A True Mountaintop Experience

November 8 finally arrived. The day I had looked forward to and worked for throughout Chemo. The day Rick and I would make our annual trek up Mt. LeConte in Tennessee. We've done this every year since we've been married, and we plan it a year in advance. So when I was diagnosed, Rick said "well, I guess we'll be cancelling our plans for LeConte this year." And I said, "not so fast". "I'm not willing to cancel anything until I absolutely know I can't do it".

Before cancer, I exercised every other day. Weights and eliptical. I was in the shape of my life. One of my fears about my illness was that I would lose what I had worked so hard for - the muscle tone and energy that allowed me to hike and enjoy other activities that I love. So every day during chemo I had a goal. Walk. Exercise. Stay in shape so I could still make it to the top of LeConte. When I got my chemo schedule, I realized that I would only have one week to recover before LeConte.

November 8, we left for Leconte. We stayed in Cherokee that evening, and woke up early to make it to trailhead. We started hiking at about 10:00 a.m. I did really well until we got to the steep part - where the ascent was pretty well straight up. Then I started to feel the pain in my upper legs - the burn that comes when your muscles aren't strong enough to carry your body. So Rick starts singing to me. What a wonderful gesture! He knew it would make me laugh, which would take my mind off of my pain. I think he sang the last hour up. And most people would stop when other people came along - not my Rick. He just kept on singing. I love this man!

Here are our pictures. They say more than I can about why we make this trip every year. We sit up on the rocks and read our bibles and talk and laugh and share the silence and beauty only God could have created.

The Final Chemo

November 1, 2006, I sat through what I pray will be my final chemo ever! It was a beautiful day, and chemo was a breeze. My mom (well, she's actually Rick's mom--but I have adopted her as my own) took me to the treatment just as she took me to my first. She in her sassy stetson style hat, me in my Pink Harley doo-rag. What a pair!

After chemo, we went to lunch before heading home. The chemo pretty well kicked me -- right into bed for 3 or 4 days. I was very fatigued and uncharacteristically quiet. After that, I began to get my normal allergic reaction to the chemo - rashes in places we won't discuss here. Suffice it to say I was uncomfortable. The rash eventually took away my ability to taste food - which was not fun since I love to eat. Today, more than two weeks later, the reaction has moved to the inside of my eyelids and my eyes water alot and I look like I'm about 70. But it's getting better every day. God is good and far better people than me have experienced worse.

Thanks for your continued prayers and for laughing along with me through this fun.

Hospitals and Blessings

Catching up on posting.....so this happened the week of October 23......

After having a phenemonal time at the 3-day, I unexpectedly ended up in the hospital for a day. I had been feeling really tired, which is unusual for me even throughout chemo. I'm talking REALLY tired - like I didn't care if I ate or anything. Then I had a strange twinge in my chest and then it became tightness. So I stopped by the see my good friends Dr. Gordon and Carolyn Peltier (his nurse, my sweet friend) just to get my vitals checked because Rick was worried I was going to have a heart attack and leave him with 3 girls and all the housework. So I figured I'd just be there a few minutes to get my blood pressure checked and be on my way! But my good friends sent me to the emergency room for further evaluation. And I guess because Gordon is a LEGEND at Northside the ER doc took my case very personally and very seriously and I ended up with THREE (3) wonderful doctors taking care of me and lots and lots of tests later I got to come home. But not before I had some laughs. My cardiologist had seen me in the ER and then again the following morning - both times I had my beautiful wig on my head. Then later in the day, he came to visit me to share test results, only this time, my hair was on the side table rather than on my head. Bless his heart - he came in and started apologizing that he had visited the wrong room - I finally convinced him it was me when I pointed to the side table and said "see - there's my hair, it's me I promise"! When one has no hair, no eyelashes, and a port that looks like one of those buttons that pops up when the turkey is done, one must find things to laugh about!

Final diagnosis after 24 hours in the hospital: maybe stress, maybe chemo. No heart problems though. I am in great shape. I am thankful my friends sent me though. It made me feel good to know that all of this chemo had not destroyed anything other than cancer!

The Sunday after I was in the hospital, I was blessed to be able to share my testimony at church. What a powerful day for me. God has taught me so much through this journey that 10 minutes hardly seemed enough time to share all the ways I am blessed. I am blessed that we caught the cancer early. I am blessed that I have phenomenal doctors. I am blessed to have the best husband and children in the world. And the best friends and neighbors. And the best dogs -- Hannah and Harley, who have faithfully sat at my feet or beside my bed for the past 65 months. And the best church and job - a job where I get to love and be loved every day, serving my Father in Heaven who teaches me every minute of my life what love truly is.

Atlanta 3-Day

October 20-22, 2006, 2,250 women, including my Asphalt Angels, walked 60 miles over 3 days to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. My daughter, Danielle, her best friend Blakely, my cousin Julie, my good friend Jane, and my new friends, Tracy M, Tracy C , and Pat, made up the Asphalt Angels team.

The team arrived at the 3-day opening ceremonies in style on Friday morning. Another team, the Boobsavers, had managed to get limos donated for the ride, and invited our team (even me!) to join them. It was amazing to arrive there to all of the fanfare, with the 3-day crew already cheering on the walkers!

The opening ceremony was wonderful, and as the walkers began their long trek, we cheered them out of the gate with our posters that had been designed by Danielle and made by Jane and Randy. As soon as they left, I got to the first cheering station, where my good friend Carolyn met me. We had a bit of a wait – the team passed a Starbucks and decided they needed a treat – then they had to make an unexpected pitstop in the woods!

That afternoon I went to the next cheering spot and had more fun. My friend Carole, who worked team and was back at camp waiting for my girls to arrive, had given me some great cheering tips and aids. I had a cowbell that made me very popular among the other cheerers – no need for screaming so much with that thing making so much noise!

By that evening, temperatures dropped to the 30s, and the girls called me to let me know that they had ice inside their tents! Saturday morning, I headed out early to cheer AND to take more clothing and provisions to camp. Good thing I had friends on the inside, or else I wouldn’t have been able to take more gear. Carole and Michelle met me and took the bags with extra blankets in –and I took them for a much needed burger break.

Saturday night it warmed up a bit, but began to rain :{ But alas, I received calls from the team that everyone was in good spirits and doing quite well.

Rick, Kat, Rebecca, and even Hannah and Harley, and I all went down to Piedmont Park early so that we could cheer on the walkers as they made their way to the finish line. Carolyn and Chad joined us, as did Bill Bean and Art. Carole and Amy were there too!
I can’t tell you how I felt when I saw my Danielle walking toward me, with that big grin on her face. She was the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever seen! We walked across the finish line all together, and I was so thankful to be there in that moment.

The closing ceremonies were absolutely beautiful. We watched as over 2,000 women walked in, arm in arm, cheering one another on. But the amazing part is that they had all of the women who were survivors who had walked come in last. As these women came in, the rest of the walkers removed their shoes and held them up in honor of these women. It was so beautiful, and I cried for all of us. The survivors and everyone who loves them. For all women who may ever face this. For our daughters who we pray never will.

God is good. Thank you for supporting our team this year. You did good. It makes a difference.