WELCOME

Hello,
Welcome to my Blog! Yes, I have been in the fight of my life against Leukemia, insomnia, depression, side effects of medications, molting skin, pooping my pants and this list goes on.... however, I still love my life, and that's what this blog is about Real Life. I hope to meet others who trails have brought them closer to the Lord and molded them for the next step in God's will. In January 2011 , my family, physician, and Be the Match was featured on a Fox 5 news story about bone marrow donors and transplants. In March, I was interviewed on Atlanta and Company along with Be the Match. I was chosen to sing the national anthem at the Be the Match Run last year and will also be doing it this year, along with some other songs. My team, no thanks to me, raised over $4,000 and raised more than any other team! Please join my team this year or consider donating here at the Run those Stem cells out ! Team I was also chosen for a patient advocacy panel for the international council meeting at Be the Match in MN in November. How exciting!! I ended up not being able to attend due to the relapse. I had hoped I could help raise awareness about how easy it is to sign up to be a donor and how many people need your help! Please go to bethematch.org and sign up! I was able to have my bone marrow (same as stem cell) transplant at the end of March thanks to a 22 year old donor oversees that I hope to meet her one day. As I came up on my 6th month mark and continued to add more normal activities to our lives, I relapsed, meaning that the that the cancer had mutated and the leukemia came back. I spent 2 more weeks at Emory and some other nights here and there and now I'm on a drug from the FDA. I have a compassion waiver so I am able to get it. I have to take it day by day sometimes hour by hour. Time keeps moving and my little girl is growing up. I'm lucky that I'm getting to see it. I continue to praise God for his wonderful blessings he has shown us including my wonderful husband Jonathan, baby girl Evalyn Rose, supportive family and friend, great medical care, new readers, and the chance to make a big difference, even if that means being a Lab Rat.
God Bless You!

Please read, comment, enjoy, learn, grow, LOVE LIFE.

Most Recently I have started a booth at a local consignment store with handmade jewelry from friends, crafts, and my own art from recycled materials. It is called DAY by DAY. God was very clear with me starting this. Please look over to the right of blog and click on Day by Day to see some pictures. I'm just getting started but I am taking orders from people that I know. You will be able to personalize items, etc. I just haven't decided how I will be selling them via internet yet. But for now, the jewelry is at A Weekend A'fair in Athens, GA and will hopefully be at some stores downtown soon.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Holy Hair, 11 months, and Many Father's Day


Check out my new shades!!
        
The three of us went to Dickeys for Father's Day and kids ate free.....awesome!
                 It's a weird feeling to all of a sudden have hair growing everywhere, even places it didn't before, when you have been smooth sailing for the last 6 months. I had a mustache. No lie. Everyone acted like they didn't notice then someone close to me said " oh your talking about the hair on your upper lip." So I brought this thing epecially for women to shave it off and I did. If I start having hair in my ears we are going to have to stop the Be The Match fundraiser and start an electrolosis fundraiser. My eyebrows are pretty awesome though. Mine have always been very thin and light. Well right now they big, bushy, and dark, that is until I had them waxed last week. Now, the hair on my head is well, gross. So you know what we did? We shaved it, and we are going to start over. I think I really like being bald but I'm interested in what it will be like. Just not sure how patient I can be before I want to shave it off. Enough about hair.....
            Evalyn turned 11 months this past week and is walking all over the place. She thinks she is so cool and she is of course. We are planning a big celebration on her birthday that includes her birthday, my sisters 25th (the same day) birthday, me being alive still, and Jonathan graduating. It's going to huge, fun, and a party to remember!!! Oooo, I get my picc line out July 1st, so I'll acually be able to swim or wear something that shows that area without Evalyn trying to rip out my vein. One really cute thing that Evalyn is doing right now is carrying around these tiny little books. She loves these books. She is not interested in reading them, just chewing, showing, and carrying. She loves to share, which is good until she tries to share her food with the dogs or tries to share the dogs food. She is a daddy's girl, I'm just not as much fun I guess because of lack of energy maybe and I can't  throw her around upside down and stuff. But..... she is always calling me :)

words can't even describe how cute this is
               I have many Dad's. A Dad is someone that is there when you need them and loves you and I'm lucky to have a lot of men like that in my life. Of course my Dad,Ken, and Bruce. But my uncle Mike, I claim him too. My neighbors Jim and Frank, I claim them and they claim me. This past weekend my family came up and we went to Thomas Orchards and had some yummy peach ice cream, and bought some peaches and tomatoes. Dad tried to fish, and he did fish, he just didn't catch. I didn't have enough energy to fish with him. My birthday is coming up this Sat (31 years old!!) and I'm going to buy me a light weight fishing chair so I don't have to stand up the whole time. Then, you better watch out Mr. Jim! On Wed, I'm going to take Pop and my other Dad, Bruce, out to eat and then we are going to do some riding around and Pop is going to show us some more places he built. We hope to go inside one of the houses if they are home, or at least leave a note. My uncle Fred came for a visit. He's the silly uncle that can talk like Donald Duck. You have never seen an older man text his wife as much as he does.... it's great. In Walmart, he was texting and driving one of the scooters!!
Daniel holding on to the car riding his wheele shoes, silly brother
                 The night before Father's day, we had a June birthday bash at the club house with great food, cake, and Karaoke. Tip, one of our neighbors, dressed up like Sinatra and sang some songs. My mom sang, and danced to "I feel the earth move", Jen and I did " Love Shack", and Daniel was awesome at "Twist and Shout" and "American Pie". A lot of people danced, only because the Reid family was there to get the party started!!
                Have I told you how good the Lord is to us? Well, despite all the pains, meds, and crap we are going through, we have a roof over our head (all though it leaks sometimes), food, family, friends, and a wonderful little girl and puppies. Things are not perfect but would be happy if they were? We'd be like robots I guess....  Just got off the phone with a media person for Be The Match and there will be some exciting publications on the way!! I'm a lucky girl. You're pretty lucky too.

Crap, I just found more hair on my face.

2 comments:

  1. Wow! I have read that people who have been through chemo get different colored and textured hair growing back in, but I never read anything about mustaches! I have to shave places on my face anyway, have since I was 18 or so. Bleh.

    I think bald is a good look on you. I have seen women be bald voluntarily and some of them get some pretty cool tattoos on their heads. Just a thought. ;)

    I am glad that you guys continue to have such blessings and such fun together. Evalyn is a doll. Isn't it amazing how they become such little people?

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  2. Yea, there was some on my chiny chin chin. Maybe a turtle shell ha ha. I know, I love her little personality.

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