Sponsored Post: Glamulet & Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As so many of us know - October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  This cause is near and dear to my heart, and am so proud my mom has beat it!  I'll share more thoughts on mom and her status later in the month.

A lot of people find the easiest way to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is by wearing something pink.  I totally understand that!  Pink looks good on most people and so many awesome organizations donate a portion of their proceeds back to a research fund.  I have such admiration for that!

Glamulet is a company founded in 2014 to allow women to create a mix and match piece of jewelry at a good price point that expresses who they are, celebrate a milestone or just match their favorite ensemble.  I can stand behind that.  :-) It doesn't hurt that their jewelry is really pretty!

This year, Glamulet has a campaign for awareness and has released a limited edition set of charms for Pink October.  Every set of these charms has a 50% donation to charity associated.  I love that!  Breast cancer is the 2nd deadliest disease for women around the world, and I would love to see everyone get a second chance at life with their mom, aunt, grandma, sister, or best friend like I did!

The lovely folks at Glamulet believe that if we act now, we can stop women from dying of breast cancer by 2050.  How awesome would that be?!  If you'll be wearing pink this month in support of this noble cause - I encourage you to head over to Glamulet and look at the pieces you can put together! Don't feel creative?  They offer full bracelets with charms that they think look good together!

Disclosure: I will receive a pink ribbon charm and sterling silver necklace for my participation in sharing this campaign.  I only select products and campaigns I believe in, and all thoughts are my own. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As everyone is aware - October is breast cancer awareness month. 

Most of you know that my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2009 (even though I didn't tell you all about until January).  Well, two years have passed.  She's lost a breast.  Had a port put in...and subsequently taken back out.  Gone through chemo, HER2 treatments, nausea, exhaustion and a week long hospital stay for a pulmonary embolism.  But, SHE'S HEALTHY!!!!

Breast cancer runs in my family.  Mom had it, grandma had it, multiple great aunts, my second cousin and based on geneological research - a whole crap-load (yep, technical term) of other women in my family have had it.  Most beat it.  Some didn't. 

That makes me and other women that I love a whole lot high risk.  But here's the good news...I go to all my mom's check ups with her at the Dana Farber Cancer Center. Heck, I even tweeted how much I want to steal one of the love seats in the radiology waiting room!!  I have a great relationship with the doctor who I'd choose to be my oncologist.  Hopefully, I'll never need to use that info!  But it's a comfort to know that I have it.

In the meantime, I'm adamant that people try to find a better cure.  Something that doesn't involve the over a year and a half of active medical treatment that my mom went through.  But that takes money.  I'll never have the millions that it takes to fund research.  But I can do my part to support the cause.

I'm happy to announce that anything in the "THINK PINK" section of my Etsy store has an associated donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  It's not a lot...but it helps!! And every woman needs a little pink in her life.  Right?! :-)

Celebrating Mom

Ladies, today was mom's last day of chemo!  I'm so happy for her.  I always knew how strong she was - and making it through multiple surgeries, pulmonary embolisms & chemo treatments has made me appreciate that strength all the more.

From here, she needs to go through HER2 treatments every three weeks for the next year.  In one way - these treatments are going to be a piece of cake in comparison to the chemo cocktail she was on.  But, these treatments come with risk and her oncologist says that heart problems are something that she keeps her eye on during this time.

I will be so relieved when she makes it through her HER2 treatments and is one step closer to being in remission!  Plus, that means she can go visit her friends in England - something she's been looking forward to for MONTHS.

Way to go, Mom.  You rock!

Update on Mom

Andrea just sent me a tweet asking how mom is...and it occurred to me that I really haven't shared too much about her lately.

Mom spent a full week in May in the hospital.  Multiple pulmonary embolisms, bronchitis and another low-grade infection later, she got to come home.  Unfortunately, she had to come home with oxygen.  She's still using it a bit...but her need for it diminishes more and more all the time.  In the meantime, she's using a spare bedroom downstairs because she isn't allowed to go up the stairs more than once a day, and she has to rest more often.  We're all watching her like a hawk! 

She's back on her chemo schedule, but the little hiatus she has to take and the decision to give smaller, more frequent doses means she won't be done until mid-August - about six weeks later than she had hoped.  It's a little bit of a bummer, but she knows it will be over soon enough...

Despite all that, she's doing really well!  She is very comfortable now showing her bald head out and about.  :-)  Of course, she had to buy dozens of hats before deciding she'd rather be bald than wear hats all the time! Ha!

Now, if we could just get my grandmother out of the hospital for more than a week at a time...life would be GOOD!!

The Life and Times of...Um, Me?

Sorry I’ve been MIA lately. I miss blogging and I miss all of you. It’s been a rough couple of weeks…


My “girls” decided to have a little fight. Carmella bit Meadow’s ear and tore it close to in half lengthwise. Their jostle for Alpha status is an extremely rare occurrence and despite my mom running towards them, she didn’t see what started the problem. Meadow is a tough little cookie – and after then went to their separate corners – we thought everyone came out unscathed. Not so, unfortunately. A few minutes later Meadow ran up to her Grammy with blood dripping quickly off her ear. I was called home and the little princess had to have emergency surgery to sew up the ear. She’s been in an Elizabethan collar since then (just over a week) and I bring her for a re-check tomorrow night. To make her more comfortable (and to limit her jumping off my bed), I’m sleeping with her on the couch. I miss my bed!

A few of you lovelies have seen my job tweets. I try to keep where I work as shielded as possible, but I do need to share my utter disappointment here. I have been performing a job function (in addition to my normal job) for about 2 years now. Well, this project is getting off the ground and it’s time to hire a permanent person to perform this job function. As the person already doing it – and LOVING all that it entails- I applied for this position a six weeks ago. A month and one day after going through four interviews for said position, I found out that someone else was hired to assume my role. I’m sad. I’m disappointed. And, frankly, I’m a little ticked that I need to train the person taking my position. However, my boss has told me that my hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. (HURRAY!) I have yet to see the job description, but it seems a new job is being created for me. As soon as I know more, I’ll let you all know.

This weekend was hospital-centric. Mom has been experiencing side-effects from chemo. Saturday she went into the hospital with a fever, racing heart and shortness of breath. Right now, it looks like these symptoms are all part of moderate dehydration. Darn chemo!! With any luck – she gets to come home today. Not to be outdone by my mom – my grandma has been admitted to the hospital too. Grandma passed out in the parking lot of a restaurant yesterday after breakfast and had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital. This freaked out my poor Aunt and Uncle! Anytime an 88 year old woman passes out, it causes concern. Both of these lovely ladies are now in the cardiac care unit.

As soon as life settles down a little, I’ll be back to blogging with a vengeance. I know I said it before – but I MISS YOU GUYS!!!! Please let me know what I’m missing. :-)

Blogoversary Winners & Some Randomness

Thanks to everyone that entered my blogoversary giveaway!  You're awesome, and you made me feel special.  :-)  These days, that means more than ever.

Our lucky winners are:
Mrs. Jones - Uncommon Goods glass globe
Dory and her momma Beth - Folded notes & address stamper from Expressionery.com
Practically Perfect - Barnes & Noble gift certificate and bookmark

Ladies, peruse the websites and let me know what your choices are!

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Thanks to all of you that have emailed or tweeted me asking about my mom.  I love you for that!

Mom is keeping her positive attitude.  Chemo started yesterday and quite frankly - she's exhausted and nauseous.  But, we know that given some rest and good anti-nausea meds that she'll feel better in a few days.

I'm sure that the next four months will hold some ups and downs.  Mom is already starting to talk about doing the Avon Breast Cancer walk next year though.  She's something else!  Our next landmark will be the loss of her hair.  I'm told that there's a chance it won't fall out, but it's highly likely. To prepare for this, mom has spoken to our hairdresser and Ed is ready and willing to shave her head for her.  I'll be there to cheer her on (and take pictures)!

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Is this week dragging for anyone else?  Bueller?  Bueller?  Oh, speaking of... did anyone else tear up during the John Hughes montage during the Oscars?

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And... finally; Carmella says "hi".  I don't think I talk about her enough.  She's such a sweetie!

Checkin' In...

Hi Gang!  Thank you all so much for your words of support over the past few days. They mean so much to me.

Mom is doing well.  Really well. Like "holy crap" well.  Surgery went off without a hitch on Thursday and she woke up from anesthesia talking.  Friday morning we discovered that her drain had a leak.  That sucker got fixed quickly!

Saturday morning she came home, and is resting comfortable.

Now, let me share something with you that struck me funny.  Our hospital is a teaching hospital.  It's not uncommon that you get asked the same question by 5 or 6 different people (nurse, surgical nurse, nurse anesthesiologist, head anesthesiologis, surgeon & surgical resident).  Mom's fabulous surgeon - Dr. Nimkar has a new surgical resident.  She's so new that she didn't remember what Dr. Nimkar looked like, took the chart out of Dr. Nimkar's hands (presuming that she was the nurse; not that it makes it right!!) and proceeded to ask if we had seen Dr. Nimkar yet.  Dumbass!!

Surgery Day...

Hello, lovely ladies.  It's Thursday; surgery day for my sweet mom.

I know it sounds weird...but I'm kind of excited!  This mastectomy - while painful and invasive, will mean that margin revisions are all over with and mom can move forward with her other treatments.  One more step to being cancer-free.  :-)

She's ready.  No second thoughts. And I'm proud of her!

I've already threatened my brother and father that if they drink or eat in front of her (you think it's funny - I've seen the nastiness that occurred the last time my dad did it) pre-op - that I will kill them.  Or throw them out into the waiting room.  My choice.  Or mom's.  Whatever works.

I also have two books, knitting and my Nintendo DS ready for what is going to be a very long day.  I'd like to bring my computer... but I know that I have a hard time sitting still and don't want to lug my laptop with me on walks.  I will be tweeting though - so feel free to distract me from time to time.

If you are so inclined, please keep my mom in your thoughts/prayers.  I appreciate it, and I know that she does too.

THANK YOU

Last week I did a post about my mom having breast cancer.  I did it "for me", thinking that I wouldn't get much response.

I was sooooo wrong, and it made me realize just how much I love you guys.  From the bottom of my heart - thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you for letting me share; thank you for being supportive; more than anything - THANK YOU for every single comment, every single email, all the prayer and positive thoughts.  You are all amazing!  You shared your thoughts, your opinions, and your experiences.  YOU MADE ME CRY (in a good way)!!  I am so proud to know each of you.  If you lived closer, you'd get hugs and baked goods as tokens of my appreciation.  Let me know if you move closer - both the hugs and baked goods offer are open invitations.  :-)

And now, for a status report....

Mom has heard from her surgeon with some not so great news.  The margins still aren't clear.  Her breast surgeon is fantastic and very informative about the three available options.

1. Proceed with chemo and radiation & see if that kills the still cancerous cells.
2. Opt to have another margin revision.
3. Move forward with a mastectomy.

After some careful thought, mom has decided for a mastectomy.  She is sure of herself and her decision...and we are sure of her.  Surgery is next Thursday.  It's still up in the air if reconstructive surgery will happen now or later.  Either way - she wants her boob job!  Come on.  If you're maintaining a positive attitude through all these procedures - you've earned a boob job!  :-)

Cuz She's My MOM!

I'm trying hard to do bright, cute posts lately... but today is not one of those posts. Back to our regularly scheduled "happy" tomorrow.



Instead, I'm going to share with you something I wish I could have shared with you in October and should have shared with you in December.  My mom has breast cancer.


My mom is amazing. She's always been healthy - in fact she never even felt this lump. Why you ask? Because it's right along her chest wall. I credit my mom's diligence in annual mammograms for finding this problem so quickly. In a way - she's really lucky. The breast cancer is between Stage I and Stage II. Totally treatable.  However, it's Grade III - the cells are irregular and grow quicker.


My lovely, fabulous, upbeat mom has been through a lumpectomy and three margin revisions now. In the process has also had a port put in, had a punctured lung and aspirated bile on the surgical table. Through it all, she has managed to smile. Last Thursday was the lastest in margin revisions, and we now have news that the margins still aren't clean.


Realistically, I know she's going to be fine. It means either another margin revision or (likely) a mastectomy. I'm joking with her that she gets a free boob job if she opts for the mastectomy. But every now and then - I have "holy crap" moments.

What would I ever do without her? How can I best support her through another surgery, chemo, radiation and HER2 treatments? Why won't these cells just STOP growing?!?!


Thank you all for letting me get this off my chest (I know... NOT funny). I'm totally ok is you don't comment, want to comment but don't know what to say, etc. I'm stressed. I'm optomistic. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a little scared.

I just appreciate you letting me share. And a big thank you to Kirstren, Jane and Tiney. They did know and have been awesome support as I support my mom.