promptly cancelled). With the hope that it would work this time, and I could get back to my real world, back to work and back to a life without pain. I guess that was too much to hope for. We needed to mix things up a little and REALLY give me hill to climb. Let's see if I can handle it?? Looking back I know that God had a plan, I know soon I will realize what that plan was for me. The changes were coming fast and I needed to hop on this train and get to the front car, as quickly as possible to take the controls. Yes, I needed help, so I surrounded myself with my family, friends who loved me, and friends who came out of the woodwork! One of the first things I did was overload myself. Stress makes me take on other things, it's a habit I have always had. So the first thing I took on was a fundraiser for WHAT ELSE? The American Cancer Society. In years past, the Pink Ribbon Classic was where I focused my energy and fundraising efforts. It was too late to get involved and I hadn't been contacted yet, so I saw where Making Strides Against Breast Cancer was having an inaugural walk on the Marietta Square. I quickly formed a team and started raising money.  This was going to be tricky, cause I didn't know what was lying ahead for me, as far as the cancer was concerned. Plus, I was planning my daughter's wedding for the week before the walk. Tricky as it was, my "team" came together and they exceeded my expectations. We were first place as far as individual teams! When I did a shout out the day before the race and told everyone that we were in 2nd place, we raised $1000 in one night! Raising money for a cause I believe in has always been a passion. The American Cancer Society was always at the top of that list, because of all the people I knew who died and LIVED with cancer. Making Strides and having a team is just a fun way to help out the ACS! This year again, we will go out and be a part of this walk and this year maybe I can walk it!  Last year, my double mastectomy was on October 10th, daughter's wedding October 20th, and the walk was on the 27th. I was in a chair cheering on my awesome teammates!! The walk is scheduled for October 12th and I would love to see everyone that has supported me through this journey to be there with me. Here is the link to sign up or to donate. This year, it's not about me, it's not about going into overload, it's about ALL the BALD BEAUTIES who have hopped on the cancer train and taken the controls!  Through this process I have lost a lot- my hair, my business, the past year, and my self. But what I have gained, has far outweighed all of that! I like my new self better, yeah my hair is different, but my husband likes it better, and I am looking to find a job that best suits this new me and I KNOW this year is going to be so much better! So, when your world gets rocked, realize there might be a reason for it and God will never give you more than you can handle. Trust in him, with his strength take those controls and say, "BRING IT ON!"