I attended the 3-Day for the Cure Getting Started Meeting. First let me tell you how excited I am for August. I was very surprised by my response. I figured it would be informational and motivational but I wasn't anticipating it to be so emotional . I got there and started looking at pictures of last years event and started to tear up. The facilitator started telling her story. Her mom is a cancer survivor. She put up a picture of her mom and her at the same age and they could have been twins. I will post pictures of Mom and I later but you can definitely tell where I get my looks. Listening to her story made me tear up more. I basically cried the entire 1 1/2 hours I was there. I really didn't expect that reaction.
The one thing I did take away from the meeting was the purpose of the walk isn't the actual walk. The walk is just something big to raise awareness and more importantly funds for research to find a cure for this terrible disease. Komen knew that they needed to do something big to get the big money necessary to fund the breast cancer research.
I left the meeting super excited. I can't wait to start sending out my fund raising letters and planning events. I am also excited to start training. I am not sure which will be harder raising over $2,300 or forcing my body to walk 20 miles a day for 3 straight days. Both are sounding kind of crazy right now. The good news is that you can help with one of them. There is a link on the right to donate. You can help fund breast cancer research. Please give generously. There is an option that you can spread your donation over 4 months. Don't it just for me, do it for the ta tas of the world!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Mom's Legacy
When I look at how my brothers and I turned out, I can't help but be amazed by the parenting we received. My parents were always active in our lives (as a teen I thought to much) and I am grateful for that. Looking back I can remember only one band/chorus concert, sporting event, scouting event, or other activity that at least one of my parents were not at. That was only because all three of us had a basketball game at a different location at the same time. I recall my parents sitting down with the three of us and trying to figure out how the two of them would decide which game they would go to. I know it broke their hearts to have to make this decision and leave one of their children out. Every important moment in our lives is documented on the vhs cassettes that now reside in my dad’s basement (with the exception of a couple of semi-embarrassing videos of me that I have taken possession of for security reasons).
Though she may not be physically with us anymore, Mom will continue to live through her children. All of which have graduated from college and are perusing master's degrees. None of which have had any serious legal issues. Her sons are amazing fathers and husbands. Hopefully her daughter will be an awesome wife and mother in the future. I think Mom would be pretty proud of how we turned out.
I feel blessed that I had 26 years of her teaching and guidance. I was talking to a friend who lost his mom at age 12. His regret was that he never learned to cook from his mom. But let's face it what 12-year-old boy wants to learn how to cook. Fortunately I spent many hours in the kitchen with my mom baking and cooking. Mom's signature recipe was Beef Stroganoff. The recipe is below along with a few secrets I learned from Mom.
Beef Stroganoff
1 lb cubed beef (round steak works best)
1 large onion sliced
1 large can of sliced mushrooms
1 stick of butter
2 cans of beef broth
1 (12oz?) tub of sour cream
Flour to thicken (no clue what the measurement is)
In a large pot slightly brown beef (over cooking the beef will make it tough)
Melt butter with beef and add onion and mushrooms
Sautee until onions are soft
Add beef broth and let simmer on low heat for about an hour (this will make the beef super tender and delicious)
Mix sour cream and flour. Mix into the beef mixture.
Increase temperature until bubbles start to form. You do not want it to boil 'cause that's bad.
If it does not thicken enough, mix more flour with water to form a runny paste-like concoction and pour into the stroganoff. Do not just add flour to the stroganoff unless you want a clumpy mess.
Serve over rice. That's right, rice! I know there are some crazy people out there that serve stroganoff over noodles, but I believe that is just wrong.
3-Day for the Cure Update:
I received my first donation (Thanks, Tami!)! Woohoo! The link to my donation page is on the right, if you would like to be my 2nd or 3rd or....
I have not started training yet. It is below zero here so outdoor walking is out of the question right now. I am planning on joining a gym next week so that will help. I hope to start soon so my body doesn't freak out when I ask it to walk 60 miles in 3 days.
I am attending a getting started meeting next week. Hopefully that will give me some ideas regarding training and fundraising.
Stay tuned for more on my progress.
Though she may not be physically with us anymore, Mom will continue to live through her children. All of which have graduated from college and are perusing master's degrees. None of which have had any serious legal issues. Her sons are amazing fathers and husbands. Hopefully her daughter will be an awesome wife and mother in the future. I think Mom would be pretty proud of how we turned out.
I feel blessed that I had 26 years of her teaching and guidance. I was talking to a friend who lost his mom at age 12. His regret was that he never learned to cook from his mom. But let's face it what 12-year-old boy wants to learn how to cook. Fortunately I spent many hours in the kitchen with my mom baking and cooking. Mom's signature recipe was Beef Stroganoff. The recipe is below along with a few secrets I learned from Mom.
Beef Stroganoff
1 lb cubed beef (round steak works best)
1 large onion sliced
1 large can of sliced mushrooms
1 stick of butter
2 cans of beef broth
1 (12oz?) tub of sour cream
Flour to thicken (no clue what the measurement is)
In a large pot slightly brown beef (over cooking the beef will make it tough)
Melt butter with beef and add onion and mushrooms
Sautee until onions are soft
Add beef broth and let simmer on low heat for about an hour (this will make the beef super tender and delicious)
Mix sour cream and flour. Mix into the beef mixture.
Increase temperature until bubbles start to form. You do not want it to boil 'cause that's bad.
If it does not thicken enough, mix more flour with water to form a runny paste-like concoction and pour into the stroganoff. Do not just add flour to the stroganoff unless you want a clumpy mess.
Serve over rice. That's right, rice! I know there are some crazy people out there that serve stroganoff over noodles, but I believe that is just wrong.
3-Day for the Cure Update:
I received my first donation (Thanks, Tami!)! Woohoo! The link to my donation page is on the right, if you would like to be my 2nd or 3rd or....
I have not started training yet. It is below zero here so outdoor walking is out of the question right now. I am planning on joining a gym next week so that will help. I hope to start soon so my body doesn't freak out when I ask it to walk 60 miles in 3 days.
I am attending a getting started meeting next week. Hopefully that will give me some ideas regarding training and fundraising.
Stay tuned for more on my progress.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
My Brothers
Growing up I would have given anything to be an only child. I had two older brothers. Mat is the oldest. He is just under 4 years older than me. Nick is the middle child. He is almost 2 years older than me. I am the baby and the only girl. Yes, I was a little spoiled.
My brothers didn't always appreciate having a little sister. To say we didn't always get along would be an understatement. My aunt, who lives next door to my parents, came over on more than one occasion when we were home alone and the fighting sounded like my brothers were about to kill me.
I could go on about the fights that occurred when we were growing up, but I would prefer to discuss the oddity that occurred when my brothers moved out. Somehow the old adage "absence makes the heart grow fonder" came true. After they enlisted in the Air Force, we became best friends, which was evident by my parent's phone bill. My dad once asked, "Why is it that when you lived together, you couldn't say two words to each other, but now that it cost me $0.10 a minute, you can talk for over an hour?" Oops!
I now look at the men they have become and marvel at how different my life would have been if my wish of being an only child would have come true. They have grown in to amazing men, husbands and fathers of the cutest, smartest, most wonderful kids(I may be a little prejudice). I see so much of my parents, especially my mom, in them.
If you read my past post, you would know that my mom always put everyone else before herself. When she passed away, my brothers turned their attention and worry to me. In a very cute yet awkward conversation, they asked me to get a mammogram. I was very lucky that I was able to get it covered by insurance. Most insurance companies will not cover a mammogram for a 26 year old to make her brothers feel better. More importantly, my brothers also asked, in their unique, uncomfortable way, if I did monthly self exams.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for EVERY woman regardless of age or risk factors to get in the habit of doing this. My mom had her annual mammogram within 6 months of her initial diagnosis. It was normal. It was during her monthly exam that she discovered the lump. There is absolutely no excuse to not take 5 minutes a month to examine your breasts!
But I don't know how to do the exam! http://women.webmd.com/healthtool-self-breast-exam Now you do!
I can't remember to do it every month. http://www.bebrightpink.org/programs/support-community/breast-self-exam-email-reminder/ Problem solved.
Leave a comment below if you have other excuses. I will come up with a solution for you.
My brothers didn't always appreciate having a little sister. To say we didn't always get along would be an understatement. My aunt, who lives next door to my parents, came over on more than one occasion when we were home alone and the fighting sounded like my brothers were about to kill me.
I could go on about the fights that occurred when we were growing up, but I would prefer to discuss the oddity that occurred when my brothers moved out. Somehow the old adage "absence makes the heart grow fonder" came true. After they enlisted in the Air Force, we became best friends, which was evident by my parent's phone bill. My dad once asked, "Why is it that when you lived together, you couldn't say two words to each other, but now that it cost me $0.10 a minute, you can talk for over an hour?" Oops!
I now look at the men they have become and marvel at how different my life would have been if my wish of being an only child would have come true. They have grown in to amazing men, husbands and fathers of the cutest, smartest, most wonderful kids(I may be a little prejudice). I see so much of my parents, especially my mom, in them.
If you read my past post, you would know that my mom always put everyone else before herself. When she passed away, my brothers turned their attention and worry to me. In a very cute yet awkward conversation, they asked me to get a mammogram. I was very lucky that I was able to get it covered by insurance. Most insurance companies will not cover a mammogram for a 26 year old to make her brothers feel better. More importantly, my brothers also asked, in their unique, uncomfortable way, if I did monthly self exams.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for EVERY woman regardless of age or risk factors to get in the habit of doing this. My mom had her annual mammogram within 6 months of her initial diagnosis. It was normal. It was during her monthly exam that she discovered the lump. There is absolutely no excuse to not take 5 minutes a month to examine your breasts!
But I don't know how to do the exam! http://women.webmd.com/healthtool-self-breast-exam Now you do!
I can't remember to do it every month. http://www.bebrightpink.org/programs/support-community/breast-self-exam-email-reminder/ Problem solved.
Leave a comment below if you have other excuses. I will come up with a solution for you.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Mom's Fight
Thanksgiving break my senior year of college was interesting to say the least. There were dress fittings and other preparations for my brother's upcoming wedding. Oh and my mom told me that she had breast cancer. My whole world was shaken. How could this be? What does this mean? Of course she followed this announcement with "Don't tell your brothers until after the wedding." That was my mom always worrying about others before herself. I contemplated taking a semester off or transferring to a school closer to home so I could be around during the chemo. Mom wouldn't have it. I was going to go back to school and graduate in May. She would be fine. Mom started her first round of chemo the Monday following Mat's wedding. I came home as often as I could and learned how not fun chemo is. Every treatment made her very sick. But in the end, we got the happy news that she was cancer free.
Unfortunately, that is not how the story ends. Three years later she started experiencing chronic bronchitis. After several unsuccessful rounds of antibiotics, they discovered that the breast cancer had metastasized in her lungs. And so started Chemotherapy Part II. This round didn't go as well. This cancer was much more aggressive. It moved quickly from her lungs to her abdominal cavity. I moved back home to help out and take Mom to appointments and such. I was fortunate enough to find a job with an amazing company. As the cancer progressed, I was taking off more and more time to take her to doctor appointments. I was consistently late because I had to help her get up and ready in the morning. My boss never cared and was always supportive.
The summer of 2006 I started noticing, my mom acting strangely. She would forget words, laugh at odd times, and lose her balance easily. I expressed my concern to one of the incredible nurses at one of her chemo appointments. She added a brain scan to her upcoming MRI. About a week later, I got a very frustrated call from my mom. She needed me to come get her at the doctor's office and take her to another clinic because they wouldn't let her drive. This was the appointment that they told us that the cancer had moved to her brain. The doctors seemed very positive so I thought this was just another stumbling block. She started radiation that day. I was going to see my brothers that weekend at a friend's wedding. Mom asked me to give them the news, but not until after the wedding. She didn't want the weekend to be ruined.
I talked to my sister-in-law prior to leaving for the wedding. I showed her the brain scans and told her about the treatment that she was starting. I was blessed that she made the most devastating, but needed comments. "Do you think your mom is going to get better?" I responded, "Of course, she is." As hard as it was for her to tell me, she said, "Honey, she is not." Without that slap of reality, I am not sure how I would have gotten through the coming weeks.
Mom was living for her Godson's upcoming wedding. She was able to attend the wedding, but left the reception early. That was the last time she spoke to anyone. We got home on Sunday. Mom remained in a semi-conscious state until Thursday when she gave up the fight. I still cannot believe how quickly she slipped away from us.
So why am I sharing this sad story with you? It is in hopes that I can prevent others from going through the pain of losing a mother, sister, wife or friend. In honor of this wonderful woman I am participating in the Susan G Komen 3-Day for the Cure. Please click on the link below if you would like to support my fight for a cure.
Unfortunately, that is not how the story ends. Three years later she started experiencing chronic bronchitis. After several unsuccessful rounds of antibiotics, they discovered that the breast cancer had metastasized in her lungs. And so started Chemotherapy Part II. This round didn't go as well. This cancer was much more aggressive. It moved quickly from her lungs to her abdominal cavity. I moved back home to help out and take Mom to appointments and such. I was fortunate enough to find a job with an amazing company. As the cancer progressed, I was taking off more and more time to take her to doctor appointments. I was consistently late because I had to help her get up and ready in the morning. My boss never cared and was always supportive.
The summer of 2006 I started noticing, my mom acting strangely. She would forget words, laugh at odd times, and lose her balance easily. I expressed my concern to one of the incredible nurses at one of her chemo appointments. She added a brain scan to her upcoming MRI. About a week later, I got a very frustrated call from my mom. She needed me to come get her at the doctor's office and take her to another clinic because they wouldn't let her drive. This was the appointment that they told us that the cancer had moved to her brain. The doctors seemed very positive so I thought this was just another stumbling block. She started radiation that day. I was going to see my brothers that weekend at a friend's wedding. Mom asked me to give them the news, but not until after the wedding. She didn't want the weekend to be ruined.
I talked to my sister-in-law prior to leaving for the wedding. I showed her the brain scans and told her about the treatment that she was starting. I was blessed that she made the most devastating, but needed comments. "Do you think your mom is going to get better?" I responded, "Of course, she is." As hard as it was for her to tell me, she said, "Honey, she is not." Without that slap of reality, I am not sure how I would have gotten through the coming weeks.
Mom was living for her Godson's upcoming wedding. She was able to attend the wedding, but left the reception early. That was the last time she spoke to anyone. We got home on Sunday. Mom remained in a semi-conscious state until Thursday when she gave up the fight. I still cannot believe how quickly she slipped away from us.
So why am I sharing this sad story with you? It is in hopes that I can prevent others from going through the pain of losing a mother, sister, wife or friend. In honor of this wonderful woman I am participating in the Susan G Komen 3-Day for the Cure. Please click on the link below if you would like to support my fight for a cure.
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