TRUST ME.

Phin is "in"

6.5 Months from Chemo! SGKomen WALK! Check!

BEST DAY EVER! HAPPY SURVIVOR RACE DAY!

Thank you to my precious daughters, Lizzie and Kat & Travis and Claudia to run for "HOPE CHESTS" It was great to see others from "OFF MY CHEST" Cedar Hills 9th ward, and to see all the other fun groups too! Thank you for spending this wonderful day with me, celebrating LIFE. It was sobering to stand with the recently diagnosed, and there were so few of us there that were under a year. More sobering still was the beautiful 16 year old girl, who held the sign who was a 2 time cancer survivor. YES, two times, adrenal and breast cancer and only age 16.... She is the beautiful girl in the middle.... it's just astonishing. I saw lots of people I knew, and they were walking with their families, work team mates, or in memory of someone they lost. Later I'll post more pictures of who I walked for....other than myself. At the end, we sang together the Melissa Ethridge song, and it was true. I walked for YOUR MOTHER, YOUR SISTER, YOUR WIFE, I walked for LIFE. Amazing experience. Thank you to all the organizers for your care and commitment, and thank you to the wonderful neighbors, ward members and my own family, who made all the difference in the (MY) world. For those who didn't participate through this journey, I have a gentle word for you. It's 1 woman of 7 who will get breast cancer, so you will have to learn this one way, or another.... and, I forgave you long ago. You didn't have a clue, and that's okay. When I was younger, I was taught "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity". After not supporting my sister, Darryle through her breast cancer, I can say now, that was stupid. I really lost an opportunity to learn and to serve. For that, I'm truly sorry, and for that, I really missed out. Now I understand it fully, and it took breast cancer to understand it fully, and to understand what it takes to DO what it takes...not just give it lip service. I learned many valuable lessons, and today, I celebrated life. New boundaries, new life, new way of living. I love it.
Onward and Upward and moving in a totally new direction. LIFE IS GOOD.


Travis, Linda, Lizzie, Kathryn, and Claudia right before the walk! :)

16 year old breast cancer survivor and Linda, holding the sign at the front of the last lap to the top of the summit!


At the end of the Survivor Lap, with Lizzie and Kathryn. We did it! Together!

RECENTLY DIAGNOSED GROUP - Less than one year gals.


CHECK yourself before you WRECK yourself!

I'm so LUCKY to be alive!!!


Neighbor DeLayne Dayton and me at the top of the heap with less than 1 year gals!


2011 KOMEN FOR THE CURE, finale!

True love and sacrifice...is doing what it takes.

I don't know if I could do it. This girl had more IVs than I ever had in chemo, and I never once became sick to my stomach. I admire this girl for doing what it takes for her family. All the while, she was interpreting for the deaf, with that thing in her arm from day to day. How in the world did she do it? I love and admire my Kat and her very supportive husband. :) Sorry honey, but you've been through a lot. If you want me to take these down, I will. Hey, at least I didn't post them on Facebook! :) YOU are the trooper.

Lovely Maura Tierney. She's awesome!

This is probably 8 months post chemo and the beautiful Maura Tierney. This is my hair at 6 months out from chemo. I know I can't ever even hope to come close to Maura, in terms of her beauty and bravery during breast cancer and chemo. But today, Lizzie did my hair and colored it, and I am starting to feel better. Thank you little Bella! :)

How can I ever thank you?

I want to thank my children, for being amazing examples of unconditional love during my (fourth of six) medical procedure today. Everything I could ever want in an hour of anguish, was delivered with such precision and care of true "professionals". Back was rubbed, tears were dried, food was prepared, calls were made, tenderness was given, hunger and thirst was answered with refreshment and rest was given. The house was cleaned, and I was able to sleep it off for 7 hours. This is what family is supposed to be. I'm so appreciative for the kindness and gentleness of my husband and how he can create magic in the kitchen. I'm so thankful for a strong gentle son who reaches, lifts and pushes and pulls all the household chores I can't do, and does it with a willing heart and spirit and kind smile. I appreciate Lizzie for her healing touch and always willing to listen and learn so she can be the best help medically and to be a wonderful sister, daughter and mother herself someday. I also appreciate Kat, though while through her own distress and constant nausea and hospital visits 4 times a week, still has time to let me know how much she cares and always calls at the precise moment I need to here her tender voice. A hard worker, she always finds the time to care... Also, I love my husband for being a wonderful example of a husband and father and for staying up to watch the last episode of "Larkrise to Candleford" with me. I am going to sleep well tonight. I'm embarrassed to be this happy, but it's been worth it, every bit of it, and what I had to pay for it, was worth the price...

11 days.... and counting....

What do YOU do when you've had a headache for 11 days? Some days are good, others just put me in bed. I'm trying to be a trouper, I've drank and drank (water) until I'm floating.... trying to work on getting sleep. Do I have to go back to two naps a day 10am and 2pm? Did it that way until Christmas, but only 2 naps since Christmas. Maybe this "kicking cancer to the curb" thing is harder than I thought. I grossly underestimated how chemo would affect me for months out. Any of YOUR headache remedies you'd like to share?