Life is Good

Chemo went well today. I've got a couple of scans coming up in January, so I've posted those over in the "Other Appointments" section of the sidebar.

It was great to spend time with Sean again. We went to his parent's house afterward for lunch and to just hang out and talk some more in between sweet little interruptions from his multitude of nieces and nephews. Tomorrow Michelle is coming to KC for the day, so I'm looking forward to seeing her and getting caught up.

Two good friends in one week...how lucky can one girl get?!!?

I know I've talked about this book before, today I was starkly reminded of it, its authors, and the message it brings to all of us.

I have had the privilege of meeting all four of the amazing & beautiful women who co-wrote Nordies.

Jana, Patti, Kim, Jennifer

I attended two of the Ribbons to Racquets banquets...once in 2001 as a guest of my (and Jana & Patti's) breast surgeon, Dr. Amie Jew; and again in 2002 as a volunteer. I was there when Patti was awarded the You Are An Inspiration award by Jana in 2001, and when Kim received the award in 2002. These women truly are an inspiration...as is Jana.

I just learned of Jana's death today at my oncologist's office. Jana, Patti and I all had the same oncologist as well (Dr. Lisa Doane). I remember seeing Jana & Patti with their laptops in the treatment room back in 2000 when we were all going through chemo then, they looked like they were conspiring to take over the world...and they looked like they could (and would)! They certainly left their mark on the world, even though they were only here for a WAY too short time.

Dr. Doane thought I knew of Jana's passing earlier this month when she mentioned it to me today (I did not). She and I held each other for a long time. I had no tears, but she did. The news still hasn't completely sunk in yet, when it does the tears will flow. Ironically enough, I had a dream a few nights ago of Dr. Doane and I hugging each other like that. I had no idea why I had that dream...until today.

From Dr. Doane's office I went straight back to the chemo room, as I sat in that big chair all alone (Sean wasn't there yet) waiting for them to bring in the drugs I guess I had a look of shock & sadness on my face because the chemo nurses asked if I was okay. I asked them if they'd heard the news. I knew they knew Jana too since these particular nurses were around back in 2000. They had heard and said that too many of their favorite patients were leaving us lately. Again, more hugs. Still, no tears. Jana was a lot of people's favorite. Her motto was 'Life is Good'.

Jana was 35, and Patti was 28 when she passed away. My sister's neighbor and our friend Sharon was 40 when she passed away last year. This disease is a killer, especially of younger women. These deaths just serve as a reminder of the beast that is within me as well. What makes me any different? Other than the fact that I got the luxury of 35 years of not having cancer, six years in between diagnoses, and getting to live to be 42.<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEdkPmPrc3J37mQclcC6SYcrtRPn4wdGZYRXJjMRuhATEH1i9O7ruT1IQKV3UQ0kT3DsL3rmSObsUm3K-8FYnzFA31FCFIDM4_1LhD_SsjeY-xENKJrHyuxXHgRSr9RNJQssW/s320/nordiescover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014179498123832066" border="0" /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nordiesatnoon.com/"></a><div style="text-align: left; color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-family: verdana;"> I know I've talked about this book before, today I was starkly reminded of it, its authors, and the message it brings to all of us. </div> <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpjlAKJdpDMvp0Fo7FCF_TN-fppQGqZe3JrrA8WXYAProkMYwgond84gsX5RYBaue_W1oc-IZfU4nedINlV-6oJXzUPouzcPFcmwsUTkD5NoL1fm-sk64QNcsZzNMHwmIj2BF/s1600-h/text_box_alt.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpjlAKJdpDMvp0Fo7FCF_TN-fppQGqZe3JrrA8WXYAProkMYwgond84gsX5RYBaue_W1oc-IZfU4nedINlV-6oJXzUPouzcPFcmwsUTkD5NoL1fm-sk64QNcsZzNMHwmIj2BF/s320/text_box_alt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014189831815146258" border="0" /></a> </div> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;"> I have had the privilege of meeting all four of the amazing & beautiful women who co-wrote Nordies. </span> <div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-family: verdana;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrv9ODUHFiRobOus83s_ttZVon2tpFG4Gk4VfaBR8JloczXbldJRHGEEw0MXPnlVxACzu0XcXWY6ALy1oTBMLPhIeW9UF_byMugO3FEdAxDGm0z_JpTZi_Jpjir_t5KOKfgPR/s1600-h/nordiesgirls.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrv9ODUHFiRobOus83s_ttZVon2tpFG4Gk4VfaBR8JloczXbldJRHGEEw0MXPnlVxACzu0XcXWY6ALy1oTBMLPhIeW9UF_byMugO3FEdAxDGm0z_JpTZi_Jpjir_t5KOKfgPR/s320/nordiesgirls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014178832403901170" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Jana, Patti, Kim, Jennifer</span> </div> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;">I attended two of the <a href="http://www.ribbonsofpink.org/pastevents.html">Ribbons to Racquets</a> banquets...once in 2001 as a guest of my (and Jana & Patti's) breast surgeon, Dr. Amie Jew; and again in 2002 as a volunteer. I was there when Patti was awarded the You Are An Inspiration award by Jana in 2001, and when Kim received the award in 2002. These women truly are an inspiration...as is Jana. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;">I just learned of Jana's death today at my</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;"> oncologist's office. Jana, Patti and I all had the same oncologist as well (Dr. Lisa Doane). I remember seeing Jana & Patti with their laptops in the treatment room back in 2000 when we were all going through chemo then, they looked like they were conspiring to take over the world...and they looked like they could (and would)! They certainly left their mark on the world, even though they were only here for a WAY too short time. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;">Dr. Doane thought I knew of Jana's passing earlier this month when she mentioned it to me today (I did not). She and I held each other for a long time. I had no tears, but she did. The news still hasn't completely sunk in yet, when it does the tears will flow. Ironically enough, I had a dream a few nights ago of Dr. Doane and I hugging each other like that. I had</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;"> no idea why I had that dream...until today. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;">From Dr. Doane's office I went straight back to the chemo room, as I sat in that big chair all alone waiting for them to bring in the drugs I guess I had a look of shock & sadness on my face because the chemo nurses asked if I was okay. I asked them if they'd heard the news. I knew they knew Jana too since these nurses were around back in 2000. They had heard and said that too many of their favorite patients were</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;"> leaving us lately. Again, more hugs. Still, no tears. Jana was a lot of people's favorite.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;">I was just thinking recently about a party that Jana had at their house for the volunteers of R2R, you could tell that there was so much love in their home. My heart & prayers go out to Chris and to Jana's family. I still have the 'I Care' Bear that Jana gave all of the volunteers. It will be moved from my stuffed animal shelf to a special shelf I have dedicated to breast cancer and I will light a pink candle for Jana...and for all of us. </span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhRS3GieDlU5PbK0LAb6Qh9DyNr_ODdouZfhe_mCc5-3nd0zE4cW6SSDEb-mVbCwBowTZ5dEzyLXGCGBIXJWFzfXuunnfTEkhyAqa4fkr6WWOGQbyEudRUb1mmXKVfjiOda6I/s1600-h/100_0095.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhRS3GieDlU5PbK0LAb6Qh9DyNr_ODdouZfhe_mCc5-3nd0zE4cW6SSDEb-mVbCwBowTZ5dEzyLXGCGBIXJWFzfXuunnfTEkhyAqa4fkr6WWOGQbyEudRUb1mmXKVfjiOda6I/s320/100_0095.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5014191811795069730" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:verdana;"> </span><div style="text-align: left; font-family: verdana; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);">A woman who went to Jana's memorial service shared this with me: <blockquote>I went to the memorial service, even though I never officially met Jana (only corresponded with her over emails over the last few years). They quoted Dr. Jew talking about how what BC does - how it doesn't change your character but bring out/make stronger who you already are. When they did that she dropped her head and sobbed. After I went up and gave her a hug and told her how much she does for everyone....how meaningful her profession is. Then she said "yes, until there's a day like today, when you lose someone and we couldn't save her". Cancer sucks. Yet, life is good.</blockquote> </div></div> I'm sure those nurses saw that fear, I know Dr. Doane felt it.

I was just thinking recently about a party that Jana had at their house for the volunteers of R2R, you could tell that there was so much love in their home. My heart & prayers go out to her husband, Chris and her family. I still have the 'I Care' Bear that Jana gave all of the volunteers. It will be moved from my stuffed animal shelf to a special shelf I have dedicated to breast cancer, I will light a pink candle for Jana...and for all of us.

A woman who went to Jana's memorial service shared this with me:

I went to the memorial service, even though I never officially met Jana (only corresponded with her over emails over the last few years). They quoted Dr. Jew talking about how what BC does - how it doesn't change your character but brings out/makes stronger who you already are. When they did that she dropped her head and sobbed. After I went up and gave her a hug and told her how much she does for everyone....how meaningful her profession is. Then she said "yes, until there's a day like today, when you lose someone and we couldn't save her".

Cancer sucks.

Yet, life is good.

May you rest in peace with the angels,
~Jana, Patti, and Sharon~