Coping With Cancer

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

I think of all the years my husband has rolled out of bed when he was called into the hospital during the night and taken care not to wake me. In the early years, every time the phone would ring, I would wake up and have trouble going back to sleep. Then, as that...

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The Dammit Doll

My most humble and sincere apologies (is that over doing it?) for not sharing my new friend with you sooner.  I thought I had, but after several requests yesterday, I must blame it on chemo brain.  Shortly after my diagnosis, my good friend Debbie sent this doll to me...

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Blowing up Pumpkins – 25% Done!

    Blowing up a pumpkin is therapeutic, I don't care who you are. It makes me laugh. While I find a year of chemo daunting, it does give me many opportunities to have some fun. Phase I, the super sucky phase, required some form of therapy to mark the...

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Meet Raquel

On Monday, I went wig shopping with Gene, Danielle and Shawn (my amazing hair stylist), and it wasn't as fun as I had anticipated.  I thought we would go to a wig shop where there would be lots of wigs and I would try them on and then maybe have to order a different...

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Sleep

Isn't it amazing the difference that a little sleep can bring? Just prior to surgery, a breast cancer survivor sent me an email to make sure I had lots of pillows. I happen to be a person who regularly purchases new pillows in search of the perfect pillow, so I...

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Waiting

I have mentioned to several friends that waiting is the hardest part of Breast Cancer so far. Waiting for the mammogram. Waiting for the biopsy. Waiting for the pathology report. Waiting for the treatment plan. And now, waiting for surgery. I chose to look at this two...

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“What Can I Do?”

I am surrounded by positive and proactive people.  The first thing that most of you ask is, "What can I do to help?"  This questions exhausted me at first, but with the help of a couple of friends, I have come up with a reply.  First and foremost, you can make sure...

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The Witching Hour

I'm not sleeping well.  Somewhere between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. I wake up and can't get back to sleep.  My brain starts spinning and a million thoughts go through my head.  What can I control?  What can't I control?  What can I do to get organized (this coming from...

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The posts on this page were added at the request of several of my readers who wanted “the fun stories to continue.” Some are dedicated to a friend in her last weeks of life. These posts are a mix of travel adventures and random experiences and are in date order with the newest post on top.

Help Support Breast Cancer Patients

All proceeds from book sales are donated to two local non-profit funds to help breast cancer patients afford diagnosis and care. Virginia Gay Hospital Gifts of Hope provides free mammograms and diagnostic services and is supported by the Benton County Survivors Group; and the Hall-Perrine Hope Fund helps cancer patients pay for emergency needs.