Dr. Paul Magtibay Mayo Clinic

 

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010

Dr. Paul Magtibay Mayo Clinic

Ok so I've been putting off blogging about this, but now I feel like I need to.  The past few months I have been experiencing some extreme pain, like being in labor, a couple of times I even fainted and or threw up, the pain does not go away like it would if you were having your period. Which by the way, I am not supposed to be having because chemo killed my ovaries and I am in POST menopause, remember Mr. Hotflash?  he's been on vacation for a little while now.  I am taking an estrogen blocker, but I think it's not working.
I also have been bleeding really bad. I have not wanted to face it, so I just don't talk about it, like that is going to make it go away.... right? The truth is I'm scared, I don't want to go through any more, I'm so done, the VILLAIN took my breasts and now my other parts that are feminine are being compromised because I refuse to get the treatment that is needed.   I feel like I would rather be in the pain than go through another surgery, however, I know the high risk I am at because of having breast cancer and I know that I cannot ignore it any longer.  I will be seeing Dr. Paul M. Magtibay tomorrow is also at Mayo Clinic. Let's hope I love him as much as I love Dr.Kreymerman.

Dr. Peter Kreymerman Back in Surgery

 Dr. Peter Kreymerman Back In Surgery

Tomorrow I will be meeting with Dr. Peter Kreymerman in a Mayo O.R. for yet another surgery.  If it wasn't for the fact that I know he cares about me, I might be a little scared, but I'm good this time. I have so much to blog about with the appointment I had with Dr. Magtiby today, but my mind will not let me wander over there quite yet. I need a few days to process it all.  I will again be asking for prayers to be with me and my family right now.
I report to the Mayo Clinic Hospital at 11 am on Thursday. 

Warriors

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2010

Warriors

Who are the warriors in your life?   What is a warrior?    Webster has this to say about warriors...

WAR·RIOR

  noun, often attributive 
\ˈwȯr-yər, ˈwȯr-ē-ər, ˈwär-ē- also ˈwär-yər\

DEFINITION OF WARRIOR

: a man engaged or experienced in warfare; broadly: a person engaged in some struggle or conflict

I have been thinking about the word WARRIOR for a few weeks now. Athletes are sometimes referred to as warriors when they put everything on the line to win, sometimes at any cost. The media has made some celebrities out to be WARRIORS, people in our lives who we can look up to or admire for their fight to get where they are today. Going to battle is what you may think of a WARRIOR standing up for what they believe. 

This is what I have decided; it's not about how much money you make or have; it's not about who you know or where you live. It's all about how much love you have in your heart; it matters. The person who struggles every day to make enough money to feed their family is a WARRIOR. The people who share what they have with the less fortunate are WARRIORS. The single mothers striving to raise beautiful, compassionate children, you are  WARRIORS. No matter what type of day they have had, the father and mother bring their family together every night and kneel for family prayer are WARRIORS. 

 Most WARRIORS don't know they are; they make life easier for those around them without effort. I've seen people in a different light; most people are good and want to share, and most of us want to become WARRIORS. I love Webster's 2nd example of a WARRIOR  "a person engaged in some struggle or conflict"  do you know anyone in your life without struggle or conflict? I don't; WE ARE ALL WARRIORS in our own right.

LABELS: CANCER, JOURNALING, RANDOM 

Ditch The Bra

 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2010

Ditch the Bra

Funny story, when I went to the Mayo Clinic on Monday for one of my appointments, I had to remove my clothes and put on an ugly robe. When I was finished with my tests, I stepped behind the curtain and pulled it shut but was kinda waiting for the technician to leave, and she never did, so I hurriedly got dressed.

All-day, I kept thinking, WOW, I love this new sports bra. I just kept thinking it was so comfortable it almost feels like I don't have one on... well turns out... I didn't have one on ... when I changed that night into my nightgown, I realized I had forgotten my bra at the Mayo and had not been wearing one for the rest of the day. I thought it was so comfortable ..... IT WAS because I didn't have one on.   Yes, people, I am a true blonde; I must have had a little brain fart, or it was chemo brain, or maybe it was my subconscious saying, "ditch the bra already, girl."

She Made It

 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2010

She Made It

About a month ago, my daughter Haleigh auditioned for the Easter Pageant. Last night she found out she had made it and would be one of the ten virgins. It was held at the Mesa Arizona Temple Grounds in April 2011. I love You, Hales, and I am so proud of you and your accomplishments in life.
Click Here to find out more about the Pageant.

Mayo Monday

 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2010

Mayo Monday

Today when I arrived at the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale Campus, I realized it had been a few months since I had been at this campus. I walked in to hear Anne Monte, an elderly woman playing the piano. It reminded me of a year ago, Tamy and I were at the Mayo for a chemo appointment, and Anne Monte was playing the piano, a familiar tune to Tamy, so she and I walked up and said hi to her, and Tamy sang along with the music. Today I watched her play the piano beautifully as I waited for the nurse to call my name. I watched Anne as someone came and lifted her into a wheelchair; she smiled and said Hi to me as she passed. What a cute woman, and how wonderful she volunteers to cheer people up with her music. Another one of those Angels !!


I'm ready for my 2nd appointment. I notice I have labs and want to get the numbing cream on my PORT and mentally prepare myself for stepping off the elevator onto the 3rd floor, breast clinic, and chemo lab. I don't want to smell it today, I don't want to see the people waiting, and I don't want to sit in those all too familiar reclining chairs---WAIT, looking at my itinerary, I know that they have scheduled me for labs on the lower level, I have never been there before. I go check it out; I step off the elevator...no smell, lots of people, and they called me back quickly with no reclining chairs; this time, the blood is coming out of my arm instead of my PORT?? The lady had to stick me several times to get a good vein; I was upset because I know my veins are iffy .... this is why I have a PORT, so I won't have to get my veins collapsed. When I left there, I felt I had been given tender mercy, though I didn't have to go to the 3rd floor today. My last appointment was on the concourse level.... yay no anxiety today, no smells, no worry, no fear. Do you see me dancing? I'm doing the dance right now, arms in the air, a smile on my face. Thanks to my sweet Angel Trystan for calling and walking me through part of Mayo today. I Love You.

Angels Among Us

 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2010

Angels Among Us

Today is Thanksgiving 2010. I have so much to be thankful for; we all have so much to be grateful for. As I prepared the meal, I could not stop thinking about Ray Williams/. Dad,/ Grandad/ We all loved him so much, and Thanksgiving was a fun time with him. He loved to eat and enjoy his family. I always called him earlier in the week of Thanksgiving and would take his "PIE ORDER" he would always ask for Pecan but loved anything I made; in fact, he would take a sliver of each PIE and try them all, oh how his eyes would light up. This year we have so much food left over; I wish he was here to take some home with him like he always did. I love Ray and think of him often, always with a smile on his face, a pass-along card in his pocket, and a hug for anyone and everyone. What I would give for one of his hugs today.

I believe angels are among us. Some have passed on and frequent our lives with their spirit every once in a while.

Tamy was an angel who took me to every one of my chemo appointments and then back the next day for my "day after shot of Neulasta" I will eternally be grateful for her example of compassion and service. Eric is my eternal angel; he has saved me more than I can. The angels who brought dinner to my family for months and months will never know how much that meant to me; those angels are still helping us out. The silent angels who serve are the ones who amaze me; how is it that our lives can be blessed by those who choose to be invisible? It's that feeling of service I want my children to understand. I have angels who leave me messages of HOPE with cards, letters, and comments on my blog. I can't help but think that all of the angels that touch our lives are not random; they are placed in our path by the Lord for a reason; it's up to us to recognize it and be in tune enough to feel it. It makes me wonder how often I haven't been in tune, caught up in too many worldly "things," and not acknowledged the many other angels who have tried to embrace me.

Some angels are strangers to us, you know, the lady who smiles at you on a day when you really really needed it, some of the most influential angels in my life I have never even met, yet I know the connection is eternal. Opening my circle of comfort and allowing others to bless my life with what they know has not been as difficult as I thought it would be; my life is richly blessed. Hopefully, I can give back in my life and be an angel to someone in need.

Thanksgiving in the Dominican Republic

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2010

Thanksgiving in the Dominican Republic

Companions

Thanksgiving with the Zone

Thanksgiving Feast

Gross

Gettin' Turkey's Ready

Blake and Shelley

Hand in mouth

Flippin the french toast

French Toast for Breakfast

Popcorn and Papaya Juice (the best juice in the world)

Carolina FHE

This week has been pretty good besides the fact that we didn't have any investigatigators at church, but it was good. Hermano Santana went to church. He is a stud. I love that guy so much. He was telling us how he wants only the best for his family, especially for his son Junior, who is also less active. We told him that he wanted to come back to church and wanted him to be blessed. I felt so happy. He is incredible. 

I ordered this picture of the Temple in Santo Domingo. I'm going to try and frame it and give it to them for Christmas cuz I would love to see them get sealed as a family and go to the temple, so they can really enjoy all the blessings the Lord has waiting for them. We have this one investigator, a security guard, who said that after we had an appointment with him, all of his problems were sold and that he really believes that he needs to follow this path in his life. He told us Adios Jahova Witnesses, Adios Catolicos, Adios whatever religion isn't the Mormons. Because I AM GOING WITH THE MORMONS, haha (adios means Bye) haha, but it was cool and awesome. I hope he is willing to change and to start going to church every week, he has only gone once, but we will see this week how it goes...
But as for Thanksgiving, it was awesome. We took our PDAY today on Thanksgiving so that our whole zone (28missionaries) could do a big feast and cook. It was excellent; all the sister missionaries cooked well; a few of us helped, but they did about everything, and it was as if I was in my backyard with all of my family, but mom cooked a lot better. The only thing that we didn't have was pies and yams, but it was actually delicious and can't wait to eat some more of it cuz there were a lot of leftovers, and since we live the closest to the chapel, we got to bring all of the food to our house haha.

Blake in the Dominican Republic

 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2010

Blake in the Dominican Republic

All the Elders helping out


Mormon Hands that Help

Blake and Daniel, his companion

In this week's email from Blake, he sent these pictures of the Mormon Hands that Help Project clean up.

well this week has been really wet and we have been arriving at the house and houses of members soaking wet as if we jumped in a swimming pool ha but we have been trying hard, i finished the Book of Mormon (en spanish) this week and wow i have learned so much from that book and i really have been able to understand the things that i need to change in my life, but i started to read Doctrine and Covanents this last monday and now i am in seccion 21 i need to finish to seccion 30 by sunday, but the area is progressing a little by little the investigators we have are sweet but no one wants to assist the church on sundays so its hard they are really smart and we are really trying all that we can to help them understand and learn..........but this week it should be a lot better they say that its ot going to rain as much this week but who knows, we met the family of a baseball player Luis Pelonia, or where he lives its nuts hes got a Lion, yea a real lion in his house its soo crazy haha theres another one that lives right by us named Carlos Pena his home is sweet hes got a little basebal field at his house and like 15 cars of every kind haha.........but this week is going to be a lot more successful cuz there wont me as much rain and bad weather, i love you guys i will talk to you later

les quiero mucho

Thankful

 

November 9, 2010

Thankful

In this month of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for these random things that come into my head ... haha

●cooler weather●green grass●blue skies●
●hugs from recker● emails from the DominicanReoublic●people who smile●
●mysti●clean fresh sheets●cute boots●open roads from Utah to arizona●
●december 18th●haleigh●my body●hair●cute notes left on my bedroom door●
●grapefruit●AJ'S refillable cup●choices●good VT'S●LOVE●
●Dr Kreymerman●Heather Lucas his assistant●
●medicne that works●pumpkin pie●ERIC●doorbell ditchers who leave yummy stuff●testimony●kayla and Jeremy●music●
●people that inspire me●Blake●good books●google searches● cinnamon smells●answered prayers●warm fuzzier●Kaitlyn and Brian●Haleigh
●laughter●mayo clinic●tamy scheurn●mickey mouse●organic apple slices●going the extra mile●christmas movies●THANKSGIVING●

try to think in 2 minutes or less of all the things you are thankful for.....I'm sure I forgot a few, and some of these are random huh?

Breast Self Exams (BSE)

 

Breast Self Exam (BSE)

step 1


step 2

step 3

step 4

step 5

step 6

Today is November 1st, on the 1st day of every month I remind women to do their BSE Breast Self Exam. All women over the age of 20 should be examining their breasts for lumps every month. I truly believe that early detection is crucial and truly does save lives. I wish I had been more proactive and done this every month. Every woman including me always thinks "that won't happen to me, or I don't have time" I said those things, I always thought that breast cancer was something that unhealthy, OLD people got diagnosed with. I was just about as healthy as a woman my age could be when I was diagnosed I was training for a marathon, all my life have been a runner and a gym member spending at least 2 hours a day at the gym 6 days a week for about 13 years that was my life, and it was never a chore it was something I truly loved. The diagnosis came as a complete surprise to not only me but anyone who knows me, I am HEALTHY and I am not OLD. Please if you are reading this blog promise me you will take your BSE every month and avoid the terror of hearing "you have breast cancer"

If you need to know how to do your BSE please copy this for your records. The pictures are numbered to go along with each step. I could not get them to enter next to each step sorry.

Breast self-examination (BSE) is to be performed each month in addition to an annual mammogram or a clinical exam. Knowing your cyclical changes, what is normal for you, and what regular monthly changes in the breast feel like is the best way to keep an eye on your breast health. Breast tissue extends from under your nipple and areola up toward your armpit.
Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 15 minutes a month

What You Need:

A mirror that lets you see both breasts
A pillow for your head and shoulders
Privacy

1. Make a regular date for your BSE --- I always do it on the 1st of every month

If you are pre-menopausal: Set a regular time to examine your breasts a few days after your period ends, when hormone levels are relatively stable and breasts are less tender.
If you are already menopausal (have not had a period for a year or more): Pick a particular day of the month to do the exam, and then repeat your BSE on that day each month.

2. Visual Exam - Hands-on Hips

In the privacy of your bathroom, strip to the waist and stand before a mirror. You will need to see both breasts at the same time. Stand with your hands on your hips and check the appearance of your breasts. Look at size, shape, and contour. Note changes, if any, in the skin color or texture. Look at the nipples and areolas, to see how healthy they look.

3. Visual Exam - Arms Over Your Head

Still standing in front of the mirror, raise your arms over your head and see if your breasts move in the same way, and note any differences. Look at size, shape, and drape, checking for symmetry. Pay attention to your nipples and areolas, to see if you have any dimples, bumps, or retraction (indentation). Look up toward your armpits and note if there is any swelling where your lymph nodes are (lower armpit area).

4. Manual Exam - Stand and Stroke

Raise your left arm overhead, and use your right-hand fingers to apply gentle pressure to the left breast. Stroke from the top to the bottom of the breast, moving across from the inside of the breast all the way into your armpit area. You can also use a circular motion, being sure to cover the entire breast area. Take note of any changes in texture, color, or size. Switch sides and repeat. This is best done in the shower, as wet skin will have the least resistance to the friction of your fingers.

5. Manual Exam - Check Your Nipples

Still facing the mirror, lower both arms. With your right hand's index and middle fingers, gently squeeze the left nipple and pull forward. Does the nipple spring back into place? Does it pull back into the breast? Note whether or not any fluid leaks out. Reverse your hands and check the right nipple in the same way.
6. Manual Exam - Recline and Stroke


This is best done in your bedroom, where you can lie down. Place a pillow on the bed so that you can lie with both your head and shoulders on the pillow. Lie down and put your left hand behind your head. Use your right hand to stroke the breast and underarm, as you did in step 4. Take note of any changes in texture, color, or size. Switch sides and repeat.

7. Tips For Doing Your BSE
Mark, your calendar to remind yourself to do your BSE regularly. This is a good way to prevent worry if find a normal cyclic change.
Stay relaxed and breathe normally as you do your BSE. Becoming tense will produce some knots that you may mistake for something worrisome.
Report any changes or unusual pain to your doctor or nurse practitioner. Keep a log of changes, if that helps you remember.
Remember to have an annual clinical exam and a mammogram.