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One Year Ago Today....

 January 15th marks my one year anniversary of my Breast Cancer Surgery.  It was that day when I went in early on a Friday morning before the sun was creeping up in the sky to remove that grayish matter of a tumor in my left breast.  I was scared, as anyone would be.  I felt that it came out of nowhere.   Me?  Cancer?  Breast Cancer? but I don't have any family history of Breast Cancer! HUH?   Or Cancer period, for that matter.  After the shock of this news, I quickly realized that I need to be Strong for my girls..I did NOT want them to be afraid or scared for me.  It was just going to be a slight detour in the so-called-game of life.  This past year with my numerous doctor appointments , the radiation and chemotherapy treatments passed very quickly.   The hardest part of the whole ordeal, was hands down the losing of my hair.  But I am the type to make lemonade out of lemons and quickly saw the flip slide to this, my showers were cut down to about a minute.   I did not have to worry about shaving underarms, legs, or other places that will remain unmentionable.   Putting on a hat became a no brainer. I didn't have to spend hours fussing with my hair, blow drying and fixing my "do".  The year really did fly by and I'm so very glad it is now all behind me and becoming a distant memory.  As I look forward to the future, I realize I'm really one of the LUCKY ones...it was caught early and that nasty tumor was extinguised before it could take my life.  Today I can look forward to spending more time with my family and friends and one thing  that we CAN NOT do is  take "life" for granted.  Enjoy today, take a walk in the rain or dance like no one is watching, even in your underwear.   And when life does present itself with the an obstacle in our path, a hurdle to jump, we need to just take that bull by the horns!!

Yes...and for my one year anniversary..... I literally took the bull by it's horns..

A Sexy Sissy Ride
Urban Cowboyat MOVIECLIPS.com

  I went bull riding yesterday, yep...really! We went to a place in HB called The Black Bull...it was fun!

P.S. Didn't you just love Urban Cowboy, circa 1980...what a wonderful love story, it is one of my favorite movies.   

Now I hope my video of me Bull Riding does not show up on You Tube somewhere....haha...now my girlfriends have blackmail material.

Thank You, My Dear Friends!!

Sorry I have been MIA...I just haven't felt like "blogging"..I've been around to see all of you but not really wanting to post {type} a whole bunch. 

But while I was in my LULL of blogging I have had the most generous souls take care of me and make me feel very special. So A BIG Mahalo is in order!! After my vacation hospital stay my eldest daughters' soccer team parents got together and coordinated dinners to feed our family even the coach made some awesome Chicken Noodle Soup, which everyone loved!! Dang I wish I took a picture and I need to get the recipe it was sooo good with big chunky noodles and slices of salami in it.  We got to eat homemade meatballs in Spaghetti and Meatball Hoagies, Brownies, Salads and Stroganoff with Swedish Meatballs.  Everything was so very good.Thank you Team United Parents!!  Not only that I got several bouquets of flowers from several friends and neighbors..thank you.  One of the flowers bouquets was in the shape of a Poodle..how cute is this?  I had to take a picture....

 

The poodle is made out of White Mums.   Not only have I received several Cards and Gift Cards to local restaurants from wonderful and thoughtful friends.   Not only that my Husbands work took together a donation of money for our family.  At the Elementary School that I mostly work at {my youngest daughters school}  All of the teachers went shopping and presented me with two HUGE shopping bags full of hats and scarfs.   So very generous and thoughtful!!  I don't think Thank you are words justified enough to express my gratefulness to everyone.  People are wonderful and I'm so thankful I have friends, neighbors, colleagues, soccer family that care about me and my family. They drive me to my oncology appointments unselfishly, they call to check up on me and  to see if I need anything, they send Good Get Well thoughts through the mail or email.   I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful support system and I wanted to say from the BOTTOM of my HEART....Thanks so very MUCH!!! I love YOU all!!!!
 

Did you miss me?

 
Well I went on VACATION...yes, to a very ritzy place where all amenities are included...Breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I had a high rise view of the charming patio courtyard. I got to rest on my back to my hearts content.  I had many people tending to my every need and desire.

Doesn't it sound glamorous?  Yes. if you count being at the hospital for a week. NOT!! I got something know as Neutropenic fever after my last Chemo session.  My doctor at the Hospital said," I was given too much of my "Chemo Cocktail" and it lowered my White blood cells to a very dangerous level.  I was a .7 when I should of been at 4-12 range.  On Tuesday I came down with a 102-103 fever and was admitted for my 6 day Vacation at fabulous Hotel Hospital stay.  I was also told that if I did not come in when I did in 6 hours I would of been a dead woman.  Very, very Scary!! 

 
I got home last night and it felt so good to walk through my front door and greeted by my Shabby Chic Living Room and my rambunctious dog.   I'm glad to be somewhat back to normal self and back in the garden trimming the daises and trying to rivive any plants that might of bit the dust.  

 

The Lovely town of Pasadena and Lula Mae's..

  When I have to go to my Oncologist's appointment in the City of Duarte { where City of Hope is} it is only a hop, skip and jump on the freeway to the Town of Pasadena.  So last month I did just that.  Here are some pictures of this historic town I love to visit.

this is the tiniest cupcake shop which I didn't go in there today..should have.  They have the cutest over the top cupcake so cute they are a work of art, couldn't imagine eating one I would of just wanted to look at them.  Not sure if they were over priced or not very good cause there was not one person in the store.   But they were cute to look at.

 
On the main drag there are lots of favorite fun store to look in. Gap, Pottery-barn, Restoration Hardware, A HUGE Forever 21, Paper Source, Crate and Barrel, J. Crew with the cute mine Crew Cuts inside{have you seen their cute kid catalog?  OMG the cutest kids clothes}...and lot of Cafe's and Restaurants.  I went with my BFF a few months back and we had lunch at one of the cutes Cafe's and it was very good.  I wish I took a picture of what we had for lunch..I had a Shrimp Salad in a honey glazed dressing. 

 This day I just headed over to Subway for a quick bite and a store that I've been passing every time because it's not on the main drag I finally stopped  AND so glad I did..it is across from Subway in the Holly Building and that where Lulu Mae is, this store is/was so DARN cute!!! 

 
All dressed up for spring...

See that little white cake stand up in the left corner, the one with teardrops..I was tempted to pick that up.  I saw one in Carrie Raphael's Kitchen once..and wanted one..but I did restrain myself if you can believe it. 

German glass glittered stars hanging from a Tinsel tree....even right for spring.

Sweet Robin's Egg blue display case...  

This is a green damask covered baby book which I thought was unique.

 
I was also very temped to pick up these Caged egg ornaments...with nests.  So what did I buy.   Just one thing...something I needed.  I have been wanting to be better about sending out Cards for Birthdays and Anniversaries and everything in between.  So I picked up a card organizer for each month.  I could make one but this one was so cute I couldn't resist.

It has pocket on the right side to hold all the cards and On the left a place to list all the people and what event.  It has a place to add phone numbers, snail mail and emails and phone numbers.  Now all I have to do is carve out some time to do this.  The book is by Meri, Meri Scrapbooking Company.  Hopefully this will help me with not forgetting those important events and birthdays as time seems to fly by the older you get.  Hope you enjoyed your tour of Old Towne Pasadena and visiting Lula Mae. 

Blah....

I had big plans this week to tootle in my garden this week,  but my treatment has left me feeling lifeless and blah.  I made myself get out earlier in the week and head to Armstrong's Nursery...I usually find myself so happy walking amoung the flowers and plants and usually come out spending more than I should of, but seeing fresh planted plants in our little garden {usually} makes me really happy.  Not so this time.  Here is what the garden looked like last year right about this time...

Happy Day Lillies...

 these guys are coming back for a show...they are called  

the hydrangea...looks like this now but a bit bigger.  I don't see any blooms on it yet. 

 the Bleeding Hearts and Gladiolas....are looking very happy reaching for the sun.  Hopefully time will change the mood and I'll feel like planting before you know it.  Keep your fingers crossed!   I'm linking up to Cindy's Show and Tell

Making Lemonade

When Life gives you Lemons......break out the Tequila and Salt!!

or since I can't have alcohol {not good for the breast cancer the doctors say}  how about making Lemonade....

Yesterday I started my first round of Chemotherapy, I will have 4 treatments every 3 weeks.  Not bad.  As the usual optimist that I am...I think if I lose all the head on my hair...I sure hope the hair that grows under my arms and my chinny chin chins and the ones that grow south of the border will also be "worry free" for the next few months.  Yes..you have to see a silver lining when Life gives you a bowl full of lemons....care to join me in a Margarita or cold glass of Lemonade?

P.S.  got the cute little Lemonade glasses at The Dollar Tree..aren't they cute? Black and white pan came from a Y.S. as did the yellow basket, purple tulips from my Daughter's Class.  The boys and girls wrote the cutest Get Well sayings in the Card....

Retail Therapy..it's good for the soul

You might of guessed from last post that it is not an easy decision and when I feel a bit "stressed" I head to the local antique store, Goodwill or Marshall's /TJ Maxx/Homegoods.  I don't think I go crazy...if I went off the deep end..I'd head to the nearest Apple store and pick up one of these babies in White , it doesn't matter to me so much if it has all the gadget, just as long as it is in my "signature color"...or really, really off the deep end I'd drive home in one of these in white too!!  But I think I'm relatively tame but that is all relative too in who is giving their opinion.  Here are some cute things I've picked up that have caught my eye and have me thinking  of my situation where I need to take the Lemons I've been dealt with and make some Lemonade.  Would you like some Lemonade too?

Some Ruffle cute Daffodils from Trader Joes..they are a bit spent since I got them last week and finally today I got a picture of them.  They sit in a Mint Julep cup, I got at the Goodwill awhile ago.  The M was a gift from my neighbor down the street .  The Crystal Lamp..was my Mother's and my absolute favorite of all my lamps.  These item found a new home sitting on my {MacKenzie's old } desk.  She got a vanity someone was about to put on the curb.  When I can move furniture and paint again..that puppy is getting a new paint job..the vanity that is not the desk I like it all chippy and creamy white.

 
This dusty old lamp I picked up at the neighborhood junk market {antique store} .  I thought the shade had a nice shape and I love the ruffles.  Not too sure about the print though..looks a bit dated. 

The base is very heavy and it's a nice distressed creamy white.  We do need more lamps in the house so it was good buy at 7 dollars.

While at the Antique store I was attracted to this mini Windsor Chair.   I have been slowly collecting mini chairs.  Do I see a new collection going on? I like these, especially the heart one and wouldn't mind adding one more or three to the growing Mini chair collection. 

I think this shabby chic bucket looks perfect on it with a pretty rose colored plant on it.

 Can you see the mini Adirondack chair under these new sunny yellow shoes? See I have 3 chairs so that must mean I have a collection of them, I also have a bench that need painting, it is a mini too. Those sunshiny shoes were so adorable and Ruffles are so in!!  Not only are those babies happy shoes they are comfortable.  I got them at Payless for 19.95 smakarooes.  They had them in silver too.  I would of liked them in other colors, maybe red or white. 

They have a cork heal and best of all I can walk in them!  I think when it is spring I'm thinking of the sun and am enamored with all thing yellow cause look what came home with me yesterday...

 An Apron!!  Not only did they have this cute Apron at TJ Maxx they had them in other colors, blue, green and some have aprons in vintage style prints. I was able to restrain myself and get the apron with some potholders to match.

It did my soul some good to get out and see the cute things that are in the shops for spring.   It did me good to do a little shopping.  Somethings we needed and other things maybe not so much.  Hope you can do a little "therapy" too when you need it....they say it's cheaper then a psychiatrist and I completely agree, don't you?  Where is your favorite place to go when you need a little pick me up?
 

Edited to add,  I'm McLinking up to Show and Tell over at Cindy's Romantic Home have a gander of all the blog goodness over there.  I love her sweet little embroidered pin cushion heart.

Struggling with a decision...

I know there is a lot of people out there that are going through Breast Cancer {BC} or have gone through it.  I know there are a lot of people who have wonderful advice and I welcome all of it.  I have heard of the Alkaline diet and I have been slowly incorporating more Alkaline foods in my diet.  I have switched to distilled water, I eat more strawberries and broccoli.  I have slowly made life style changes to accommodate this "bump in the road".  I have stopped drinking Alcohol {it has been shown in studies that BC and Alcohol are linked}.  I did have one drink last Friday night of Sangria at a Jewelry party at my neighbors's house.  That is it..since Christmas Eve I have not had a drink.  That is not my vice...Sugar is!!  I'm addicted to Sugar!!  I was doing very well until I got a "diagnostic" test back on Tuesday from my Oncologist.  Then every Girl Scout Cookies was eaten, Cake was devoured from Birthday party, Sugar Free Ice Cream Sandwiches vanished!!  Naughty, naughty.  

Back to the test, This test is called a Oncotype Test and it test 21 genes in your body, by the way this little test cost $4,000 dollars!!   Yep, you read that right.   What it does it places you in one of three categories, Low {you won't benefit from Chemo} Intermediate {both you and your doctor discuss it} and High {you will benefit from Chemo}.  Well..it was not so black and white..I fell into the Intermediate Level.  Which in a nut shell I have a 8% chance that my cancer will reoccur WITHOUT Chemo.  It's about 3-4% Less than that if I have it.  I was NOT at all thrilled with my Medical Oncologist {first time I met her}.  I sat there with my boob in my hand trying to take notes while she told me all of this IMPORTANT information.  She was very inattentive to my needs.  Like I said I pulled something in my surgical breast and it is very painful when not in a bra, I told her that.  Anyways...I have been talking with women who have had BC and what they did, every case is different so it's basically up to me.  I did not have it in my Lymph Nodes and my tumor is Stage One, Grade 3. {that is how hyper it is} on a scale of 1-3.  I am struggling with making my decision on whether to precede with treatment or not.  My oncologist would prescribe that I do this for 4 cycles of Chemo and 3 weeks.  So I would have treatment up until July.  It would be intravenous and you KNOW how I feel about needles...remember this post,   AND yes I would lose all of my hair and I'll blow up like a OOMPA LOOMPA because I'll be on steroids!!   If I wanted to be the next Weightlifter of America..I would have Gym Membership and go pump iron.  All that losing weight for nothing!!  Not an easy decision so IF you have some insight I would greatly appreciate it....leave a comment or email me I promise I read them all and I try to respond in a timely manner.    

A Valentine Day recap and the hazzards of Gardening....

After our wonderful Breakfast of...Heart Shaped Pancakes, Bacon, strawberries with fresh whipped cream and  OJ....

and wonderful surprise Valentine treats where discovered {can you guess which one of my Daughters is on Team Jacob?} by the girls,

the other does not buy into so much "teenage" hype....

The table was set for our Valentine Dinner as mentioned here
 The family had a great time guessing which favorite characteristic they admired about the family members.  We put the fortune cookies in the Chinese take out boxes and opened them up before we had our Steak Dinner.  Which sorry to say did not come out the best...maybe that's why I have no pictures of the dinner.  Anyways I tried this new recipe my friend Shar gave me and I had an old packet of gravy mix...which apparently had passed it's prime....so it did not have much flavor.  The Filet Mignon was great just as it is with a bit of Worcestershire in it.  Who does not love Worcestershire?  MMMMM...I also made the Pots de Creme...and they were not as rich and flavorful as the Chocolate ones I had had before.  So the Valentine Dinner was somewhat of a flop but Breakfast was GOOD!!

Well, It's been raining here in California on and off for a few weeks.  It's nice to see the local mountains covered in Snow...nothing makes my heart smile more then driving up the street and catching a glimpse of the snow capped mountains in Big Bear!! But between the rains..it's been very warm like in the high 70's low 80's.  { I know you people that live where it snows, want to kill me for mentioning this}..I'm truly sorry...but we do pay the price living in Calif just look at the cost of housing, it is ridiculous..anyways....

So I've been feeling pretty darn good the last several weeks since my surgery.  My energy level is up and I've been getting antsy so last Wed I decide to pull some weeds in my garden and trim my hedges.  But once you start cleaning up everything looks a little bare so you need to head to the local nursery and see what plants may strike your fancy to plant in the garden {that's looking so naked}.  So my girlfriend says, Yea lets go to "Bluehills", it is our local Nursery and the plants are always quality plants, more expensive then my local Home Depot or Lowe's but they last a long time and I don't seem to "kill" as many of them.  So we go.  Every spring I get one of the hanging baskets, they didn't even have them unwrapped from the brown paper before I had it in my cart..

I love how the Bacopa drapes over and the yellow of the bluebells reminds me of a Cottage by the beach...remember this this Lavender Bluebell    from last year...Wow was she not a beauty!!!  She was so healthy and the palest of Lavendaer.  But I'm not big on the plastic containers they come in,  when I found these white wicker baskets at Armstrong's a few years ago I got two.  These one needs a bit of some spray paint though..before it will be good to go for spring and through the summer.

I forgot to get some potting soil when I was at the nursery so my friend {she is on a mission to get bulbs to plant and wants to go to Costco} we tootle on over to Costco and they have some great plants over there...look at this cute basket of cooking herbs I picked up...which I plan on replanting in my mop bucket and adding the cute silverware herb markers to it.

Then I saw this...

with Miracle grow already in it and for only 10 bucks before I can say "Jiminy Crickets" I'm loading it in my cart...and I feel a pain..in my surgical breast.  My friend scolds me and tells me why didn't I tell her and she would of put it in the cart.  See..I'm stubborn, independent and usually very strong.  Herculean kind of strong..really I am!  One time I lifted a picnic table over my head.  I'm not lying.  One time I backhanded a biker chick and she ran with her tail between her legs.  Not proud of those moments but it is what it is. So I forget that I have this "li'l problem" and I'm not supposed to lift over like 5 lbs. 

I don't know what 55 quarts translated{math is not my strong suit} to but it was heavy.  Really heavy.  I'm a dummy...I should of known better.  I just somehow don't want to not think of my BC so I don't and I put it out of my mind.  Well now I have a very painful reminder because I'm back on heavy meds to control the pain.  As I look out the window wishing and hoping I can start with spring planting.  I just hope nothing dies until I'm well enough to tackle the gardening.   Anyone know a gardener for hire?
  
 
 

Beautiful Flowers for Beautiful People

Thank you to my wonderful friends and supporters...thanks for all the well wishes in a fast recovery, thanks for all the prayers, thanks for all the meals prepared, thanks for all the sentimental cards, thanks for the beautiful fragrant flowers, thanks for taking care of my children, thanks for driving me here and there and putting up with my bossy Bettyness...I'm used to being "in charge"...and most of all thanks for just being there....you guys are the bestest friends a girl could ever have...luv you!!