Looking back....

Just looking back in time a little bit today and wanted to share a few moments with you.

Damon with a rare hostess chocolate donut. These are, or should I say were, the tradition

whenever my Dad would visit. Not only are they not available now, but that is not a

traditional breakfast in my house...just so you know. lol

John, me, Damon, Kaili..Dad is taking the picture. We went to Talkeetna for a few hours one day summer of 2012. We didn't stay as long as we might have as one boy who shall remained unamed was having a bad afternoon and so the grownups, who I shall not name in order to protect said unamed child, got fed up and decided to head home.

Kaili in her kayak on Finger Lake. It was a great day for kayaking, till dark clouds rolled close and John ordered us out of the water. hmmph I hate orders, unless of course I am the one giving them.

Dad, smiling for his own picture. Great smile!!! Great visit, hated to see you go Dad.

 

 

 

Ava, Bode and Damon's feet. Oh and way back there I see Ari's feet too. haha Ava is saying "up, Dani, up."

Taking down the Cottonwoods!!!!

Who made this mess in my yard? No, it wasn't a tornado. Whew....They cleaned it up though and our neighbors were happy to have those darn trees gone...as were my hubby and myself.

Ava, and Bode chillin'

 

Ava chillin' with Papa (Dan) and a good book. She finally has more hair than Papa.

After the half marathon summer 2012. I was smiling on the outside, but on the inside...I was grinding my teeth, wanting to cry my legs and feet hurt so!

Mom and me after the 2012 Half Marathon. Yay us!!!!

I just wanted to share some picture memories with you. I love looking back at photos. I am sure most people do. I especially love it now, each extra year I get on this earth I like to look at the pictures of me during my fight. Me with friends, me with family, me with pets, activities we did. lol It was a good year even with all the chemo and yuckiness.
What are some of your favorite ways to remember special moments?
 What were some of your favorite moments from 2012?

Acts of Kindness

I don't do new years resolutions, but right now I am thinking a resolution I need to make is to write in my blog more consistently. It doesn't have to be a "new years resolution", just a commitment to myself, and my readers. Really, let's face it, there isn't much difference between resolutions, and goals. Is there?  I don't think so. When you lay them out, they seem very similar to me.
So, my goal then, is to write more often. Write better.
I also have a goal/plan to figure my computer out so I can put pictures in my blog again. That really sounds lame, and it's a big confession for me...I have a MacBook Pro, and I don't now much about how to use it. I can get on Facebook, Email, Bank accounts, blogs, but when it comes to downloading, editing, organizing and sharing pictures, I am clueless.
I load the pictures, then they pretty much go where they want, and I can look at them, but can't do anything else. Sounds so pathetic I know.
Okay, confession time over.
I now want to talk about mankind.
Generosity.
Strangers.
Random acts of kindness...or not random.
I got an email the other day telling me about rewards fundraising with the sight I set up my own fundraiser with. GofundMe.com
I clicked on the link they sent in the email and it took me to someones page. It was a young couple. Their story was touching. They want to have a baby. It's not been easy for them so they are trying to raise money to try all the latest and greatest medical options. They attached a rewards option to their fundraising. Meaning, they are offering certain rewards to people who donate certain amounts. The big draw is if you donate $8,000.00 they would name their baby after that person. At first read I thought they meant, the person who donated the amount that would put them at the $8,000.00 mark would be the  one they would name the baby after. After reading the further I discovered that what they meant was, if one person donated that amount, they would be the ones!!!!
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that one person DID it. He donated $8,000.00. He left a message stating his young age, his career path, and how he has money to spare and would love to spend it on a good cause (such as their's), rather then frivolous things like...well, like.....well, it doesn't matter. What matters is that seeing this warmed my heart! It reinforced the notion that there are wonderful, generous, charitable people out there. Even strangers. In general we each (hopefully) can count on our families to be there for us~maybe not with mucho cash~but you know, in a pinch we can count on them to help us out when need be. How often though can you faithfully count on strangers to be such a source of support?
It's refreshing.
It's generous.
It's inspiring.
It's heartwarming.
I actually went on Facebook and looked up this guy. He left his name on his message so I took that opportunity to find him. I did. I wrote him a message to tell him how impressed I was with his generosity. I asked him who taught him to be so generous. I told him if it was his mother, I hoped to be half that good at teaching my own son to be generous. Whether with is money or his deeds. I let him know that not everyone can give they way he did, but everyone can give something, even if it's service and not money.
For all those who have given of their money on my own fundraiser, I am forever grateful. For those who have given of their time, attention, friendship, I am equally grateful.
I just wanted to share this story with everyone. I was so touched by it.
Blessings!!!

Long time no SEe

I realize it has been  a long time since I wrote in my blog. I now know that I have missed doing so. I am writing now to update you on what is going on. 

I met with my doctor today to discuss my CT scan results. Compared to my last scan, which was July 30th, 2012, there has been a tiny bit of growth. Meaning, on one lesion there was 1mm of growth, on another there was 5mm of growth. Besides these two, all the others were stable and there were no new ones and no spreading. 
I have mixed feelings about these results.

On one hand I feel good about them because there was no spreading, and given the fact that there are multiple lesions bilaterally in both lungs the fact that only two show growth is good. On the other hand, any growth at all while taking chemo is not a good sign. It means that my body must be building up a resistance to that particular medicine.
I will count my blessings though, because this the perfect time to take a break, and try alternatives. I need to start my break before I go to Hallelujah Acres so that my mouth feels normal.
On that note, let me explain what my plan is. I haven't written in a long time, Chemo has taken quite a toll on me this round and it has just been more than I wanted to deal with.
So now I am writing...let me tell the story.
For a year and a half or longer I have been playing with the idea of going to some lifestyle center to learn about living a plant based diet life. I have read books, watched documentaries, you tube videos, talked with people, re-read, re-watched, and talked to more people and wondered how I could make this happen. After all it's not like it's free to go. And it's not like I wasn't scared to quit chemo and rely on my body to heal itself.
During this round, I finally decided to take more control. I set up a fundraising site online (www.gofundme.com/1t2xlk) and wrote a little bit of my story and hit submit. I really didn't know what to expect. Let me just say, I am feeling very (I mean VERY), blessed, and humbled by the generosity of people I know and love, and people I do not even know. I chose where I wanted to go and decided to just DO IT.
So, I am headed to Hallelujah Acres Lifestyle Center in West Virginia. I found out about this place when I read the book, "God's way to Ultimate Health" by Dr. George Malkmus. I will go and spend two weeks there in total immersion in the lifestyle. Learning how to make meals for myself with a plant based diet. There will be lots of carrot juice, and barley max and I will have to try new things, but I have to do this. What have I got to lose? The chemo is making me feel worse than the cancer is at this point. I owe it to myself and to my family to try this. I am trying to prep my husband and son for the changes that will happen when I return. Like totally cleaning out the pantry and restocking it and the fridge with healthy food.
No more birthday cakes, halloween candy, etc...for us. Unless they teach me how to make healthy cake. haha
They will be teaching me to make brownies using black beans. Interesting. I can't wait.
Two things I am not looking forward to, using mushrooms, I can't stand the things, and missing my two boys at home. And John, I mean you and Damon, not Damon and Bode just in case you are wondering.
So, for now this will do. Please visit my site, read my information,  and share it if you feel inclined to do so. I appreciate you reading my blog, and visiting my gofundme site. May God bless you!

Love,

Dani
www.gofundme.com/1t2xlk