Another Chance Ranch

I'm Alive!

I'm Alive!

First, I'd like to say thank you to all of my fellow Button Mashers!  I just wish I could get you all your own elevator buttons, but from what I understand they are very hard to come by.  Your prayers mean the world to me, and I cannot thank you enough!

As most of you know, last Thursday was my first chemo treatment.  I. Was. Terrified.  I am such a dork.  I wasn't terrified of the meds and what they will do to me from the inside out.  I was terrified of the stupid needle stick.  You would think that a chick with two tattoos would be over the whole needle thing, but um...nope, I still can't stand them. 

I took the easy way about things and asked them to spray the freezing stuff on me before sticking me.  They didn't mind at all, and that's good since they will have to do it every stinkin' time. 

McD was kind enough to take photos for me, so I will be posting them sometime this week. 

For now I just want you guys to know that the prayers are working.  So far, I haven't had too much nausea and I haven't vomitted at all.  Thank goodness!  The best way I can describe my side effects so far is that I feel like I have the flu. 

I have the best nurse in the world, McD.  He has cleaned the house, cooked my meals, shopped for groceries, and brought me snow cones.  He knows how to take care of me.

I'll try to get the photos up soon.

Be My Button Mashers

A while back there was a post on the Testify blog that one of the ladies wrote about how we should only pray for things once because once was enough.  She compared it to people pressing the elevator buttons more than once.  If you press the elevator button it tells the machinery that you either want to go up or go down, and if you push the button more than once it is overkill.

I have to admit.  I push the button more than once.  Anyone else out there do that?  Oh come on, don't leave me hanging here.  :)  I know there are at least a couple of you.

So, I visited with my friend Anya and my friend Stef about it, and none of us agreed with what was posted.   We wondered what she thought about the people that come to the elevator after the button has been pushed and push the button even though the light was on (meaning it had already been pushed).  Does that mean God doesn't listen?  That we are bothering God?  I really didn't understand.  My Bible says to pray without ceasing, so I do. 

Anya and I decided that we were going to be "Button Mashers" from then on, and when anyone needs prayer we ask the other one to start mashing buttons.  We know it means pray, now, without ceasing.

Anya decided to get me a gift to take to my first day of chemo.  You see, her mom Karen just went through chemo and she knows the road that I am about to take.  She watched her mom battle the beast first hand, and she knew that I would need a button to mash. 

So, she got me an elevator button.

Oh yes, she did and I love it!  I carry it with me where every I go.  I will be mashing buttons this morning, and I hope you will be too.

Thank you Anya!  I love it!  Love, love, love it!  And I love you!  Mwah!

 

My New Do for Chemo

I went to my friend Sondra's today to get my hair cut off to donate to the Locks of Love.  We didn't realize that Locks of Love doesn't take hair that has been highlighted.  Bummer.  We went a head and cut it just in case there are other organizations that accept highlighted hair.  If you know of one let me know. Please, and thank you.

This will have to serve as my before photo, because we didn't take a before photo.  We jumped the gun. :)  It is a photo of my gal pal Swampy and I at her home in Colorado.  Love you, Swampy!

It was long, and it took me a long time to get it that long.  But it only took a few minutes to chop it off.

I have a good friend named Sondra that is going to be with me through this whole hair phase of my chemo.   If and when I start losing my hair we have a little something up our sleeves for a fun blog post. 

This is Sondra measuring my hair.  Oh, can anyone guess what is in my hands?

The cut.

My ponytail.

Finishing the cut, cleaning it all up.

Have you figured out what I had in my hands? 

I will have to admit that I have had a couple of hard days.  I know, I haven't even started treatment yet, but the not knowing is killing me.  I kind of like to plan things, this is not something you can plan for.  I used to love taking a nice relaxing lavendar bath before bed, but not so much anymore.  There is too much to think about, anticipate, and lull over.  It has led to tears in the tub.  LOL that could be a post all in itself. 

McD knew I was having a hard time the last couple of days, and was kind enough to get me a snowcone for my hair appointment.  He showed up right as she was getting ready to cut the ponytail.  He likes my long hair, so he left before it was done. We didn't blame him. :)

I know I seem strong, and I like to think that I am but I had a couple of days of "what the heck is happening here,"  "I don't want to play this game anymore," and "really?"  I was told those days would come, but I thought it wouldn't happen to me.  It did, but I am past it now. 

Here we are, the after photo.  I can't thank Sondra enough for taking care of me.  She knew I was having a rough day.  I had to warn her because he youngest daughter could have been there, and I didn't want to be a basket case in front of her.  She wasn't there, the lucky dog was swimming.  I didn't have a breakdown, instead we laughed...a lot.  Thank you Sondra!!

The wonderful Ali was taking photos, and I can't thank her enough for running over as soon as she got off work to do this for me.  It meant a lot, I think you know this.  (McD was nice enough to get her a snowcone too.  I'm telling you, he's the best.)

So, I think I'm ready.  How many button mashers will I have? Be here tomorrow to sign up to be a button masher.

Let's get this show on the road!

Love you guys!!

Ouch - My PowerPort Experience

(Photo from bardaccess.com)

Well, I'm one step closer to chemo. 

I don't even know how to start this post.

I will say that I thought this surgery was going to be a breeze.  It was not.

But...

It's over, and I am recovering.  Sore, but recovering.  

Let me tell you about the port. 

It is a Bard PowerPort Implantable Port.

I'm wondering how many implantable devices one person can have.  I have two, so far.

Anyway, the PowerPort is a small device about the size of a quarter that is used to carry medicines into the bloodstream.  It is placed under the skin, and in my case it is in my chest.  I port connects to a catheter, and they catheter goes into a large central vein (jugular in my case) that takes blood to the heart.  There are three bumps on top of the port that tells the nurses that my port can receive power injections.  I'm not sure what a "power injection" is, but I am sure I will find out soon enough.  The bumps also outline the area where the special needle will go.

The needle is called a Huber needle.  Let me tell you something, I don't like needles.  I don't care what kind of needle it is, I don't like it. 

When I came out of surgery yesterday I was in quite a bit of pain.  I didn't expect to have pain.  I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but the pain medicine that they gave me wasn't working fast enough.  We were told that it should work in about thirty minutes.  Forty-five minutes later I was still in pain, and I was near tears.  McD was beside himself, and that is not a good thing.  One of the little volunteers that pushed me to the vehicle in a wheel chair said, "He looked like a really mad drill sargeant."  I'd never heard that one before, but I bet he did.  A few minutes later here came the nurse with a syringe.  I just thought she would put it in my IV, no biggie.  Nope, she wanted me to roll over so she could stick it in my hiney.  Ummm, NO!  I refused.  You might think that is crazy, but I hate needles.  I was already in pain, and I didn't want a sore hiney too.  It took a little while, but that nurse finally realized that when I say no I mean no. 

So, in a way I am glad I have the port but I still have to be stuck with a needle just not in a vein.  This Huber needle looks pretty big, and I am not looking forward to it at all.  They say it will get better with time, but I will believe it when I feel it.  Especially since I just read that the needle sizes are 19 gauge, 20 gauge, and 22 gauge.  Have you ever seen one of those needles?  Just Google it.  I dare ya.  I don't even want to think about it. 

I wanted to have a photo of my incisions, but I don't have one right now.  I will ask McD to take one for me a little later, right now he is mopping the floors.  :)

Be sure to come back tomorrow to see my new do.  Tomorrow I am cutting off all of my hair, well that is an exaggeration.  I am getting a really short do, and will probably look a little like Gloria Beckham when I walk out of Sondra's tomorrow. :)  I have a friend coming to take photos, so be here tomorrow evening to see me and my new do. 

Thursday I have a very special post going up.  I am going to be writing it soon, but I start chemo Thursday and I am going to need some button mashers.  You'll see what I mean. :)

My Dad

I'm recycling a post today, and here's why.  There's many of you that haven't read this, don't know my Dad, and should know what an important man he is in my life.  I am getting ready to walk out the door, and go to a baseball game with my Dad.  We share the love for baseball.  My dream is for me and Dad to go to New York to see the Yankees play.   Ya gotta have dreams!

I hope everyone has a great Father's Day!

Now, here's a little something about my Dad.

(Uncle Marvin & My Dad)

When I was a kid, my Dad seemed larger than life, like the Jolly Green Giant. Built like a brick wall, he stood five feet eleven inches tall. His body was a chiseled 180 pounds of muscle. He intimidated people by his strength and silence. Now time has passed, and some things have changed but for the most part he has remained the same. My Dad is a treasure because of his personality, work ethic, and loyalty to his family.

When a person comes close to losing their life, I believe their personality changes. Dad had a work related accident in 1992 that almost killed him. I thought I knew him pretty well until then, but little did I know. Instead of the strong-silent type, he became a talker, jokester, and socialite. Not much riles him up, because he lives a laid back life. He has the best sense of humor, and the most contagious laugh. I can crack myself up just thinking about him laughing. When asked about his favorite saying he had more than one. All you need to fix anything is duct tape or foam, just kidding" he stated jokingly.

When looking up workaholic in the dictionary, a person will find my Dad's photo there. As a young man, Dad wanted to be a baseball player but ended up hauling hay, and sacking groceries. He has worked most of his life as an electrician, and an Air Force Reservist. He would even do a little heating and air work on the side, which more often than not ended up turning into charity work. I think it made him feel good to help those in need, especially the elderly. Sometimes I went with him when he would have to work on an air conditioner or heater. I felt pretty important because I would help him by holding the light, or handing him tools. The job might have taken longer, but he never complained. Dad would like people to remember him as, "Someone that does their share." Since he does more than his fair share, he will not have to worry about that.

I asked my Dad to remember a happy moment about his life, and immediately he answered, "Marrying your Mom." When asked his favorite day of the year he stated, "June 5", my parents wedding anniversary. They celebrated their thirty-third forty-first wedding anniversary this year. Dad always puts his family's needs before his own. The sacrifices he has made would be an inspiration to any family man.

I want to sit down with my Dad and sing his favorite commercial jingle, the Oscar Meyer song. I want to capture his laugh and bottle it up so I can hear it anytime I want. I admire him for all he has done, and hope that I can at least do half as much. Dad says, "When the going gets tough the tough get going", and he is the toughest man I know. Through the years his frame has changed, but he remains larger than life to me.

(When I was in college, Comp I, we were told to write about someone I looked up to.  This was what I turned in and believe it or not, I received an A on it.)

I Love ya Pop!

Road Trip - June 2011

Last week we hit the road for a long overdue week long vacation.  Just me and McD.  We started planning this vacation back in March or April, and we were planning on taking the trip in July.  In April life threw us a curveball, so in May we decided to just take the trip a month early.   I am so glad that we did!

We were cruising down the road when we came upon this group of bikers.  My Dad had a chopper back in the day, and these guys made me think of  him.  We were in Nebraska going North to South Dakota, and just figured that these guys were headed to Sturgis, SD.  Who knows whether they did or not, but it sounded good at the time.

These guys were from Nebraska, that is where the bikes were tagged, so they didn't have to travel as far as we had but, can you imagine driving down the road with your arms over your head?  I can't. It just doesn't look comfortable to me. 

We traveled to nine states in seven days.

Kansas - Nebraska - South Dakota - Wyoming - Montana - Idaho - Utah - Colorado - Oklahoma

We went to Mount Rushmore, Little Big Horn, The Top of the World, Yellowstone, The Grand Tetons, and Grand Junction, CO.  I will be sharing photos and stories throughout the weeks to come. 

I would like to thank everyone for their travel tips!  I wish we could have done all of the things people suggested.  Monie suggested that we float the Snake River, but all of the rivers were high.  We didn't see anyone on the rivers.  We didn't have time to do everything, but we have decided that this was just a trial run and we will go back when we have time to do more.

The Best E-Mail I've Ever Received

E-mail.

Do you get E-mail?

No, not the kind of e-mail you get on the computer.  Not electronic mail.

Encouraging Mail.

Snail mail is what some call it these days.

I have been getting cards in the mail daily, and let me tell you it makes my day.  It is encouraging.  I open each and every card with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.  It is really hard to describe.

The photo above is just the top of the pile.  I have saved all of them.  I will wrap a ribbon around them, and keep them for who knows how long.

I look at all the cards, and I think of the time that it took to sit down, write a little something, address the envelope, place a stamp on it, and finally mail it.   Then I think about the other day when I sat down to write thank you cards; it really didn’t take that long.  Let’s think about this.  There are 1440 minutes in a day.  Let’s subtract 480 minutes for sleeping, because they say we need that much.  Then we can subtract another 480 for those that work, and we are left with 480 minutes in the day.  Writing a card would take 10 minutes out of your day, maybe.

The Bible tells us to encourage one another.  Look it up.

Hebrews 3:13

Isaiah 1:17

Acts 15:32

Romans 12:8

Ephesians 6:22

1 Thessalonians 4:18

1 Thessalonians 5:11,14

2 Thessalonians 2:17

I could sit here and type out all of the scriptures for you, but I would much rather you pick up your Bible and thumb through the pages to find them yourselves.  Not because I don’t want to type them out, but because I want to encourage you to read your Bible.

How would you feel about receiving some E-Mail, Encouraging Mail that is?  I have this thought swirling around in my brain.  If you would like to receive an encouraging card or letter occasionally let me know.  Send me a good ol’ email (electronic mail), and I will make it happen.   I will respond to each of your emails with the details of the E-Mail idea.

But for now, go out and encourage someone.  It doesn’t have to be by mailing them a card; there are many ways to encourage others.

How do you encourage others?

Grand Tetons

The Grand Tetons were beautiful!! We hiked the Jenny Lake trail up to the Hidden Falls. It rained, and we were soaked to the bone!

Today we are going to see Swampy & Hansman!

Tomorrow, we'll be home!!

Yellowstone

These are just a couple of photos that I've taken, out of 600 or so.

We are having so much fun exploring in Yellowstone!

Tomorrow, Grand Tetons!

Sorry for lack of posting! Just wait till I start sharing my photos! We've seen all kinds of sights and wildlife, even a grizzly bear!

A Secret Family Recipe

Does everyone remember Lady T? Well, she is a good friend of mine that just happened to share her family's secret recipe with me.  It isn't really a secret, secret.  It's just that well, she comes from an Italian family, and this is their favorite lasagna recipe.  I'm thrilled she shared it with us.

This is the recipe she sent to me.

1 lb ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce ( I use Prego original)
1 package (25 oz) frozen sausage or cheese ravioli (I always use cheese & just get the Walmart brand...they're square)
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded mozzarella

Brown & drain the ground beef. In a greased 2 1/2 qt baking dish, layer a third of the sauce, half of the ravioli (still frozen!) and beef & 1/2 cup cheese; repeat layers. Top with remaining sauce & cheese. Cover & bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

It's pretty simple! Just layer everything & bake it! I don't always follow everything to the exact measurements. I usually overdo it with the cheese! We also like to add fresh spinach & mushrooms sometimes. I've even been known to put a little parmesan or feta in the mix, but I love cheese. Hope you guys like it as much as we do! Don't tell anyone that our favorite lasagna recipe is so simple...what would all of the other Italians think? ;)

Well, my dear, I think everyone will love this recipe, even Italians!  McD and I have decided to make a few changes.  We want a little more meat with it, so next time we are going to add a half a pound of sausage. 

McD made this for me right after my surgery, and it was delicious! I can't wait to have it again.

Thanks Lady T!!