Any Time of Life, It's Good To Be Alive!

Can I Get A Hallelujah??

This has been a huge emotionally draining day, but I wanted to post that my oncologist called this morning to let me know that my test results were back......a whole week early!!!  Yay!

Fantastic news!  My test results were good and I do not have to do chemo!!  Right now statistically chemo would only help me 1-3%, which my oncologist does not think justifies going through all the nasty stuff that would accompany the process.   So, I will start radiation in about 7-10 days!

This is such a big relief!  Guess all of my chanting helped, huh?

Thanks so much for your comments, for your prayers and for sharing your stories with me, either here or by email or by mail.  It makes things so much brighter when you can feel the arms of people around you, and I definitely feel that!  You all have to know what a difference that makes!  Thank you a million times just would not be enough.

Still Waiting and A Little Good Luck Assistance!

Cancer Update:

Still waiting for the test results and I have to say that I am going a little nuts!  Everybody chant with me...."no chemo, no chemo, no chemo!"  That's about all I have.  Admitting that I am going insane and have now reverted to daily chanting.  It is hard knowing that I would be starting radiation at the end of this week if I didn't have to wait for the darn test results....not that I WANT to do radiation, but at least I would be doing something positive.

Creative Update:

I have been making things, but not being very good at photographing anything.  I did take a photo of a birthday card I sent off.

  

Card Recipe:

Happy Birthday Rounder stamp by The Stamping Studio

Eggplant VersaMagic chalk ink pad by Tsukineko

Wisteria patterned paper collection by Basic Grey

Frosted brad from Creative Cafe by Creative Imaginations

Clouds Paper Edgers by Fiskars

Other:  Light gray  and white cardstock

             Plastic half pearls

             3/8-inch square punch

 

The patterned paper is actually light blue, but when you photograph stuff at night it ends up not looking like the true color.  Oh well.  I think I should be content with actually getting something photographed these days.

 

Cool Friends Update:

 

Not only did my wonderful SBS9 sister, Lizzy, send me a beautiful card but she included a cute little beaded Good Luck Charm that I am pretty sure she made with her own little hands!  It is so sweet and is now hanging off of the swanky new purse that I received for Mother's Day, which it matches perfectly!  Thank you so much, Lizzy....it will now be going with me wherever I go!  (Also, Lizzy called my cancer the "Evil Being" which is just so perfect.)

 

 

Colorful Flowers Update: (okay, so I am digging for what to call each category.....give me a break)

 

Finally, here is a freebie photo of the flowers Mike gave me for Mother's Day.  Aren't all the different colors gorgeous??

 

That's it for now.  I am trying to get around to people's blogs slowly but surely, but please don't hold it against me if I am slower than usual.  I need to do it more often because it is a definite spirit lifter to see what beautiful things you are all making!

 

 

 

 

A Little Debra Winger and Some Updates!

"I want you to tell them it ain't so tragic!
People do get better.
Tell them it's OK to talk about the cancer!"

 

These are lines from the movie "Terms of Endearment", one of my all-time favorite movies (Emma, played by Debra Winger, is talking to her best friend, Patsy, after having lunch with Patsy's friends who try hard to talk about everything else, including yeast infections and genital herpes, everything besides the elephant in the room.....Emma's cancer).  The movie came out in the early 1980's, so it's kind of an oldie moldie.  The reason I am posting these words is because I have been asked why I am being so open about sharing what is happening to me with my breast cancer. 

 

If I am away for a few days or disappear for a week, then people will know what is going on.

 

If I inspire just one woman who reads all of my dribble to go get a mammogram, then I will have served a greater purpose in life.

 

If I can find strength and am lifted up from reading supportive comments posted by all of you, then my healing process will be greatly helped.

 

Okay, so here are the actual updates!

 

Cancer Update: 

I am in hurry up and wait mode again.  I am waiting until the end of next week to find out if I have to do chemo {gasp}. 

 

The first time I had breast cancer I was lucky and only had to do radiation.  This time I will do radiation and then take a  bunch of nasty drugs for 5 years, but there is still the chance I may have to do chemo.  I opted to do a big genetic test that is performed on the tissue they removed during surgery to determine if this cancer will come back or not.  If it comes back with a high risk, I will do chemo.  This test, called an Oncotype DX, was not available the first time I had cancer 6 years ago, so I am really thankful to have access to it.  I feel I will then have a lot of info with which my oncologist and I can make an informed decision.  It is hard because without this test I wouldn't be doing chemo at all, but I couldn't live with not knowing when I had the chance to know.  Yeah, I am one of those people who does all of the genetic tests offered to me.  Some people would rather not know, but to me with knowledge comes power. 

 

Creative Update:

One of the things that is helping immensely is to take a little time each day to create something.  I get to play with stamps and ink and pretty paper, and just forget about all the heavy stuff that is going on in my life right now.  No photos yet because it has been pretty cloudy here, but I'll get my act together soon.  I even colored with my Copics the other day!  Woooooooo!!

 

Cool Friends Update:

Thank you to my SBS9 sis, Alex, for the gorgeous card I received the other day!  And contrary to you saying you didn't want to make me cry, I did anyway.....because it is truly amazing to me how much people care about what I am going through.  Thanks, my friend!

 

 

That's it for now!

On This Wonderful Day.....

I want to wish all of the awesome women I know a Happy Mother's Day! 

Mother's Day is always kind of bittersweet for me because my own mom has now been gone for 7 years and my daughters are so far away, but I will get phone calls today from each of them and my husband will spoil me so it will be a good day!  And, truthfully, I am just so thankful for my life and being able to do the things I am able to do.

May your own Mother's Day celebrations be really special!

{Hugs} Wendy

A New Beginning With The Stamping Studio!

You know how you appreciate good news coming along and it kind of makes your day?  Well, good news is something to treasure for me recently, and I wanted to share that I am a part of an awesome design team again at The Stamping Studio!  I took a year away from so many things, and am so happy to be a part of this team again. 

Here's the 2009 design team:

Wendy Sebesta
Suzanne Milam
Pat Jaynes
Cheryl Kelly-Van Domelen

Alternates:
Millie Dawson-Hardy
Dina Gerner
Rita Ann Plummer

Congrats, ladies.....I know we will have an awesome year!

I'll do another Cancer Update in a few days after all of my appointments are over.  A big thanks to my lovely SBS9 sister Lulu for your beautiful, sunshiny yellow card......it was a definite day brightener and so fun to get from you across the pond!!