NOVEMBER 28, 2009

Thanksgiving....

Yes, I'm a couple of days late, but I have an excuse.  I was sick.  Again.  Blergh.  I think it might just be allergies (a result of a twisted desire to spend a traditionally winter holiday with the windows open in the house, I'm sure) but I'm monitoring symptoms, to be sure.

Anyways, Thanksgiving was good.  We had made plans with friends to come over for a potluck Thanksgivin dinner.  The kids and I spent Wednesday night cleaning (because it just wouldn't do to have friends come over to a messy house....), then Thursday morning putting up Christmas decorations and the tree while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (another tradition).  After we got dressed, I made my contributions to the potluck, the apple pie and the mashed potatoes.  Well, I peeled the potatoes, and learned a very important lesson - DON'T PUT POTATO PEELS DOWN THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL.  After a moment (or several moments) of panic, my next door neighbor came over to rescue my sink and my dinner from utter potato failure.  He was able to fix it, and I am forever grateful.  Friends came over, and we had a wonderful dinner.  All of the food was DELICIOUS, and the best part was that none of us had to cook everything by ourselves.  Might be the best part of the holiday.

Friday was good - I was able to pick up a couple of things on amazon for the kids and Levi (courtesy of free shipping and some gift cards I received from a website I subscribe to).  My allergies were at an all-time high that day, and a 2-hour nap seemed to help a lot.  Last night was spent vegging.

Today, the kids and I are getting my parents house ready for their imminent arrival (in about 8 hours...), which is very exciting.  It's been a really nice weekend, without deadlines and huge responsibilities.  Truly wonderful.


If you need a smile today, please check this link out.  I saw it this morning and it made me smile and laugh out loud.  I hope it does the same for you.

Comments:

Tina said...

Snowmen on your blog? You must be missing Minnesota ;)
Hope you are feeling better. Allergies are bad here too because its not real cold yet (high in the mid-40's today). That's the only good thing about snow! The steroid I get during chemo keeps my allergies from getting too bad. I think I'll miss that steroid!

November 28, 2009 at 9:50 AM

 Michelle said...

LOL! Missing MN? Um, no. Not at all. I just like snowmen....you should see my house. It's full of snowmen....even my nativity scene is little snowmen.

November 28, 2009 at 7:22 PM

Later:

Good day....

Woke up this morning to the Muppets singing Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.  *sweet*

Had a good day with the kids.  Got Mom and Dad's house ready for their imminent arrival.  Came home, got my coupons cut and put in my book, and was able to do some of the things on my to-do list that have been sitting there for too long.  #awesome

Went to the mailbox and my Christmas photo cards came.  $3.17 for 50 cards x 2 (the beauty of having multiple email accounts).  #freaking rocks

Mom and Dad got her.  Helped them unpack the house, had dinner, then off to Sam's to pick up the rest of the must-have groceries.

All in all, a good day.  Now, if I could stop having to blow my nose, all would be perfect.  (Well, that and having my hubby here...)

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

Just one of them days....

I haven't had "one of those days" in a while.  I mean, I definitely have days where I stay up at night wondering, how?  Why?  When?  But, it's been a while since I 've had a day that I felt compelled to blog about.  Until today.  These past couple of weeks have been chaos, to say the least.  I've been running in too many directions, and I knew there was going to be a time when I dropped one of the proverbial balls.

Yup.  Dropped it today - big time.  Dumb ass.

I was trying to be efficient last week.  Knowing how the weekend was shaping up to be, and knowing that the last thing on my mind after the Undy was going to be paying bills, I tried to be proactive and pay bills Thursday night, to be paid on Friday morning.  Went and did this, and realized that a couple of them wouldn't allow me to post-date a payment, so to speak.  So, I THOUGHT I cancelled the power company's payment.

Turns out, I confirmed it, then paid it again on Friday morning.  And, now my bank account is short by that $150.

To top it all off, I got home tonight and my water was shut off.  I knew I was a month behind - didn't realize I was TWO months behind, and poof.  No water.  No warning, and no water.  Great.  (It's back on now, but still...)

I called to see if I could squeak out a payment plan on the water.  And I could - if they hadn't just shut it off.  Now, I owe them the money past due (~$70), plus the reconnect fee of $70.  Um, what?  And, to get it turned back on tonight so we could, um, bathe and flush the toilet - yeah, that's another $10.  And to pay by check - $2.25 per check.  This sucked b/c I was trying to break up the pain by taking the money out of two separate accounts.

I am now sitting here feeling like dog crap.  I called Levi to tell him, and we have no solution.  I already pulled what I could out of my 401k.  Anything else will constitute a loan.  I have nothing left in reserves that I can spare, so that's not good.  And, Levi doesn't get paid until Friday.  Right now, it's a waiting game to see who beats the path to the account first - Levi's check on Friday, or the two outstanding checks for the truck payment and the daycare check that haven't posted yet.  Here's hoping (insert eye roll here).

This just blows.  This past week or two haves been so hard on me, emotionally.  Not having him here gets harder and harder each day.  I feel like it's a struggle to get up in the morning - I do, and I'm okay with it.  I just wish that he was here.  I feel like my other half is missing.  Then, I do this and see the repercussions.  And have to call him to tell him.  It's just so damn hard.

We have had a few small bites on jobs for Levi, but most people a) want him to start tomorrow or b) won't hire him sight unseen.  Okay - those definitely pose obstacles for us, and understandably so.  Why would you hire someone you've never seen in person, based on his assertion that he's a "good guy".  But, still - how's he supposed to get a job while he's there?  So, we are contemplating him coming home.  For a variety of reasons - there are definitely pros and cons, and we are waiting on some information from someone to determine whether the pros outweigh the cons.  It would be a risk to bring him home without a job, but then, he's not going to get a job if he's not here.

And, to add to all of this loveliness, they announced a furlough at work last week, and my whole company is going to shut down for the first week of January.  No pay.  No vacation can be taken.  Which means that the first paycheck of 2010 will be halved, plus that's the one that the increase in medical benefits hits.  Great.

*sigh*  Just a small break.  Really.  Is that too much to ask?  I don't think it is.  I am so tired.  I am so lonely.  And, I am so aggravated.  But, it's like I don't even have the energy to be aggravated. 

Comments:

Whidbey Woman said...

I hate how one little thing can snowball into a HUGE financial mess. It is so hard to crawl out of that hole! Most of us have been there before (some more than others- Lol). It must be hard to face the holidays knowing that an unpaid furlough is coming, and Levi's work situation is less than ideal. All I can say, is lay your financial worries at the foot of the cross. God will see you through it in His own way and in His own timing. Hugs.

November 24, 2009 at 7:58 PM

NOVEMBER 21, 2009

Undy 5000 - 2009

The Phoenix Undy 5000 was a rousing success.  I don't have the mental capability right now to put adequate words to the event....I'm so tired.  But, I felt like I needed to record this now, and I can put more later.  Tentative numbers are that we had around 1,000 people and that we raised around $100,000.  Final numbers will be released in the next couple of weeks, but the CCA national folks were pleased.  That's enough for me.

I do have pictures - I'll put them on at the end of this posting.  I can say that this was an amazing event, and to be a part of this event coming together was unbelievable.  To know that it all came together as well as it did - well, it's overwhelming.  Truly.

I got up at 4:15 this morning, and was out of the house at 5:00.  Made the obligatory stop at Dunkin' Donuts (it was early in the AM after all), then off to the race location.  Got there and parked about 5:50, and off we went with getting things set up.  We had people on-site by about 7am, but most started getting there by 7:30.  The kids and my friend Seana got there around 8am.  The turnout was amazing, the costumes and outfits were hysterical (including a woman who was in a full-body stocking that made it appear that she was nearly naked!), and the teams were so wonderful to see.  I had the opportunity to meet people that I've only had the chance to talk with on-line (Wanda!!!), to see others that I haven't seen in too long (Randi, Erin, Laura...), and to meet others that I've wanted to meet for a while (Jasmine, Andy).  It was amazing to walk around and have people say hello, know who I am, and to recognize so many friendly faces.

The race started on time, with the 1-mile runners starting at 8:45, followed shortly thereafter by the singing of the National Anthem (next year, this will happen sooner), then the running of the 5-k'ers.  I didn't walk or run (for a variety of reasons), but this worked out well since I was able to take a breather, then walk around, greet people, and just work the crowd, so to speak.

After the race was over, we had a survivor ceremony that I spoke at.  It was truly a humbling, wonderful, honored experience to be able to stand up in front of this crowd that meant so much to me last year, but to be up there this year as a survivor and one of the people that helped this event come to fruition.

Needless to say, I'm tired.  I'm pooped, but it's that kind of exhaustion that comes with a good feeling of success.  Jasmine asked me if this was like when I got married, and it was funny - that's exactly how I was thinking I was going to describe it when I wrote this blog.  It's truly like your wedding day, in that all of this planning goes into the day, then on the actual day of the event, it's over before you know it.  And, you didn't get any of the pictures that you wanted, you didn't get to do nearly what you thought you would be able to do, but it was wildly successful nonetheless.

So, as promised, here are the photos....

My girlfriend Randi, me and a lady that we convinced to wear the panties that she had stashed in her pocket.  She wasn't going to, but with our amazing skills, we got her to put them on.  She came up to me after the race and thanked us (she said my sister and I - Randi is a sister of my heart, to be sure) for getting her ready to take this step.  She said she didn't know anyone with this disease but she wanted to help.  So, I formally introduced myself to her, called her friend, and now, she's stuck with me and the cause.  :-)

 

Randi and her family allowed us to use her mother's story and picture in our "Faces of Colon Cancer" display.  This came out unbelievably amazing - so much better than I could have ever planned for. 

 

Two of my sisters-of-the-heart, Randi and Erin. 

 

Racing in the undies, despite the chilly temps.  (Chilly is relative - I think it was 70 by the time I left at 11:30.) 

 

This couple had me in stitches - THIS is what makes this race so fun! 

 

There were several dogs there in undies... 

 

My fellow board member and survivor Anne's Faces display. 

 

The view... 

 

Kevin, me, Shelia, and Anne - the survivors on the board.

Racing... 

 

We had a wall for people to post "In Honor Of" and "In Memory Of" and tell others who they were there racing for.  Very emotional and very powerful.

The dogs were so fun to watch - there's nothing funnier than seeing a dog in boxers!  

 

I displayed the quilt my aunt made me, and it was such a huge hit.  There had to have been hundreds of pictures taken of it today, and people were just completely in love with it.  This WILL be my signature piece - thanks again, Aunt Nancy! 

 

My good friend Anissa and me.  The shirt is from Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and the saying is "Whoever said winning isn't everything never had to fight cancer!"  Damn straight! 

 

Anne and me. 

 

My new friend Vera and my quilt.  She lost her dad to this disease earlier this year, and has become an advocate.  She's amazing. 

 

 Another puppy!

 Ariel is one of the doctors that has been influential in getting this race up and going, and making it so successful.  She sang the National Anthem for us (and did an amazing job) and she is someone I'm proud to call friend.

 

This is Wanda.  She and I met on-line and I've been talking with her through her journey - she just completed  chemo (which you wouldn't know by looking at her!), and she's truly an inspiration.  We have spoken several times, but this was the first time we have ever met in person.  I was so happy to finally give her a hug.  She's amazing, and I'm SO PROUD of her.  Love you, Wanda!  

All in all, this was an amazing event to be a part of.  I wish that my family could have been here, but that's what next year will be for.  Meantime, it's time to start working the March events (Dress in Blue Day, the Bike Rally, and the Phoenix Suns game to benefit the CCA), and to get started on next year's Undy.

First, I'm going to take a nap, maybe have a glass of wine, and relish in the success that was today.  

Comments:

Jennifer Witham Buck / Graceful Expressions said...

so proud of you!
thought of you all day today, what an amazing day!
lots of love, girlie!

November 21, 2009 at 6:43 PM

NOVEMBER 20, 2009

T-Minus 10 hours....

Holy bejeepers - did I just type that?  Crikies....

Anyways, today was completely, totally filled with Undy stuff.  Day started by sleeping in a bit (though I don't know that hitting the snooze from 4:15 until 5:30 counts as sleeping in...), then getting the kids up and going.  Got Julia ready for her picture retakes today (since she was sick during the first take), then took the kids to daycare.  Headed off to pick up diapers, breakfast, and pants for the race tomorrow.  Then, back to the house to clean it up (two reasons - I didn't want to have to worry about it tomorrow or Sunday, and I have guests coming over tonight...), then off to meet up with everyone at the warehouse.  We picked up all the materials for tomorrow, then off to lunch with the CCA ladies (thanks again - I love Mediterranean food - just wonderful!), then off to the hotel to put together the team bags.  Home after that. Pick up the kids, back home to pull a couple of things together.  Dinner, then two stores, then home.  Got everything ready for tomorrow, and now I am sitting here with my glass of White Zin, waiting for Seana and her daughter to get here.

Tomorrow will start at around 4am, at the race by 6am.  Registration starts at 7:30, race at 9:00.

Holy crap.  I'm tired.

I wanted to take a little time to record what I was feeling today.  It was a very cool day.  But, it was also more emotional than I was expecting.  I was okay until we started lading the team bags up with boxers, race bibs and survivor caps/visors.  That was hard - one team had seven survivors.  Seeing more names that I care to admit that I recognized was hard.  Then, I came across Kim's team's bags.  That was harder than seeing my own.

I think that, while I realize that I'm a survivor, I don't think about it.  I mean, I do, but not in the same way.  I don't mourn what's gone, what I lost, because I got through.  Kim didn't.  A year ago, at last year's Undy, Kim and I met.  She had just been diagnosed, and she later told me that what I told her that day was inspirational and made her feel like she could keep on fighting.  I made a difference in someone's life.  It was my great pleasure to know her.  And, today, I teared up at the thought that she can't be here with us tomorrow.

I don't know if I can adequately tell you how I was feeling.  It was sorrow.  That seems to be the best word.  And yet, there's hope.  Perhaps this year, I will be able to talk with someone and make their day a little brighter.  Perhaps this year, the Undy will be to them what it was to me - a true awakening and realization that I'm not the only 30-something colon cancer survivor in Arizona.

I know that I will see some of you at the Undy tomorrow - I hope that you find me.  I will be busy, but not to busy to do what I know is more important - take the time to talk with those that mean SO MUCH to me.

9.5 hours from now, I will be on-site.  Kim - let me know you're there.  I'm going to need it tomorrow.

Comments:

Tina said...

Hope all goes well! I'll be thinking about you. Enjoy the day--you get to be there again. And hopefully you'll be able to enjoy it for many, many more years!
And I am SURE you'll find someone else to inspire--you are very good at that. Its definitely a gift!

November 20, 2009 at 9:20 PM

 Carol Pack Urban said...

I have found your posts to be very inspirational to me. I found myself thinking more of you, Tina and Kim than of myself. I thought of each of you and prayed for all. I think to myself, it's been a month since Kim passed, now it's been two months and I pray that Deron and the family are surviving and are able to deal with their grief. I lost a very dear friend of mine (along with her toddler son and young stepdaughter) in a car crash in 2004. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her but we go on. We don't forget.

November 21, 2009 at 10:37 AM

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

I'm just all OVER the place...

Here is a story in the Arizona Republic about the Undy this weekend.  As of this morning, the title said we are hosting the 22nd annual - it's only the 2nd annual.  I made a phone call this morning to the author of the story and she is going to have it changed.

Woo!  It's so close.....butterflies in my belly....

NOVEMBER 17, 2009

My meeting with the mayor...

So, today the mayor of Peoria, AZ and I had a date to film a PSA.  Very very very cool.  Thanks to Jan with the Peoria High School (also one of my fellow board members' cousins), she worked a fantastic deal that I couldn't refuse - meet with the mayor of Peoria (an adjoining city), film a PSA that the students would form into a useable advertisement for the CCA, and do a wonderful thing.

That's just what I did.  I got to meet the mayor, got to speak with him about his history with colon cancer (both he and his wife, I believe he said, have lost family members to the disease), talk with his assistant, who had the coolest boots (I digress - she also has lost family members to colon cancer, and is actually a patient of one of the doctors that I work with and have become friends with through CCA), and tell him about the organization and my story.  We got along really well.  Sometimes, when you meet a politician, they are kind of arrogant, distant.....not Mayor Barrett.  He was so kind and personable.

We spent some time filming the PSA, and then had a chance to talk some more.  He's willing, able, and excited to be a part of this event.  He and his team are on board to help with the next Undy, with the next event.....it's freaking awesome.

Here are some pictures of us at the Mayor's office...

The high school guys with Mayor Barrett. 

Filming.  Yes, the mayor let me sit in his chair.  Perhaps this will reignite my dreams as a 6 year old of being president of the United States.  Hmmm.....

 

 I had fun - I have to admit it.  

Mayor Barrett and me - he was such a nice person, and I am so glad to have had this chance.

Goffing off - we really did have fun together.  

Comments:

Whidbey Woman said...

You rock!

November 17, 2009 at 9:48 PM

 Carol Pack Urban said...

I freakin love you!

November 18, 2009 at 10:19 AM

 Jill said...

AWESOME, AWESOME AND AWESOME!!!

November 18, 2009 at 7:12 PM

 Lee said...

You are truly something! I am so very proud of what you are trying to do!!! I love you baby!

November 19, 2009 at 7:43 PM

NOVEMBER 16, 2009

Tee Shirt Dilemma

I have been obsessing about my shirt to wear to the Undy this weekend.  I had planned on wearing my CCA shirt until I realized that I was going to be the only Board member wearing one.  Why?  Because they are all going to be wearing their team shirts.  And, it dawned on me that I didn't have a team shirt.  I wanted to get one made, but I don't have a team :-( and I don't have the time/money to get a cool Colon Cancer Ass-Kicking Cancerella tee shirt made.  So, I was feeling a little down.

Until I realized that it's going to be in the 40s, 50s, and 60s for the race, and with the exception of the time that I'm actually racing (assuming I do it), I will be freezing my tush off.  I'll wear my Undy fleece jacket, my cancer survivor pin, my name badge, and my stupid cancer dot com pins.  Maybe this will help me feel a little better.

Next year - NEXT YEAR I'll have a Cancer Ass-Kicking tee shirt.

*sigh*  It would be fun to have one, though.  I'm going to have to research it.  Maybe through cafepress.  Hmmm....

Comments:

Carol Pack Urban said...

Then sell them for $30 and we get to keep a t-shirt and your charity gets to keep da moolah.

November 16, 2009 at 2:58 PM

 Nancy said...

yes I will get a shirt next year so count me in ...I can wear it the day of the race only here.....I will join the team from a far...

November 16, 2009 at 4:23 PM

 Mrs. Buv said...

Um Hello!? Ask Carson the t-shirt guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's getting mine to me by Friday & I just ordered them today. I did ask him a month ago to do the art work...but it can't hurt to ask!!! (And I hear he has good prices!!) You are more thean welcome to have one of ours too...cuz I wish we were the same team!! Maybe we should consolidate next year :)

Love ya like a sista!!

November 16, 2009 at 9:13 PM

NOVEMBER 14, 2009

Undy 5000 - 6 more days

I can't believe that the Undy 5000 is coming up in 6 more days (I can't count today because even though it's Saturday, it's 8pm and effectively over!).  We had our final planning meeting today and things are coming together amazingly.  I am SO SO SO SO proud of what we have been able to accomplish and what we are going to see happen next weekend.  This is truly going to be a benchmark for all of us, and I am just beyond excited.

If you haven't already donated to the cause, please check out my page and consider making a small donation - I'm hoping to raise $1,500, which is a LOT of money but well worth it.  I"m over the $300 mark - maybe I can make $500 my new goal.  Nah - I want to rick it this year.

If you are in the area, please please please consider joining me next Saturday morning.  Unfortunately, my parents and my husband are still in New York and won't be here to help me celebrate this event.  My good friend Seana is going to bring the kids down, and I will have lots of friends there, but more would be SO welcome.

Later:

My medical scare for the week....

Last week I went to the doctor's and was diagnosed with a sinus infection.  Fairly harmless - antibiotics and I'm good.  However, during the appointment, the doctor mentioned in passing that my thyroid was enlarged.  When I mentioned that I had just been in for a bunch of bloodwork for a yearly physical and had just had a PET scan in July, he seemed not to worry about the thyroid and went on with the rest of my appointment.

I did not let this go quite as easily.  Thyroid issues are fairly easy to fix, but what if it was another cancer?  I'm prone to another cancer simply because I had one already.  My first thought was that I was going to have to fight another demon.  Terrifying.  I haven't felt fear like that in a while - maybe not ever.  The first time I was diagnosed, I really didn't have a clue what I was getting into.  This time, I had an idea - certainly, it wouldn't be the same thing, but I had more knowledge about the terminology, etc.  And, that is petrifying.  Kind of like having a baby - the first time, you're in denial by ignorance.  The second time, you have an idea of what you are getting into, and it's terrifying because you know what to expect.  I know of a couple of people that have fought cancer, then been either diagnosed with a recurrence or another cancer.  This could easily happen to me.  Had it?

I had a follow-up appointment with the PA to go over the results of my bloodwork done during my yearly physical scheduled for next Friday, which would have been 2 weeks from the date the doctor mentioned my "enlarged thyroid."  It also was the day before the Undy 5000.  I wasn't willing to a) let this issue stew in my head for another week, and b) potentially face bad news the day before the race.  So, I rescheduled the appointment for yesterday.

The good news is that my thyroid bloodwork came back well within normal limits (as did my glucose, CBC, cholesterol, etc.).  And, the PA didn't detect any enlargement in my thyroid.  I asked her to check, then check again.

The thing that bothered me was that this doctor that I saw (not my primary care, but another dr within their practice) let this issue go.  He didn't pick up on my concern and didn't pursue this further.  I don't know whether he read my chart, but I know that my cancer history is clearly stated in there.  To have him just pass over this was disturbing, to say the least.  What else would he have passed over if I mentioned it to him?  What other symptoms (blood in my stool, pain, etc.) might he have blown off that could have been potentially life-threatening.

I mentioned my concerns to the PA that I spoke with, and I have to say that she was concerned.  She's a great person - I really enjoy working with her and her supervising physician (not the guy I saw).  They are a good group, but I don't think I'll be going back to the doctor that diagnosed me with the sinus infection unless I absolutely have to.  I want to know that the doctors I see are trustworthy - that I can go to them with symptoms and have them listen to what I have to say, think about it and consider all options.

I wonder if other cancer patients and survivors automatically jump to horrible conclusions when they hear something like this.  I can't imagine that I'm the only person that has worries like this - I think it's fairly inevitable when you have fought so hard for your life.  You see danger where it MIGHT be, and you get ready to fight for all you're worth.  Meantime, there's definitely a battle between being concerned about the what-ifs and living your life "normally".  It's a tough line to walk.

I'm glad that I am fine, and that my thyroid is okay.  I'm glad that I don't have this lingering over my head any more - wondering about the inevitable can be so uch worse than reality.  Then again, reality can be worse than anything we can ever imagine.  Either way, it was enough to make me re-evaluate what I'm doing and to realize that I need to get back to exercising, relaxing, taking time for myself, and investing in ME.  If I don't do these essential things, then what I went through last year wasn't worth much at all.  And, I'm not willing to let that be the case.

Off I go - I forgot that I'm supposed to be working on a PSA for the Undy.  :-)  I'm looking forward to next Saturday but I'm also looking forward to next Sunday!  LOL!

Comments:

Heat said...

I have had those kinds of freak outs. Yup yup. The lymph nodes in my neck were swollen within a month of finishing radiation. Not cool.

I'm glad that you're OK :)

I met too many people while I was going through treatment whose disease was farther along than it should have been because the first doctor they went to blew them off. Good thing there was nothing seriously wrong when you saw this doc, and I wouldn't go back to them again, either.

Glad it was a benign reminder to take care of yourself :)

November 14, 2009 at 10:55 PM

 Caroline said...

Hello! Once you get on the cancer bus, you can't get off. I leap to massive conclusions - its not a headache, its a brain tumor. Recovery also means the mental ability not to leap to the massive conclusions.

November 15, 2009 at 6:41 AM

 Amanda: said...

I still panic a little when Josh tells me he has a headache... and we're 5 years out...

November 15, 2009 at 9:37 AM

 Carol Pack Urban said...

I panic each time I have to see the PCP or oncologist, gynecologist or whomever. I don't want to set foot in the door. Least of all I don't want them touching me and discovering something that wasn't there before. I think you should talk to this doctor again and address your concerns that he mentioned something and then totally blew it off. Not cool.

November 15, 2009 at 9:57 AM

 Whidbey Woman said...

Yes, it is scary. That's interesting you had that experience. We have found that most doctors "jump" when there's a problem and immediately suspect cancer, just because Ron is battling that. I think most survivors always have a fear that the cancer will return or metastize to another organ in the body. I think Caroline's comment is right on: "Once you are on the cancer bus, you can't get off." I guess we are all just learning to handle the ride.
'

November 15, 2009 at 3:52 PM