I'm Published

Week 34: I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but I'm published! Well sort of. The Dr Susan Love Research Foundation posted a link to my blog on their website. It's a little hard to navigate to, but if you want to see it, go to the webpage www.dslrf.org/breastcancer, click on Community & Connection in the left margin, then click on Personal Stories at the top of the section, and then click on Recurrence in the subheadings. Aside from the link to my fascinating and compelling blog that everyone wants to read, the Love website is a really great source of information about women's health -- so be sure to surf while you're there. (Is "surf" still part of the internet lingo or am I dating myself?)

Say NO to Obama

Weeks 33-34: I want to share a very real example of what will occur with small businesses everywhere if Obama gets his way with socialist medicine. And by that I mean "free for all" health insurance, not health care reform. I'm all for reform. My husband has co-owned and run a lawn maintenance/landscape business for over 20 years. Last week, their employee health insurance company sent them a bill for this year's policy. The cost is $40,000 higher than from the previous year. Yes, you read it right: FORTY THOUSAND dollars higher, in one year. Why? Because the insurance company had to pay for my cancer.
Basically the insurance provider passed its loss on to the policy holder. If this is what we can expect in the future, small companies will no longer be able to afford/be willing to provide insurance for their employees and we'll all end-up in the Obama health care line. Why would a business owner want to pick-up the tab when there's something else available for free at the expense of taxpayers and future generations, and on the backs of those individuals who make more income? Don't let it happen. Demand that our lawmakers get a handle on the lack of efficiency, fraud, redundancy, and waste within our Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and Welfare systems first. Cut-off ALL the fat. Eliminate the B.S. special interest proffers. That's right, how about if we clean-up our existing messes first? Let's systematically "re-form" the parts that are broken, not throw out the whole thing and start over. That's insane. I know, I know...it's hard to fathom coming from such a timid soul like me, but believe it or not, I have a lot more to say about where I think this country is headed. So stay tuned if you're interested in hearing me sound-off.

Update de Jour

Weeks 32-33:   Hey, all! I've been away for awhile. Many of you have been asking about my progress. Sorry I've been such a slacker. I've been busy with Cycle 5 chemo treatments, then being sick, getting lab work done, going on a mini-vacation to see my nephew in Atlanta for the 4th of July, and taking care of dogs. ...Remember if you need any dog training, boarding or walking, give me a call! I have one more set of 3 infusions/3 weeks to go! Hopefully, I'll finish on time at the end of July. It's hard to believe I've been undergoing this for five months. Time flies, even when you're not having fun. Some of my nails are dying and coming off. This far down the line I didn't think I'd have any new side effects, but surprises seem to lurk around every corner. The good news is my hair is growing back. The bad news is, it's more gray. I'm at the stage where I look like a quasi-fuzzy baby bird. I'm a dead ringer for an ostrich except that I have blue eyes and big ears (click here to see my resemblance).

I have this coming week off. Since I'm feeling better, I'm going to go out and see what kind of trouble I can get into.