Champions

I have radiation this morning at 11:45am. I am a little anxious for it although I know it will be easy by all accounts I have heard. I have my cream ready thanks to my sweet Connie. I have been busy with work like the old days. I enjoy it, but I lose priorities some times.

On Thursday night, as outgoing President for Louisville Chapter at CSI, my theme was champions and I spoke about how to be a champion, which some of you have read my thoughts on this in a previous post or heard me talk about it. My thoughts that night… I picked out 5 local champions and included quotes from them. The idea is that each of these champions demonstrate an important perspective of being a champion….Muhammad Ali=perseverance, Mario Gutierrez=Dedication, Fuzzy Zoeller=talent, Eli Manning=overcoming adversity, John Calapari=team. Each of these concepts are ones that we can take away and apply to ourselves. I added how some people in this world are champions of people and how we need to do this for each other, and I have seen this in my own journey. I noted that the members have been champions for CSI. We need to apply these concepts to our lives and be champions and not be overly consumed in work, etc. J Some people found it inspirational.

The issue here is that while this is inspirational to some and to me, we have to find ways to hold on to it. These are important concepts just as my faith in God is important to me. I think we get busy and eliminate things that are not immediately gratifying or rewarding to us personally. We have been given this life to live in its fullest when its according to God's plan. Sometimes I think we try to run our lives how we think is best, and it turns out weak and disappointing.

I pray this day that, while I am cancer free and moving to another treatment phase and progressing through this journey, I can continue my shift of priorities. Keep God first, and my family and friends, and work follow. Put away my "self" tendencies in this consuming culture, allow for margins in my life and live God's plan and ask him for it. I pray this for my friends. I pray that we live, not according to this culture's standards, but by God's standards beyond things, idols, tv commercials. I pray we can discern God's voice over all others. I pray that we can give thanks and be generous with all that we have. Amen!

Update 6/15/12

Well HI!!  How are y'all? :)  I am doing really good since I have been released from chemo!  What a wonderful thing!  I have not started radiation yet.  I start Tuesday, 6/19 and end Friday 8/3.  This is for 33 treatments (down from 37 that they had told me) every day five days per week, M-F at 9:15am.  I have 6 qty 1" or so tuquoise blue "X"'s on me so that they know where to laser me (that's the best way to say it, I guess).  This will be much easier than the chemo.  I expect I should continue about my normal day.  They say there is fatigue and sunburn/tightness feeling in skin, especially as time goes on.  My hair is coming back.  It's very curly and very dark with gray- I would like to say it was the chemo that did that, but don't think so- I think it was Lynn Imaging, just a hunch- okay or my husband. ;) Kidding. :) 

I have been working a lot lately.  Feel kind of back to how things were...always behind, always rushing. :)  I need to work on this.  I ate well for about a week.  I was inspired and had the momentum to last me a few days.  Will be getting back on that soon.  Maybe have to do a formal WW meeting? 

Love to you!
Amanda

Yeee Haw!

Sooo, no chemo this week! Feeling good about that! Had a CT scan yesterday and I have no cancer present! That's a good feeling! I also learned through appt with OBGYN that I don't have to take out ovaries in order to avoid estrogen. I learned that I may stay in menopause if things dont return to normal within 6 months or so. I also had my annual exam done which was WAY overdue which got me into this mess in the first place! Ladies- get your annual exam and mammograms done!!!!!!!! Seriously- don't put it off. Men- get your colons and prostates checked!

So it was a productive day! At the CT scan, they have you drink 2 big things of a milky substance and then they inject iodine based fluid into your veins. Tech says as she is injecting it, "it's going to feel warm, you will have metallic taste, and you will feel like you peed yourself.". Glad I didn't really pee on myself. She was right though, sure did feel like it. Haha!

I have appt with dermatologist today to see about these fingernails. They are coming off nailbed and I am concerned about bacteria. But they are atached enough that I cant rip them off, sorry of TMI. So maybe surgically remove them? I will find out!

My mtg w Radiation Oncologist is on Thursday. Will find out schedule for the summer.

I am dedicated to eating healthy and whole foods. Day 2. :). I read that fat makes estrogen which feeds my cancer. So, a REAL good reason to drop it like a hot potato!! :). Seriously!

Love to you!
Amanda