My Relay for Life Project

I came up with a Relay for Life project that I could actually do on my own. I'm sewing photo pillows. A pillow with a frame on the front where you can insert a picture. They are turning out really pretty and I'm so excited about them.

I began last Saturday with this idea. I went to the Dollar General to get a pillow form as WalMart's were a little high (4.77). After a while the girl at the DG asked if I needed help...then directed me to the pillows. They didn't have a price tag on them so I asked and she said they were 5-6 dollars. So I laughed and put it back. I told her I was working on a Relay for Life project and was looking for something less expensive. She immediately says OH, it's for Relay? I'll donate it. I about cried! We took it to the checkout where she had brought some of her personal money (not the stores). She rang it up and it was $8. She was so happy to donate it!! I told her I'd be back with the final project.

Went to WalMart and gave them a letter I had typed up for donations and was given a $20 gift card..so that helped some too! :)

I showed the pillows at our faculty meeting and got 11 orders. :) I've been going back to WalMart again and again getting more supplies....Zach's bed is full of pillows right now!

At this writing, I have made my PRE goal of $100. and am working towards my Survivor goal of $500. I am hoping to exceed it...and I know I will because I serve a very big God.

In the meanwhile, I will go to different businesses in town to ask for donations to cover the cost of the supplies. Each pillow costs about $7. to make...$5 of that being the pillow form and I absolutely will NOT sell these without the pillow inside. Anyone wishing to donate towards supplies??? I have a PayPal button over on the right. :)

Should have been doing more.

Relay for Life is coming up in May and it has occurred to me that I should have been doing more this year for Relay. I was just sent an email from our school's team to start donations and sent it out last night. I also signed up for the Survivor's Lap. I'm looking forward to being there this year, esp. since I had to miss it last year. It's hard to believe a year has gone by and I am at the place I am now. Anyone is welcome to click on the badge to make a donation to Relay. The badge takes you to my page.

One thing that has been a boost for me is running every day. I can't believe I just said that!! lol I have NEVER been a runner...couldn't run down the hallway without getting winded. But I run with either my class on our PE days or another teacher's class when it is their day. I've unofficially made the 15 minute club, but you need to officially make each mark. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, then 12, and 15 minutes. I have promised the kids a pizza party if the ENTIRE class can make it. I do think we have a chance. And I hold the hand of anyone who looks like they are tiring.

The other thing that has been a boost is playing the piano again. Graland lugs this piano around from house to house and it gathers dust. I have always wanted to play praise music and learn how to do chords. Always...well, at least for the past 10 years I've wanted it, but just didn't know how. Well, I looked up on YouTube some tutorials and found a guy that does a good instruction. I've printed out a good handful of current praise songs and have been practicing every day. I told Graland that it was kind of funny...I look forward to the end of the school day to come home to practice and then I have to leave the piano grudgingly to go eat dinner. I have Graland's laptop sitting on the piano...so I have the music video of whatever song I'm playing to get the rhythm and full band effect. I have a long way to go, but it's been good for my heart. Abbie sings with me and she is a doll.

7 minute club

OK..each year the students have to do the 15 Minute Club. It is an above and beyond the 4 minutes that they are REQUIRED to do. And if you make the 15 min. club, you get a t-shirt and recognition. It takes many weeks to prepare the kids to make that run...beginning with getting them to run for 4 minutes, then 5, etc. Last week we began the club. 6 Minute Club. I usually run here and there with them to encourage them from dropping out. I have NO endurance at all!! I made the SIX Minute Club last week and it about killed me!! After 3 minutes I passed the coaches and said there was NO WAY I was going to make it! But I felt so bad that I was going to be the first one out, that I kept going.

So over the weekend I went to the part and ran. Half mile jog and half mile walk. I can jog maybe 2 minutes and that's it! I talked later with Donna and she said that I needed to do a baby step jog while I work up the endurance. It is very slow BUT I don't get out of breath...because once you do that, you can't recover from it. So today for the 7 minute club, I did the baby step jog and I MADE IT!!! (I also requested High School Musical music for our run!) I was so proud! I was going back to my room afterwards and ran into Donna. Well, she had a meeting to go to and wouldn't be able to run with HER kids (right after mine) and asked if I'd go in there and root them on to keep them going. So I ran ANOTHER 7 minutes...i did do a couple of slow walks and looks arounds, but I couldn't believe that I was able to do more so soon after. Getting ready I guess for the 8 minute club! :) It was funny...last week at the lunch table they were talking about Heather's husband running 20 miles (OK..he "only" did 15) and I interrupted with, Yeah? Well, I did the SIX Minute Club!!! Yes...I DID feel it was comparable!! :) I can't run down the hallway without pooping myself out...so this was a huge accomplishment! :) yeah, me!

the torture team

I went to therapy today and got a picture of my "torture team". lol The pictures are on my camera at the moment, but I'll be posting them soon.

genetic testing results

What a beautiful day for a drive! Really...it couldn't have been better! We got to the hospital early as I wanted to question the oncologists nurse about something unrelated...which turned out to be nothing. yeah! We visit the genetics person first. I am suddenly saying Oh great...I don't have a pen to write down all the information. She says, Well, there might not be much for you to write down...your test for gene mutation came back NEGATIVE! OH PRAISE GOD!!! I had prayed the night before for it to be negative...that if my girls got cancer...it wouldn't be my fault they got it. And so it won't be!!! Now hopefully they just won't get it at all! She said the chances of my getting the cancer in the other breast are very low. But I didn't write it down...so I need to call to get it mailed to me.

Then another genetics doctor spoke with us...I think we were just double booked on this thing. She told us the same thing the first consultant told us. I talked with her about getting the right breast removed and she looked kinda surprised..and said the risks were very slim, but that she wouldn't be against it, but to talk with my doctor and oncologist.

Next was plastics..Kronowitz. Visited with him quite a while. Graland said I definitely got my money's worth this time. ha ha They asked if I was interested in various "clean ups" (my terminology...not theirs). He showed my different things that needed to be done. Getting an injection underneath on the left side to make it more defined. I asked about my stomach scar..it indents...I asked if he could inject whatever there as well to smooth it out and he said he could. He told me it was my small size that makes it just draw in like that. I also have a small painful area on the right side of the stomach STILL that I can't get rid of. He said he could check it out when he does surgery next...which may be the end of July....waiting on a date.

I talked with him about removing the right breast and he was a bit taken back. I REALLY thought it would have been something they went for without question...but he is so realistic and said I should really talk with Dr. Green, my oncologist, about statistics. After getting my genetics back and looking through ALL my records, he did not advise it...that I could be doing more to the morbidity (?) I think that was his word. That I could be causing myself more harm than good if I did. But to do some research and see..according to MY personal records..if it is the right thing to do.

Then we talked about other surgeries. I said I was open to the nipple surgery and getting the right side "to match" with a lift and implant IF I decided against the removal. I DO go in during March for my one year check up when I'll see Dr. Ross and Dr. Green again...so there will be lots to talk about then. The nipple surgery takes about 45 minutes in one of the offices there...not too big a deal. The other surgery would be an overnight stay and tenderness for about 7-10 days.

my final therapy

The day finally came--I graduated from physical therapy! Talk about bittersweet. I first went there June 8...so almost exactly 8 months. Sherry measured my arm and it was normal. She checked my range of motion and it was normal. I don't remember if I mentioned before about not wearing my arm sleeve. I was getting an idea that it may be blocking the lymph in the elbow...when I take it off it just leaves a ring there like it is constricting. So I left it off for more than a week. That is when the measurements starting looking better. So I'm leaving it off until I feel I need it.

So after about 10 minutes Sherry says, Well I can't keep you anymore...we're through! I said, Oh shoot! But I didn't bring my camera! I wanted a last day picture! So we planned for next week...so I could tell her the results of my gene/plastics appointment. I am forever grateful to that wonderful group of ladies. ((hugs))