Hiatus

hiatus:  an interruption in time or continuity : break; especially : a period when something (as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted (source)

I've taken a hiatus from blogging lately. There's lots happening this time of year and I'm thankful to be more involved in the goings-on this time around compared to 2011! Still have much to say, process, and share...so I hope you continue reading/following this blog in 2013.

For now, I'd like to share a holiday greeting with you all:

We wish you a merry Christmas, 

peace in your minds, 

and love in your hearts.

-Laura & Joshua

Do what you love

A friend asked me to participate in a holiday bazaar with her in early November. Before I had much chance to overthink things (which oftentimes leaves me in a place of doubt), I said "Yes!" So glad I did.  :)  Signing up gave us a bonafide excuse to get crafty! It lifted my spirits to know I had something creative to work on and it propelled me through October, which wasn't an easy emotional time for me.

Was it a success? I'd say so.

Early on, this little grasshopper decided to practice something: letting go of expectations. After all, letting go of expectations helps one be in a more peaceful/content mind space. The final tally on sold items or money earned was not the objective. It was all about the experience. (Full disclosure: okay, so I kinda-sorta really hoped to at least make back what I paid to participate in the bazaar, which I did.) I found that I was much more pleased about the whole experience having taken that approach. BTW: Jo seems to have already mastered this life lesson. She's smart like that.

Between the two of us, there were: greeting cards, decoupaged tissue boxes, beaded snowflakes, beaded stars/trees/angels, decoupaged Santa cookie plates/platters, key fobs, felt flower magnets, decoupaged cookie tins, and more.

Laura and Jo ... sittin' at a table ... S-M-I-L-I-N-G!

Jo modeling the snowflakes
...as earrings. She so silly.

The beaded clip display -
in action!

This year's holiday bazaar led to many more creative hours spent in my studio. Artful time gives me peace of mind. Is it odd to say that it reminds me of swimming? -- It does!

When swimming laps in the past, I'd get into a rhythm and have a jingle playing in my head (in a loop) or have some great songs with motivational beats in mind to help keep a consistent pace. My brain somehow mulled things over (factoids for a test, interactions with others that day, the latest and greatest "problem" in my eyes) while I was swimming laps. Sometimes I was purposefully thoughtful; other times not so much. But that time was mine; I was being physical, letting go of stress, thinking things over, coming up with ideas... you get the picture.

Well, same thing when I'm in my studio: I enjoy playing music that matches my creative rhythm on any particular day. On low energy days, music helps me get into the creative mind frame  Other days it helps me stay motivated, masks my tinnitus, gets me excited, reminds me of days past, or allows me to mull things over.

This Huffington Post article shares study results that art therapy and mindfulness training lead to decreased stress in breast cancer patients. And - what the heck - I'll go out on a limb and make the assertion that if it's good for "us" it's probably good for all.

Would I care for another helping of creativity and mindfulness? Yes, please! If it feels as good as it does, allows ideas to percolate, and reduces stress and anxiety...BRING IT ON.

Artsy pics of some of the beaded snowflakes.
These can be used as tree ornaments or winter window decorations.

Card and/or photo clip display sets.

Oct-Nov Pictorial Roundup

October:

We attended the Breasts of Colorado Gala.

CO received its first snowfall (dusting, really) of the season.

.

I attended a gong bath.

Spent some time with BC friends...

...where we discussed the efficacy of ionized foot baths.

Joshua had LASIK surgery.

Eye watched the whole thing. :)

We took an art class together
 and learned about sgraffito -
a ceramic technique that means
'to scrape away.'

Dad visited us for a few days.

Got a massage and a new 'do all at once!

Jo and I let our tagging/graffiti artist
alter egos out to play...

...with water bottle in-hand.

November:

I participated in a holiday bazaar. 

Joshua made a sturdy holder
for the budding bottle tree.

One day the 3 of us sent funny pictures to each other;
Joshua made this wild collage of our faces.

Snuggled with our cuddly cat.
One of my favorite things.

We enjoyed cooking together on Thanksgiving.

What's a better way to recover from turkey overdose
than platefuls of sushi?

Therapy

Never underestimate the power of a great therapist. Or therapists!

Seriously.

Some might shirk at the idea of adding therapy to a "to do" list during a serious illness. However, it's sometimes wise to dive deep into the muck and get a-workin' on some core issues. Sure, it's messy. Yes, it can be uncomfortable. And you are choosing to do the hard work amidst an already stressful and gut-wrenching time in your life.

Still, there are significant benefits in combining therapy appointments with your cancer journey:

• You've got a pro "checking your head" and shepherding your mind through a rough wanna-make-you-crazy kind of situation.
• Situations/people that were once tolerable may be less so; time to learn how to better handle these.
• Boogers in your marriage/relationship(s) lines of communication can be cleared.
• You and your spouse can learn to work better together through a trying time.

Pinktober is Over

This relevant and thoughtful blog post written by Alexis, a BC survivor, really got my wheels turning at the beginning of October. I had in mind doing some sort of blog post about October being breast cancer awareness month, but wasn't sure how to go about it until I read and digested her post. Awareness can be a double-edged sword.

Metastatic breast cancer
awareness ribbon

I'm sure many readers were aware all of last month was dedicated to breast cancer awareness. How many of you also know that Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day was October 13? Do you know what that ribbon looks like? Check it out----->

FYI: metastasis (meh-TAS-tuh-sis): The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed by cells that have spread is called a “metastatic tumor” or a “metastasis.” The metastatic tumor contains cells that are like those in the original (primary) tumor. The plural form of metastasis is metastases (meh-TAS-tuh-SEEZ). source

Visibility and acceptance of metastatic breast cancer patients is important; they want new treatments that are less toxic and help them live longer. During Pinktober, I can easily see how some of the metastatic breast cancer population feels like the collective "we" have given up on them. After all, what does Pinktober's fundraising really give in the way of support to that subset of breast cancer patients?

Did you know that another type of cancer awareness is also in October? No? (It's liver cancer by the way.) WHY WOULD YOU?!! Everything's gone up in PINK! On Wikipedia, I found a list of ribbon colors and what their awareness meanings are; my head is spinning!

So Pinktober is over...and I'm relieved. It's as though the entire month of October has pinkwashed the world over. And, while it is and has been a fantastic cause (pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness), I believe the message has been received and time, energy, and money could now be arguably better spent on a CURE. Early detection is all good and fine, but it does not equal a cure.

The tip of the rose-colored iceburg:
some pink items, emails, and ridiculousness I ran across in October 2012.
~click to enlarge, some are bound to grip your attention~

I'm appalled at some of the claims of "raising funds for breast cancer research" that some companies use to sell their products. But the most repulsive sales pitch I came across this year was this:

Who thought that was a good idea? Perhaps more importantly...did this sleazy sales schtick actually work? How is it that women will be exploited so that a penny will go for research for every 30 videos men watch? How the heck is this "the most genius initiative to raise money for an important cause"? This is beyond my understanding and tolerance, and is wrong on so many levels.

Even batteries at Home Depot fall prey to the almighty pink.
Thanks, dad, for sending this my way.

Think Before You Pink, a project of Breast Cancer Action, calls for more transparency and accountability by companies that take part in breast cancer fundraising, and encourages consumers to ask critical questions about pink ribbon promotions. Breast Cancer Action is the only national breast cancer organization that does not accept funding from entities that profit from or contribute to cancer, including the pharmaceutical industry.

I encourage you to visit the above links and learn how to become informed about how to make better purchasing decisions by discovering:

• how much money from your purchase goes to support breast cancer programs
• what organization gets the money and how they will use the funds
• if there is a cap on the amount the company will donate
• if this purchase puts you or someone else at risk for exposure to toxins related to breast cancer (or anything else, really!)

That last bullet is a zinger, and you'd be surprised. Then again, maybe not.

What are your thoughts?

Gongs Away!

A month ago today, I attended my first ever gong bath with Ann. It was a unique experience! I'd like to share what I learned about gong baths and some of my observances with you. I'll begin by being upfront with what I thought it would be like - then tell you what it really was like.

What I imagined:

• there would be a ton of gongs there making a bunch of noise - might be good noise; might be bad noise
• there would be lots of granola hippies there
• there might be an uber granola hippie that broke into twirling action during the gong session (think whirling dervishes)     Rach, that reference is for you!
• my ears might not be able to handle the stimulation
• a lot of "energy" speak could happen
• how could I stay still for 90 minutes?
• how could this guy possibly play a gong for 90 minutes??

What I experienced:

There were a handful of hippies there, but nobody quite as airy-fairy as I expected. Okay, except one gal that was pretty spacey and focused on sharing her deep, meaningful experiences (past and present). But this post isn't about her! :) Most folks looked like your average, everyday person. The one thing that you couldn't see that was palpable was that everyone seemed to be there for a reason.

Richard and his gong.

Ann and I got there early to ensure a "good seat" relative to Richard Rudis and his gong setup. "What's a good seat at a gong bath?" I inquired. "Close up!" said Ann. We chose a spot directly behind Richard and his gong. (Truth be told, Ann wanted to semi-spy on Richard during the performance so she could check out his techniques. The sound is also so piercingly crisp up close.) We set up our yoga mats, makeshift pillows, blankets, etc. I learned that the recommended positioning for a gong bath is with your head closest to the gong. As more people came in, they set up their mats in a starburst pattern around Richard.

We used the time before his performance to check out items being sold at the event: Tibetan singing bowls, tingshaws, gantas and vajras, crystals, and special oxygenated water (!). We played every one of the bowls and balked at the prices. We passed the time quickly.

All the lights were turned off before the performance. Richard explained a bit about how his performance would begin, crescendo, and end. And then it began. The tingshaws were used first. Then a singing bowl. Sounds from singing bowls are like chicken noodle soup; they're comforting, warm, and nurturing. They can help settle all the mind chaos and chatter that's bouncing to and fro in your noggin.

HALF of the striking tools used.

Then the gong. Oh, that gong! Who knew a gong could make such a variety of tones and sounds. As you can tell from the pictures here, he had MANY different striking tools to use. It was a cacophony of sounds with the volume waxing and waning. It didn't take long before my brain started floating a sinusoidal path like the gong's sound waves...in and out, high and low, deep relaxation and profound awareness. It was all very cool. (I did have to plug my ears for a few minutes during the ultimate crescendo of the gong.) I imagined that if a gong sound could look like something, it would be a concentric path of sorts.

The other half of the striking tools, a singing bowl
(with a neat fabric cover for transport), and a tingshaw.

The performance came to a close the same way it began; with a singing bowl and the tingshaws. The gong bath concluded with us eating a piece of dark chocolate (70+%) to release endorphins. The entire 90 minutes passed quickly and I felt relaxed and serene afterwards. Would I do it again? -- Absolutely!


More about gong baths:

- If attending a gong bath, you might want to bring:

• a good mat/pad (yoga mat or sleeping/camping pad) lay on - you'll be laying down for the entire experience
• comfortable clothes
• water - always good to stay hydrated
• pillow or other prop for your head - for comfort
• objects to heal - think paper pieces with names of those who need healing, or objects you may want to "cleanse," etc.)
• blanket - your body temperature will decline as you lay there during the experience

- Gong baths are said to positively affect all cells in your body. Sound strange? Check out this video to see and decide for yourself.
- Richard says his gong baths are about empowering people to heal themselves through creating the ground conditions for transformation to occur. The gong helps participants release traumas held in cellular memory and awakens them to an expanded state of consciousness. (Source URL)


More about Richard:
- Read this fairly recent (6/2011) Denver Post article written about Richard, his gong sessions, and how a Buddhist Temple complex changed his life.
- Richard also plays at a place called The Star House in Boulder, CO.

A Reminder

Everyone knows what's being plastered everywhere this month: pink. And you all know why. 'Nuff said. 

Like most people, I tend to be attracted to fun, enjoyable things and shy away from painful stuff. I also like smatterings of cheeky, irreverent stuff too. The video below is a lighthearted (and good looking!) take on breast health. Please watch it (< 2.5 minutes). You can choose to take it one step further and download The Man Reminder app (available on iPhone and Andriod). But really - the best action you can take is to give your breasts some TLC...regularly.

For those of you (female and male) that still have their originals, puh-lease touch, look, and check your boobies! Several times this month, I've ran into several women in the medical field that admit not doing their breast self exams regularly. Why aren't we all more mindful about our own health? Wouldn't it be great to really know your body - so much so that at the first hint of something being "off," you'd recognize it? Being that familiar with your (or your loved one's) boobies can really make a difference, medically speaking.

11 week follow-up

Eleven weeks ago, I had my expanders taken out and my implants put in. I also opted to have my chest port taken out during the surgery. Here's what's going on now:

Yesterday's follow up went really well with my plastic surgeon.

I've healed really well! I am cleared to fly, swim (YAY!), and do pretty much anything without physical restrictions. With the exception of swinging from trees, I can pretty much do anything I'm capable of...while watching for arm/trunk swelling on my radiated (right) side.

I should check my breasts regularly for discoloration, discharge, or any redness/swelling (esp. on radiated side). Being familiar with them - by doing daily massages, stretches, and visual checks - will serve me well because I'll be able to tell if something is awry. After all, it pays to be familiar with your bits and pieces.

PSA: Ladies, have you given yourselves a breast check lately? Please do so! 

The bulk of the appointment (to my surprise) revolved around revision surgery and nipple reconstruction surgery. I'm not wanting to jump into either of those surgeries. First, I want to recover and feel great physically before signing on for more 'fun'.

In other Earth-shattering news, am finding that the more I touch all over my chest and my right underarm/torso/arm sensitive areas, the less they "zing" when touched. Pretty cool. It seemed to help me recover well last time; of course, it also might just be a time thing. But I don't think so! I just might be onto something here.   :)

The Deep Blue

A sunset in Littleton.

The active job of medically "fighting" cancer is over. It's recovery time. Time to gradually build back my strength and to maintain exercise, nutrition, and other health factors in my life.

What an interesting place to be. I've been through the "cancer machine" and now have emerged from the machine a changed person in several ways. Most obviously physically--but mentally, too. What a trip it is to be diagnosed with cancer. It's been an adventure indeed and odd to have been, in some ways, fighting against my own body. After all, my body's errant cells refused to act normally and took their bad behavior as far and as quickly as they could.

Right now, there's a lot going on 'upstairs.' I'm ruminating on what has happened in the last ~2 years... looking at life through changed (aware? experienced?) eyes... wondering what it's going to be like to let go of my latest full-time job: understanding the complexities of cancer... thinking about what I want my life to be like and about... learning... It's deep stuff, these thoughts. Most thoughts are rational; some are not. They ebb and flow. Some thoughts are light in weight and color. Others are deep blue, heavy, and make me feel like I'm sinking.

I've been collecting quotes of various types throughout my life. Throughout this journey, I've found some that speak loudly to me in one way or the other. Here are some that are helping me through some of the deep blue thoughts:

• Why is it that we're so scared to live and yet so afraid to die?
• Try to explore and indulge in the feelings for no more than three days, and then move on. 
• Don't delay the happy.
• Promote what you love.
• You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.  ~Mae West
• I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.  ~Maya Angelou

In June 2011, getting to this time period (post-surgery, radiation, chemo, etc.) seemed SO far away. I wondered: Do I have what it takes to get through all of what is in front of me? Will I see my next birthday? Will I see my 40th? Why did this happen to me? Will I ever look or feel "normal" again? When will I regain my physical strength? There were/are so many questions, doubts, and mind-bending thoughts back then. Some till exist today; I'd be lying if I said they were all gone.

And yet, here I am.

Emerging during a glorious time of year and doing my best to to take life one day at a time.

An Ode to Autumn

How beautifully leaves grow old. 

How full of light and color are their last days.

-John Burroughs, naturalist

Sound Healing

Anyone ever heard of sound healing? I hadn't until recently.

Sound healing uses vibrational sound to help reduce stress, alter consciousness and create a deep sense of peace, well being and better health. (from http://www.soundenergyhealing.com/pages/aboutSoundEnergy.html)

Ann, with some of her singing bowls.

Enter Ann, my massage therapist. She's always on the lookout for new therapies that will benefit her clients. One type of client demographic she'd like to be able to include are individuals that are touch sensitive. For example: people with PTSD, fibromyalgia, going through chemo, etc. and are sensitive to touch.

She's educated herself about sound healing and explained its basic principles to me. Interesting stuff! Here's some Q&A she shared with me that I found helpful in understanding the principles of sound healing and how it works.

The Science of Sound
Brainwaves are the electrical patterns emitted by the brain, and, as such, they respond to frequencies. These waves change frequency due to the neural activity in the brain. Sound Therapy can affect that activity by applying specific frequencies using various instruments. When we present rhythm, beats, tones, and pulses to the brain, it begins to mimic them. The process is called entrainment. In effect, the sound instruments ‘speak’ to the brain in its own language; the language of frequencies. Brainwave frequencies determine what state we are in at any given moment.

When clients turn their attention to the sounds created in the sessions, the brain-chatter turns off and a deep peace overtakes them. We can use sound therapy to achieve specific goals, ie: relaxation, learning, uplifting, energizing and so on.

How do the vibrations from the singing bowls help in the healing process disease?
1. Restoring the normal vibratory frequencies of the diseased, out-of-harmony parts of the body. Since all matter is energy vibrating at different rates, by altering the rate of vibration we can change the structure of matter.
2. Sound from the bowls entrain the brain to move into the deeper Alpha and Theta brain wave frequencies that induce deep meditative and peaceful states, clarity of mind, and intuition.
3. When placed directly on the body the sound vibrations are transmitted into our blood, organs, tissues, and cellular memory through the 80% water in our system.
4. The sound vibrations impact our nervous system, engaging our relaxation reflex and inhibiting the stress or pain response. It reduces brain wave activity, slows the respiratory and heart rate creating 'Cardio-Respiratory Synchronicity'—the perfect condition to bring the body back into alignment.
5. Sound induces trance states of consciousness conducive to healing. Their sound synchronizes sentient brain waves and creates a therapeutic effect upon the mind/body realization. They stop one's internal dialog, the 'Monkey Mind.' The individual is transported into a space of tranquility and balance.
6. The ensuing sympathetic resonance between brain and bowls reawakens the intrinsic blissful self in us. The healing process is initiated by entraining our brainwaves and creating sympathetic resonance with the perfect vibrations of the bowls.
7. Positive thinking can strengthen your immune system and change your life. The combination of the sound vibration of the bowls with positive visualization and affirmations will greatly enhance the healing experience.

More about Ann's Sound Sessions

Ann uses a variety of instruments during her sound healing sessions.

-tibetan bowls
-tuning forks
-crystal bowls
-rin gongs
-tingshaws
-temple bells
-gongs

After a healing session last week, I experienced a profound difference in my mental state. Before the appointment, I was zipping here and there, trying to juggle errands, remember what to do, etc. I was a bit frantic and frazzled - a common status for my brain the past few weeks. It was as if the sound waves and my brain patterns wrestled for a while at the beginning of the session, but the singing bowls won in the end. They calmed down all my mind chatter and I felt SO MUCH MORE at peace!  It was wonderful and brought me back to a place I hadn't been in a while.

Partly based on my peaceful mind experience after the sound session, I'm saying "Yes!" to going to a 1.5 hour gong bath this weekend with Ann. Hope to experience some good vibrations during and after Richard Rudis' gong bath.

Ann Martin, CMT

Transforming Body, Psyche & Soul

303-378-6250

How Do You Heal?

A quick update today on my physical healing. Last week's follow-up with my plastic surgeon, Dr. B, went well.

• For a little over a week before the appointment, I had a tiny area on my right (radiated) scar that looked a little bothered. It got red for a couple of days, but never got too inflamed. Turns out it was a spitting stitch. Because of all of the breast tissue being "carved out" and only a thin layer of skin remains over the implants at the scar line, this stitch wasn't wanting to be absorbed into my body. So Dr. B grabbed a couple of tools and pulled it out. Easy-peasy. There's now an indented hole where the stitch was that I'll have to put Neosporin/gauze on daily and keep an eye on. It should fill in over the next month. 
• Because of the above happening, I'm still a no-go in pools and hot tubs. Pfft!
• Got a near complete (b/c of stitch mentioned above) go-ahead to gradually begin ramping up my activity.
• Time to go bra shopping - yay! I may still be a teensy bit poofy on my right side, but that has drastically decreased over the last few weeks, so it's time to get fitted. Looking forward to not wearing the surgical bra and Warner's bras all the time. 
• Dr. B says I'm free to roam about the country, although he said I'd probably get some fluid build-up in my breast and trunk. I think I'll hold off a while longer so I'm comfortable when I do travel. I could tell when driving in the mountains at 10,000-12,000 feet that my body reacted to the altitude. Good thing I remembered to wear the lymphedema sleeve and gauntlet!

Guest Blogger: Aunt Sandy and the Alkaline Diet

Aunt Sandy has visited us throughout the entire BC journey. She's seen the effects of chemo/surgeries/radiation on me and the mental struggles we've gone through. She is also a witness to how our eating habits have shifted and has become quite a knowledgeable balanced pH lifestyle supporter! I asked Sandy to guest blog about her own nutritional experience this past year.

Take it away, Sandy!

~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ 

Eating better…and feeling better thanks to Joshua and Laura! During my trips to Colorado these past several months, I have been exposed to food choices I had never tried and ingredients I couldn’t even pronounce! While visiting, I wanted to honor the diet that Laura and Joshua had adopted to help Laura put her body in the best cancer-fighting position possible!

One of Sandy's omelettes...
with home grown sprouts!

What I have learned is a great, healthy way to eat and live! Even though I have valued healthy eating and exercising most of my life, I realized I had more to learn. I purchased the book, The pH Balance Diet, by Bharti Vyas & Suzann Le Quesne, after coming back to Oklahoma to learn more about the “hows and whys” of the alkaline balanced way of eating. The word “diet” in the book’s title sounds very restrictive, but really…it is not! I am eating my fill and feeling better; I also have more energy and have lost weight by adjusting what I eat!

It would be impossible to explain all I have learned in this single blog post, but here is a summary:

Eliminate Toxins, Lose Weight, and Increase Energy
When naturally balanced, your body is alkaline. A diet high in meat, dairy, and sugar overwhelms your body with acidic waste, resulting in weight gain, low energy, poor skin, and brittle bones. An alkaline diet also helps with fibromyalgia pain and chronic fatigue.

The pH Balance Diet explains how to correct imbalances, eliminate toxic overload and reverse acid buildup. It offers a gradual, healthy approach to restoring your body's natural acid-alkaline balance, including:

• Easy-to-follow, three-phase program
• Tips on how to eat fewer acid-forming foods
• A handy list of the top 80 alkaline-forming foods
• Information on free radicals and antioxidants

In a Nutshell…
I have tried to avoid (or severely limit!): sugar, simple carbohydrates, refined and processed foods, dairy food products, processed salt, saturated and other unhealthy fats, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners.

Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry

I have eaten (in generous amounts): dark green & yellow vegetables and fruit. I don’t think I have ever eaten so many veggies! I have enjoyed trying new recipes and exchanging ideas with Linda, Laura, and Joshua.

The book includes over 40 quick and delicious recipes featuring alkaline-forming ingredients such as avocados, cantaloupe, eggplant, kiwis, lentils, mushrooms, peppers, rye bread, salmon, soymilk, turkey, and wild rice.

I would also recommend reading Eat to Live, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (really good!) and The pH Miracle, by Robert Young & Shelley Redford Young.

I am so thankful for all this new information and am excited about the good results. I am convinced it is very worthwhile to give this book … The pH Balance Diet … a look!

Meeting New Peeps

Kris and Karen - another strong couple who have
worked through cancer together. They're avid travelers,
have huge hearts, and are great snowshoe buddies!

It feels great to forge new friendships that will be cultivated for a reason, season, or lifetime.

Thanks to breast cancer and my being open to getting to know folks, I've met and hope to continue to meet new people near and far. There's something different in the air when you meet other peeps who are also walking along a different life trajectory because of cancer. You can cut through the surface-level talk quickly and dive deep. You can feel a sense of understanding. Of empathy. Of sisterhood.

Don't get me wrong - just because two people have/had cancer doesn't mean you're going to be besties. It's just like everybody else; some gel with you and others don't. However, what a rewarding experience when a budding relationship comes along because of something not-so-great in life. Another silver lining.

Earlier in 2012...
Me, Dakota, Stephanie, and Jo - Officially known as the Can-Can girls!
(for more than one reason)

Jo multitasking at Dakota's workplace.

Me, Dakota, and Stephanie hamming it up at Dial Global.

The Can-Can girls are a breath of fresh air. We talk about anything and everything...so long as we can remember what we're talking about!  :)  Anything goes and nothing is taboo. We get silly, talk serious, and have lots of belly laughs together. Interested in learning more about these other fantastic women? Good! Jo and Stephanie both have blogs (click their names and you'll be transported to their sites).

Vicki's wenis.

At a bigger group gathering recently, I met a gaggle of women that were engaging, intelligent, and fun. And nearly all of us are cancer survivors. One of the women taught us all what a wenis is...and there were a TON of belly laughs when we all started comparing wenises/weni. Oh, the jokes just kept on coming!

Didja know?
wenis: the extra skin on your elbow

And, of course, there's a bunch of "dependables" -- peeps near and far who have been courageous enough to share the suffering with me. These are family, friends, neighbors, pen pals, acquaintances, and some individuals that I've never met in person. You know who you are. 

Some of my nearby dependables: Sarah, moi, Denise, Chana
So creative! They brought 2 "jugs" of flowers to celebrate Laura, version 3.0!

Thanks to ALL you peeps for your support and friendship!