I am ALIVE!!

I lost my password there for a while....but I am back in action...stay tuned- I am working today- but I will blog tonight! (After date night)

Know your Maker

My friend Wanda died this past week. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer in June just shortly after my diagnosis. I went to her memorial service and to Don Walker's memorial service who died suddenly from heart failure after living his last decade debilitated by a stroke. Somewhere along the route we take a bigger interest in knowing our maker and getting in touch with our purpose. The reminder that we are not invincible or forever on this earth can draw us closer to more meaningful relationships.
The journey can take it's toll on relationships too. For many it has to be gone alone. How can one be seeking a deeper connection with God and a partner be going about daily living ignoring or blocking out the fear of death and the repercussions that would have? Some difficult decisions are made in the midst of hardships. What would Jesus do? He retreated to the garden for prayer with his maker. He needed to be alone to face the crowds and live the last days with purpose.
I still pray for an open heart that I might hear God's calling and be filled with his loving presence and shed distructive emotions. Daily devotions are good for the soul.
Christmas can be both a blessing and a hardship depending on the state of your heart. Staying focused on the celebration of Christ's birth and keeping up with the gifts you need to buy, card you need to mail, and parties you need to attend or lack thereof, can be a juggling act.
The joy of Christmas is that we celebrate the birth of Christ, we decorate with lights at this dark time of year to remind ourselves that we have been promised eternal light...eternal life. Blessings to you all out there and fill your hearts with love this season. Merry Christmas.

Thanksgiving

Our family turned out en force, 16 strong. We were missing only my younger brother and his wife as they opted to spend this holiday with the other side of his family. That is what happens when your family grows. Either your holiday meal grows, or you loose a couple. We gained Dan this year, so I imagine his family back in Australia felt his absense. I was thankful for the addition.
My remission from cancer made #1 this year on things to be thankful for, and I was grateful to have the energy to host the meal at my house. We held hands and huggged and went around the circle, Obasan being in the middle, as she is still feeling the effects of a stroke some 10 years ago, saying things that we were thankful for. Family bonds were mentioned more than once and I think Obasan felt the effects as she smiled almost as much as I did just by being surrounded by love. I was grateful for the turnout. Todd, my older brother, has been so busy that I think it is the first time in the past six months that I have seen him and they only live in Kent! Sandy, his wife, came down early to help me put everything together. Candice and Chris, their children, drove down together, as Chris isn't driving anymore. Becky, my oldest sister, and I have been spending time studying Cancer 101 as she has gone through the testing process only to discover what we already suspected, that there is the family gene and she has tested positive to Brach 1, meaning it runs in the family-now what to do? Her husband, Tsuneto, has diabetes and works long hours and is frequently not able to attend, but both he and daughter, Karissa, didn't have to work so were able to come. Her husband is in Afganistan and we prayed for his safe return. Cameron, their son, rode his motorcycle in the freezing cold. Steve's sister, Elaine and husband, Bill drove down from Blaine with dog Freida-a new pal for our new grandpuppy Mylo-and lots of goodies for snacking (food was plenty). Sean flew home from LA, and Dan and Erica brought Mylo who captured everyones heart. Health really is on the top of the to-be-thankful-for list.

Mrs. Doubtfire

I just finished watching the ole film and finding myself laughing at the ability of Robin Williams to turn a sad story into a fun learning experience that touched many people going through divorce in a positive way. We need more Hollywood like that one! I watched it all through the credits this time since Sean is interning in the field now. There are so many people involved in the production of such a story...

I have wrapped up a movie of my own in the past six months and just came out with a clean scan that makes me officially a survivor, in remission! Cause for celebration. They tell me there might be a sequil so don't remove the port too quickly, but I can go back to normal now and should regain my strenght in a few months. Just in time for the holidays-how nice is that! It has been a long and amazing journey and a roller coaster of a ride, and I am glad to get off now. You might find me a bit dizzy till the natural blonde grows in again as I still have to look at the bald head every day that reminds me of what I have been through.

I have to add that I had a significant dream the Wed nite before my final CT scan. I dreamed that I skateboarded right past the pearly gates of heaven and didn't even slow down. I waved and said I would be back later, but not now. Fight on!

Sean comes home for Thanksgiving this coming Tuesday. It will be fun to have the family together again and we will have much to be thankfull for. God bless you all for your support and love. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.

Return to Life

I am a week away now from my last kemo saturday (or at least I am on schedule for CT scan Nov 15th to verify the tumors are gone!) Yeah!

Bonnie Sanborn (my business partner for 14 years now! what would I have done without her?) and I have been working throughout the whole ordeal, though I am amazed at how many people assume I am not working...Not only AM I working, I have hired Erica to assist us-(she is licensed and energetic and exploring the condo market for your children), and we have time and enthusiasm to help your friends and family. Go team.

I know it is a bit late at this point, but I am signed up to do the Seattle 1/2 marathon (that's 13 miles) and have a few folks that have signed up to walk it with us-that's Sharon Scott and her mom Lou Glatz (a big one for her, she says if I can do it, she can), my running partner Marilyn Dierickx, new running partners Susan Bishop and Deanne Hanley, and Louise Irving and my neighbor Tamae-so if you want to join us let us know. We are training now and you can just walk with us if you want to jump on board. Registration is www.seattlehalfmarathon/registration (I think-so grab a partner and work off that turkey dinner-the race is Sun. Nov 25th). Just a challenge.

I am still at Cancer College and reading many books-I have a big library right now if you need any info, trying new healthy recipes, and all sorts of natural remedies to avoid ingesting any more cocktails into my system. Sharon has introduced me to MonaVie a bottled juice concoction from the Amazon with lots of antioxidents. I am taking L-glutamine for the neuropathy side effects, and tumeric in capsule form for tumor reduction. Something is working cause I am feeling stronger every day.

I am still pondering the meaning of life and wondering what I would do if I won the lottery. Without the necessity to stay in one physical location for health reasons or for employment we free ourselves to travel which I have always enjoyed. Real life intrudes in the fantasy life of college football-I am watching the Oregon State vs Washington Huskies and Jake Locker on the Husky team has just been injured on the field-it just reminds me that none of us know when we will be knocked down or if we will get up again. I will have to continue this one later.

Grandbaby Mylo

Seems while I was gone to Palm Desert that the family had to come up with a reason for me to want to return home. Erica and Dan had been looking for a puppy for a long time-ever since they were puppy sitting in Australia. So a bouncing bundle of wiggley brown fur, Mylo, greated me at the door ready to play hard.
She really brings joy to our house, and I have to admit that I am happy to be Grandma. The training energy necessary wears me out and we both are suddenly tired and ready to nap. Perhaps it is good for me to see that when you play hard, you need to rest alot-I seemed to have forgotten.

Palm Desert Escape

The pink gerber daisies left a trail from the Roanoke tavern birthday brunch to the Backes/Dierickx compounds in Indian Ridge-Palm Desert, which is good 'cause I might want to find my way back there someday! The day was full of surprises. I had accepted the invitation to join the girls on an adventure-with girls it is always an adventure-to escape to the desert. It is a diverse group of 5 women all of whom can both kick up their heels and have a good time and be comfortable relaxing or simply discovering their inner child. Standby travel with 3 is somewhat stressful if you are the person in charge. Sue,the flight attendant, took over the role sweetly. Jill and I were the children in the scenario-along for the ride and carefree followers, a great way to start a trip. Jean and Marilyn drove the route, leaving a day earlier and arriving before we landed.

A packed day of power shopping at Cabizon shopping extravaganza then home in time to change clothes and head out to a round of golf in the 94 degree weather! Cheap as we are, we had found a deal (that's us, always looking for a deal) for $29 for a round of golf, but we did have to play in the heat of the day. Hole 4 found both Sue and I fishing for our golf balls in the pond and as luck would have it the ball I had on the end of our fishing gadget teetered on a cliff side ridge. "Leave the ball and let this guy play through" yelled Jean. The ball appeared to be in the basket and on the way toward my reaching hand when Sue and I looked up to see Mr. Red Shirt on the tee ready to tee off. "Just a minute" I said. "Just leave it, he's going to play through" Jean replied. We walked back to our waiting cart barely on the edge of a narrow fairway. "Whack" and the ball flew over out heads and off to the far side of the ruff. "Sorry,Let me just take another one". "Whack"-the audacity of a not perfect player to ask to play through at the expense of my sinking ball! This prompted the song "Mr Red shirt, who do you think you are, Mr Red shirt" to the tune of Mr Big Stuff. We laughed about it the rest of the trip. As we melted in the heat Mr Red shirt appeared again behind us after another hole and stayed behind us till we quit on hole 12. A stalker?

Monday we had a lesson from Jean on erotic pool aerobics. You had to be there as the pool boy came by to heat up the pool. Sue and I were taking instruction from Jean now doing the frog move. "Push it down...harder...feel the burn...harder...now faster...harder". I was nearly in tears as I quietly asked her to switch exercises, but she didn't get it and she didn't see the pool boy either. "Faster, harder...okay!" She switched and the pool boy walked down the other side of the pool and disappeared into the restroom. Jean got it, and we all belly laughed till we were sore and the exercises and language deteriorated till we had to get out or drown.

The dancing divas of the Yaya sisterhood gathered to prepare and feast on dinner of marinated shishkabobs, rice and salad followed by white robed, crazy hat club clan who danced around and sang with the likes of Cheryl Crow, Frank Sinatra and my favorite, It's a wonderful world by Louie Armstrong. Then we joked about what crazy things we could dress up as for Sue's upcoming Halloween party including dumb bald (instead of dumb blonde). Not so reluctantly I became the center of attention as the girls sang a chorus of Happy Birthday to me and dressed me in a white robe seating me in Pete's favorite reclining chair and at the direction of Jill, the cosmetic expert from Nordstroms, proceeded to give me a facial and massage that took 3 years off my age. I should have been ready for bed after that, but we flipped on the TV to see the devastation of the San Diego fires where Sue's sister had been evacuated from her home with wonders of whether or not her home and possessions had survived.

Time to explore the place and release my real estate inner child to the throws of Palm Desert. Anyone needing a second home? Early morning with sunrise warming the crisp desert air I took the golf cart out to explore the houses-don't go too far-all the houses look the same-what street am I on? Sue called her agent, Judy, to give us a tour, even though our self guided tour had already lead us to a house Sue was interested in that had conveniently been left unlocked. Like Curious George we were all over it, the respectful adult side of us leaving it as pristine as we found it. Suddenly hearing noises we devilishly concocted excuses for why we might be there. "Did I leave my cover up here?" The pool feature was most inviting. "It's okay, I'm a real estate agent".

We scheduled Pilates class with Mariko at 11. Marilyn had a loose agenda written on the white board in the kitchen. House maintenance was on her to-do list. Plumbing issues and a details the trained agent eyes picked up. My morning mission was to get a card reader for my camera so I could download pictures from my camera but as always, m mind was multitasking. "Marilyn, where can I get photo equipment". "Walgreens is right down the road, take my car." In unknown territory I ventured out on a mission and prided myself returning just as the gang was convening for Pilates class with my own bag of tricks-a handheld sewing machine for easy mending, card reader for the camera, safety corner for a deadly corner cabinet that was bound to bite some unknowing guest...I had found Home Depot (almost by mistake) and returned without getting lost and in time for Pilates class! Pool time, sun time, down time, and soak up the sun time then off to tour with Judy. We hit several homes in Indian Ridge an several more in Palm Valley with tours of the respective clubhouse and facilities.

Our last evening out took us to The Nest for some wild dancing with all 5 women in their tiaras, down to karaoke singing which we almost missed, and out to eat and check out the lighted shopping strip where we will no doubt return some day when it is open and we have more money.