Tag: Cancer

What Makes Me Happy

When I was diagnosed with Cancer in February I was bombarded with a various assortment of paperwork everywhere I went. This included bills, appointments, referrals, pamphlets and lots of self help stuff.

From one of the self help books there is a page I’m supposed to fill out-what makes me happy. Does anyone ever really fill out all this stuff and answer all these self help questions? I do read all the self help suggestions so I’m wondering what really does make me happy.

It’s the little things daily that make me laugh and I suppose that’s what makes me happy.

I’ve had a belly laugh this evening over a Minty Fresh Yard! Yes! I purchased a small peppermint plant at the local  vegetable stand solely because it smelled nice and the tag said it was easy to grow. I mentioned this to a more plant knowledgeable friend of mine. She went into a panic on text..told me I needed to re-pot into large pot and while doing so that I must be very careful. She said any Mint spillage would result in Mint all over my yard. You must keep all of this in perspective and realize that she probably removes all the weeds in her yard by hand. All the while I’m beginning to think that I might enjoy a Minty Fresh Yard. She explained the necessity again of not letting it spread and the steps to prevent this. I took her advice, thanked her profusely and stored this information  with the intention of moving my plant at some time in the near future. I then shared this with my housemate (who also has Cancer) and she suggested we research it. We did discover this cute little (3)  three inch plant will grow up to a height of 12-18 inches and spread quickly. We just looked at each other and busted out laughing.  We could let it overtake all of our dandelions and various other strange things that are growing in the yard and it would smell fabulous. Little did my wise friend know how much joy she had brought us by sharing some simple plant advice.

It is the little things. It was that phone call yesterday from Vassar College on our way home from our Oncologist visits. He just called to see how our appointments had went. We shared our news and off he went.

It was that simple little good morning on messenger asking how I slept? It was laughing about the cat getting taller not wider. It’s about making plans for college graduation. It’s about watching a toddler forego his pancake and solely eat or attempt to eat syrup for dinner.

It’s not the new car in the driveway. It is the chocolate milkshake  I decided I wanted on a whim. It’s not the Good Cancer I have (treatable). It is the phone calls from my nieces telling me outrageous but true stories. It’s not sitting here alone. It is sitting here by myself reading or writing. It’s not having a housemate with Cancer. It is having a housemate with Cancer that knows that scared to death feeling. It is the excitement of going somewhere new. It is the excitement of seeing an old friend. It is the colorful flowers everywhere and the beautiful weather.

Happiness could be a Minty Fresh Yard.

It’s Hard to be Me!

And my housemate says it’s hard for her watching me try to be me! So it goes..

We are known as the Golden Girls in Hartsville SC. Hartsville is a small conservative town in the middle of Darlington County made famous by a Sonoco Products, a Fortune 500 Packaging company. Darlington County is known for the famous Darlington County NASCAR Raceway.

There were three of us that decided we would prefer to have one large house vice 3 small ones so we purchased one. Two of us are liberal imports from the North. The third person in the trio is originally from here but had lived more of her life away from here than here! She is definitely a moderate in political descriptions for the south.

Our lives have taken many paths, turns, ups and downs over the past years but the past 23 months have provided nothing short of crazy. One has to live it to believe it and I am living it.

It is hard to be ME!

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in February. This had to be Divine Intervention. I discovered a lump on the Left side in Janary while traveling and visiting with the third Golden Girl in the Netherlands! Upon returning home I made my appointment knowing it just didn’t feel right! I am fortunate to have the best Doctor in Hartsville,  Michael Ambrose, and he immediately took care of the needed referrals to Radiology.

I was at Radiology for a diagnostic mammogram (gives more detail). Fortunate they did both sides. The next thing I knew I was waiting for an ultrasound. I said oh my I was right. The radiologist said not exactly! There was nothing on the left side but definitely had a problem on my right side.  I would never have found this lump myself as it was so deep. There was absolutely nothing found on the left side.

This was the first of many Medical Professionals that have said to me that going to the Dr. for a lump that didn’t exist was nothing short of Divine Intervention! Not being an overly religious person, this has definitely made me ask a few questions of myself about my beliefs!

To close out my first post I will add that I was diagnosed exactly one year to the day from my housemate: she was diagnosed in February 2017 with Rectal Cancer commonly known as Farrah Fawcett Cancer. She went through hell and back with Radiation and Chemotherapy.

She has just had a PET Scan to determine her current state. We both will be in the same office on the same day next week to see different Oncologists. Her to receive Scan results and myself to finalise my treatment plan. Do I get lucky and only have radiation and hormone treatments or do I also need Chemotherapy? I have had a Partial Masectomy so the easy part is behind me. Let the treatment begin.

Yes it’s hard to be me knowing that having Cancer was my Legacy. My mother and 4 of her sisters had Cancer. There were five of them. Some are fortunate to have a legacy of something less significant.

However it is my legacy to have something much bigger than me. Cancer. However I can say that my housemate has taught me how to face this with white knuckles and bravery. I am fortunate that my treatment will never be as rough as hers. But it is Cancer.