Nervous Nellie……

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Here I sit at 5am, wide awake. Unable to turn my head off long enough to get some rest. I started off sleeping, but Maggie‘s allergies started acting update, causing her to wake us up. At least wake me up.

Barry is down for the count. I couldn’t get him to turn over he’s so deep in sleep. He’s wearing himself out to make sure I’m ready for next week. He wants me well rested to handle the stress that will hit on Tuesday.

I’m ready for whatever comes. It is in God’s hands. I’m not worried. Barry and I have made plans, for when they are needed. I’ve called all my family or emailed them. Everyone is being incredibly supportive. Mom is handling things better. She has stopped crying every time she sees me.

I have faith in my doctor and going to the best hospital around. I walked out of that building after brain surgery, I’ll do it again on Tuesday. When I leave, I will be cancer free. That will be the best part of my day!I’m going to make some coffee, almost time to get ready for church.

We are supposed to get up to 2 inches of rain today. The yard will go nuts! Flowers are coming out beautifully, so far. Rain will get things going……..Have a gorgeous day!

Daily Prompt: Your Time to Shine

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Early bird, or night owl: Definitely Early Bird depending on you definition of early. Below you will find pictures of a few early bird-feeder raiders. 

Before brain surgery, I was definitely a night owl. After the surgery, I threw my alarm clock away. I had an internal clock that would have up and raring to go by 7am everyday.

My body is physically out of the bed, but once up I have a two-hour exercise routine to wake my voice and body up to be able to work properly. If I do not exercise, my body and eyes are crazy all day. I enjoy proper function, do I endure the daily grind.

After 2-3pm, my body heads in the other direction and it is nap-time. My voice starts slowing down and I have to do my eye exercises hourly to keep them focused. My legs hold up a bit longer, but it is usually best if I am to the point of my day that I can start winding down around 8pm.

I love to get out and drive on my own. Shopping used to be my stress release, even window shopping. It feels great to be able to make it out on my own at times. I drive better than I walk.

Purple Finch
Golden Finch
Brown-headed nuthatches

Coping with a Rare Disease and What It Can Do to Those You Love

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If you have followed my blog at all, you are aware that my family and I have been through the wringer over the past several years.

Barry‘s stroke was a huge surprise. He is alive and kicking today, thanks to modern medicine and the quick responses of the local EMS, emergency room and Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Ga.

Our journey started over four years ago when I was found to have a brain tumor pressing into my mid-brain that needed removing  quickly. If you don’t know much about the brain, your vital function are regulated in the mid-brain.

Long story short, the brain tumor was just a symptom of a genetic disorder called Cowden Syndrome. It truly isn’t a big deal to check. The trick is to stay vigilant and organized with check-ups and diagnostic testing. If you don’t something can sneak up on you and bite you in the honey.

Cowden Syndrome is a mutation of the PTEN gene. It makes you body unable to stop formation of certain types of tumors. The tumors that develop are  benign or cancerous. They can also appear quickly.

I have already been through three episodes of issues from Cowden Syndrome and survived each without major issue. I am about to tackle the fourth. We were lucky to catch this one early, like one other. Hopefully this will be a breeze like a few others.

I can now state that I am not only a Thyroid Cancer Survivor, I will soon be able ta add breast cancer Survivor to that list. I am not sure I like making a list of the cancers I have survived, but I’m glad I’m still here.

As long as I follow-up with my list of 20+ doctors monthly as they ask, I can keep these issues under control without adding another cancer to the list.

Since my condition is rare, I have joined a research study on Cowden out of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Hopefully this research can help someone else breeze through this mess of a disease. Currently, 1 in 200,000 thousand people diagnosed yearly.

Barry has been my rock. Even after the stroke. He’s hanging in with me. We take care of each other. My mother has been with us almost a year. Her health is declining a bit. Barry and I take care of her issues, as they come up. Mom is having trouble dealing with giving up her independence and she isn’t taking it very well.

Our local friends called and came around for a while, but have slowly disappeared from the picture. It really hurt Barry’s feelings to start with, but he has since realized that people have trouble dealing with change and they don’t know how to handle our illnesses.

What has hurt the most for me, is the change in my older sister’s attitude toward me. I called to tell her I have breast cancer, she stated she was speechless and I have not heard a word from her since.

After I had brain surgery, her attitude changed because of my communication problems. We used to talk at least once a week. Now that I am healthier, her attitude has not changed. I love her dearly and will do anything in the world for her. She is my sister, that will never change.

When I attempt to discuss it with her, she denies everything. I miss what we had. Barry thinks her attitude change is because of him, I tell him continuously that Sandy isn’t like that. My younger sister and I are closer than ever.

My mom does her best to deal with my illness. She starts to cry every time she is around me and looks at me as if it is the last time she will ever see me. I talk with her and ask her to help me get through life. I told her I need her strength, not her tears. She’s getting better. My nieces and nephews all treat me the same.

Barry and I have found a church home. Mom goes with us. The church has welcomed us as if we had gone there for years. They offer many areas of ministry that gives us many choices to volunteer and get involved. We all enjoy Victory Baptist Church in Loganville, Ga.

At GMC

At GMC

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Daily Prompt: Wall to Wall

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What do you display on the walls of your home — photos, posters, artwork, nothing? How do you choose what to display? What mood are you trying to create?

We love antiques, flowers, pictures and signs. Each wall is different. We have tried to give each room its own personality, but coordinate wall color and house style; where our budget will allow. We want our home to feel lived in. Every room in the house is well used and comfortable.

Putting a name to what we tried to create, would be comical comfort. Our signs make you giggle, the atmosphere and furniture make it comfortable.

Our pooch,Maggie, agrees with the comfortable part. She sleeps wherever she sits down.wait…..she is a dog, they are good at that.

Of course there is my step-father James, he falls asleep the minute he sits down when getting to our house.

Check the pictures out tomorrow. Had plans to take new pictures today, but my body wouldn’t cooperate this afternoon. Run a few errands, I have to sleep. I’ll update post in the morning. Show off my miss-matched wall decor. We may not be for a Southern Living Magazine write-up, but we like it!

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Daily Prompt: Second Time Around

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Tell us about a book you can read again and again without getting bored — what is it that speaks to you?

I would love to say the Bible (by many strong people many years ago, Jesus), but the good Lord knows better and I would like to keep my reputation of being an honest woman. I can always do better with Bible Study. The Bible is a wonderful book, full of magnificent stories of long ago. Every time you pick it up to read, you learn something different. It is the perfect response to this daily prompt.

Other than the Bible, I am a huge Nicholas Sparks fan. At any time of day or night, I could pick any of his books and read for hours. If I have to mention a favorite, it would be “The Notebook” (by Nicholas Sparks). “Dear John“(by Nicholas Sparks) really hits home with the world today. Every time I pick one up, I find something different. Boredom never enters my mind.

I usually wind up thinking of my lack of sleep after a good book. Once I pick anything readable up, it is hard to put it down.

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Daily Prompt:

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If you could clone yourself, how would you split up your responsibilities?

Cloning is an interesting topic. The medical profession has come so far in the past 20 years, I wouldn’t be surprised if cloning were not around the corner.

I thought and thought about this prompt, but couldn’t come up with a thing to write. Now, as I go to sleep, it hits me. I hope you enjoy.

If it were possible to clone myself, who would I assign my daily responsibilities? Well, after getting my mother’s medication ready and calling my sisters; I’d pack bags for Barry and myself, get Maggie‘s dog food bag, medication and leash, and we would disappear.

I wouldn’t look back or think twice, but we would disappear to a deserted island and live our lives out. Of course, Barry would have his camera, I’d have my sketch pad and Maggie would have her flashlight. We would be set.

We have been through so much in the past few years, we need a break. It may be a good idea to clone our family to take our place, so no one comes looking for us.

Mom would water the plants. Oops, I would have to see my sweet daddy one last time.Just for spite, if my step-son were around, I’d give him a tooth-brush and assign him bathroom duty.

Running away would be better than having a clone!