Social Injustices at Christmas Time

I love this picture! I wish all families could be this fortunate!!

I am neither a Liberal, nor a Conservative...I don't do labels; what I am is a fed up citizen, who has grown tired of all this political grandstanding, judgmentalism, religious posturing, and hate-mongering; and I've come to realize that the United States is no better than the average 3rd world nation! It seems the "important" people are looking down there noses at the less fortunate.

Recently, I did some research in order to comment on a post by a Facebook page I’m a fan of, concerning meeting the needs of the less fortunate because you may be the hand of God to them; and the statistics I learned about ticked me off.

So, please forgive the rant…but, pay attention to what I’m about to say!

It’s the Christmas season; but there are a few things we seem to have forgotten. The cold reality of the destitute in the USA…

Recent Statistics (within the last 2 years)

• Vacant Houses – 14.2 million
• Wasted food (not eaten or sold) – 133 billion pounds
• Homeless – 578,424 men, women and children

That is downright disgraceful!! According to the Conservative Right, the United States is a Christian Nation, and the greatest nation on the planet! Why then, in the name of all that is decent, are these statistics even a reality??

Don’t want the US Government to take care of those who are less fortunate than you?? Then, stop passing the buck!!

You heard me…when you donate to a charity organization (soup kitchen, clothes closet, etc.), like any decent Christian would, you are LITERALLY passing the buck; you’re telling them it’s THEIR responsibility to care for the poor, homeless and hungry.

And, I've got a news flash for all you Conservative Right-wingers who pat yourselves on the back for being such good Christians, when you religiously donate your tax deductible contributions to charities; you're actually supporting government-funded socialist programs. You're not as against socialism as you thought, eh??

Mark 12:30-31 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (NLT)

Matthew 25:34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’....“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (NLT)

However, the Conservative Right has become so busy arrogantly beating their chests over what it means to be a Christian, that they’ve forgotten what He commanded!! This is what happens when one becomes "high and mighty" in their own sight (Romans 12:13), they lose sight of the greatest commandment we were given! 

I was homeless, at one point in my life; it's not a lifestyle anyone desires, trust me. Most of the homeless and destitute don’t get seen by those charity organizations; which is why they panhandle...in an attempt to survive, one more day/night. And all of these organizations are bound by rules and regulations (imposed on them by the government) that make it very difficult to properly see to anyone's needs!!

Whenever I had a job, I always looked for someone to help; I’ve bought food and drink for homeless people who ask me for help, many times. Even when I didn’t have a job, I still tried to meet the needs of the less fortunate. I may not have been “earning my keep”, but I still tried to help those who didn’t have anything.

Sometimes I would deliberately ask them how they were doing, and wait to hear them tell me what they need. If I couldn’t fill that need, myself, I would pray that someone would come into their lives that could; but, I always tried to meet their needs, whenever possible.

That’s what Jesus said we should do…take care of each other!! There’s even a stipulation as to whom we should be caring for…when you did it to the least of these. According to Jesus Christ, Himself, we are SUPPOSED to be caring for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

If you don’t want “Big Gov” to do it, get off your religious high horses and start doing it yourself!! Share what God has blessed you with…not with a charity organization, but with an actual needy person.

Buy them some food, or clothing! Put them up in a hotel, if you don’t want them in your house. Help them find a job; or hire them, if you own a business!! Find a way to fix up those abandoned houses, and let a homeless family occupy them! Show some compassion and empathy....HELP THEM!!

I’m not just saying do these because it’s December, and we’re gearing up for the Christmas holiday…I’m saying do it EVERY day of the year!! BE the Light of Christ to those who have no hope!!

The Liberal Left wants the world to be a better place for all human beings. They believe in fairness, and equality among ALL people. In fact, I've met more Liberals who are more compassionate, in their every-day lives, than most Conservative Right-wingers. Ain't that something!

Jesus had compassion on the weak (Matthew 9:36)…we need to practice that, too. THAT is how we’re going to make this world a better place, for everyone!!

Merry Christmas?? Not for the forgotten...

This is a scene from the story "The Little Match Girl"
I encourage you to read it...this is what we're doing to our own homeless.

URGENT MESSAGE...PLEASE READ!!!

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NLT)

This Blog highlights a few points that I've learned upon watching the docu-series, The Truth about Cancer: A Global Quest. I thought I had learned a lot, since beginning my own cancer journey...but this docu-series blew my mind!! Let me share some of what I've learned...

1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will get cancer, sometime in their life. Ok...wait; half of the male population, and 1/3 of the female population...of the world...will get cancer?? That's insane!!

Mainstream medicine is only given 1 hour of education on nutrition. The word “doctor” actually means…teacher.

“One of the first duties of a physician is to educate the masses not to take medicine.”  ~ William Osler (one of the founding professors of Johns Hopkins Medical Center)

Mainstream medical professionals, today, get taught to prescribe medications…not to educate their patients on ways to keep themselves healthy.

Over a century ago the Carnegie and Rockefeller foundations engineered the curriculum of medical schools through grants and donations (The Flexner Report – 1910). When the money is coming from a source which has a vested interest in the outcome, the outcome will be what the donor wants it to be.

There used to be homeopathic medical schools, as well as conventional medical schools, about a century ago; but, the Carnegie's and the Rockefeller's were interested in establishing a “one size fits all” system. The natural health colleges weren’t putting enough emphasis on patented drugs and pharmaceuticals, which were being manufactured by Big Pharma; and, all Big Pharma companies are funded by the Carnegie and Rockefeller corporations. Do you smell a rat??

They convinced the American Medical Association to begin shutting down those colleges; and as soon as the AMA began to target the homeopathic colleges, the Carnegie and Rockefeller corporations began to shower billions of dollars on the colleges that taught drug-intensive curriculum. Upon distributing those generous donations, these corporations would place staff members on the college’s Boards of Directors to assure that their donations were being used “properly”; these new members continued to be on the payroll of those corporations, as well.

Unfortunately, money talks quite loudly. Once the new Board Members were in place, the curriculum that was being taught was drastically shifted in the direction of pharmaceuticals….no more lessons on the health and well-being of the patient. And the colleges/universities that were given the highest donations turned out the most highly recognized doctors. This is not a coincidence, folks.

By 1925, over 10,000 herbalists were out of business. By 1940, over 1,500 chiropractors would be prosecuted…the charge was practicing quackery. The 22 homeopathic practitioners in 1900, dwindled down to just 2, by 1923. By 1950, all the schools teaching homeopathy were closed. And it was well-known that if a physician did not graduate from a Flexner-approved medical school, they couldn’t find a job…anywhere.

Most mainstream doctors today don’t realize that the medical school they graduated from is nothing more than Big Pharma’s lap dog…because they don’t understand this history; it's conveniently left out of the curriculum. Now, the only approved treatments are those that are created by Big Pharma; if anyone tries to find alternative treatments, their insurance companies deny them coverage.

Disease is nothing more than a marketplace, and the present day healthcare industry was built on that one, simple premise. The success of this business model hinges solely on the continuation and spreading of present day diseases, and the creation of new ones. Without those two directions, the medical establishment would go belly-up.

In 1913, the American Medical Association developed an internal department that they called the “propaganda department”; its main goal was to eliminate quacks…which was anyone who didn’t line up with Big Pharma’s agenda. What is “quackery”, anyway??

George Washington died as a result of blood-letting, which was an approved treatment back in that day. Ignaz Semmelweis (July 1, 1818 – August 13, 1865) was the first person to suggest that doctors wash their hands before performing surgery; he was labeled a quack, ridiculed by his colleagues (they considered his findings improbable and unscientific), and eventually went mad! Now, hand washing is standard protocol for surgeons.

And, nowadays, any doctor who does not prescribe chemotherapy to a cancer patient is also considered a quack.

Chemotherapy was first discovered in the early 1940s because in Italy, nitrogen mustard gas was dropped from aircraft to destroy the enemy; during autopsies, it was discovered that the lymphocytes of those men were drastically decreased. Someone then got the bright idea to create a synthetic drug that acts much the same way as the mustard gas, to treat cancer patients.

Did you know that 90% of Oncologists today would never prescribe any chemotherapy drug for their own families, or for themselves? But, they’ll jump at the chance to prescribe it for us.

In 1971, President Nixon declared a war on cancer; but we’re not any closer to winning that war now, than we were back then. One of the reasons this war continues is because of the money that can be made by Big Pharma; chemo drugs not only kill cancer cells, they kill healthy cells as well. This makes recovery that much more difficult, resulting in the prescribing of more drugs and more chemo, as the patient lives on. Most cancer patients die from chemotherapy poisoning, before their cancer can kill them. And most chemo drugs CAUSE cancer, in other parts of the body.

Tamoxifen is the #1 drug prescribed to women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer; it has been labeled a carcinogen by the WorldHealth Organization and the American Cancer Society. Nobody ever talks about that, before prescribing it; I only found out, after I began taking it…I did some homework.

By 2020, more than half of all cancer cases will be medically induced, because of drugs or radiation. That means that the medical establishment, itself, will soon become the leading cause of cancer in America.

Cancer doesn’t kill…the complications from it are what kills people. Liver failure, sepsis, kidney failure, pneumonia, etc. will be what kills the cancer patient…and only after that patient is exposed to chemo and radiation treatments.

About 97% of patients who are given chemo die within 5 years, says the 2004 edition of The Journal of Oncology. Chemo is NOT your only chance…that’s a lie!!

The folks who blend the chemotherapy drugs have to wear what resembles a HazMat suit, because the chemicals they're handling are TOXIC!! Why do we allow them to put that stuff inside us, if they’re not even allowed to come in contact with it, while they mix it up??

Hippocrates said this....

He's known as the founder of medicine; Hippocratic medicine treated the patient, and not just the disease. Today, that's known as Functional Medicine.

The Truth about Cancer: A Global Quest discusses several methods of Functional Medicine in treating and beating cancer.

I’ve learned SO much, thanks to this docu-series! We’ve all been lied to, at the expense of our health; it’s time to learn the truth!!

This docu-series is full of survivor stories, and information from experts who are aware of the truth. These experts are putting their careers on the line to bring the truth out into the open; some of them are even risking losing their license to practice medicine, just so everyone can learn the truth.

Here is the link to purchase this docu-series; trust me, it's an investment you won't regret making!!

If you'd like to own the Extended Edition, click here.

Please consider purchasing this docu-series...every one of us deserves to know the truth! It's time to take the bull by the horns are eliminate cancer, once and for all!!

Raise Awareness by Taking Off Your Bra…Are You Kidding Me??

It’s been declared that today is National #NoBraDay…it’s supposed to be a Breast Cancer Awareness thing; personally, I think it’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard!!

Breast Cancer (or any cancer) is NOT a fashion statement!! It’s not a trend, a social club, or a badge of honor, either…IT’S A DISEASE, AND ITS JOB IS TO KILL YOU!!

This, my friends, is awareness.....

Mastectomy scar on a man. Yes, they can get breast cancer, too!

Mastectomy scar on a woman...complete with drainage tube.

Chemotherapy feels a lot less peaceful than this looks.

The Breast Self Exam...DO IT!!

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

It is my opinion that the focus needs to shift from awareness, to prevention and curing those who have it. Only about 5% to 10% of breast cancer diagnoses are thought to be hereditary, caused by abnormal genes passed from parent to child; the rest were preventable!

To prevent breast (or any other) cancer, do the following:

• If you smoke…stop!!
• Eat more raw, organic whole foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and whole grains; cut down on your consumption of meat and dairy
• Exercise several times a week, every week
• Limit your intake of alcohol
• Stop eating processed foods and junk/fast food
• No more canned foods, convenience foods, chips, snack cakes, etc.
• No more trips to Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, etc.
• Use natural skin/hair care products
• Most OTC products contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals
• DIY your cleaning products, to reduce exposure to chemicals
• Switch to glass food storage containers
• Even the BPA-free stuff is made with toxic chemicals
• Use natural sunscreens (read the ingredient lists!)
• You can also go DIY. Here’s a recipe from Wellness Mama

Taking off your bra for the day is not going to bring awareness to anything, other than the fact that you’re not wearing your bra. Put it back on!

If you really want to raise awareness…share this Blog post!! I’ve been in a battle for my life, for the last three years; I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, in July 2012.

Here's a link to the beginning of my journey. Happy reading, and have a blessed day!!

Cancer Fighter Update

I saw my new Oncologist, today, and we discussed the labs from the blood work I had done, during my last appointment.

Cancer has reared its ugly head, once again. I wasn't able to do the scans, because the pain in my back was too intense; but she says, thanks to the blood work, she noticed my cancer markers are elevated; and that's a clear indicator that I'm in for another battle.

She ordered some targeted therapy drugs for me; a drug called Femara is one of them. She also wrote up a new Rx for Tramadol, so I won't be in so much pain, anymore. As for the scans, we rescheduled them, and I'm going to be under the influence of Diazepam, for that appointment. She tried to get them to agree to completely sedate me, but they're not having it; so "Plan B" is to take a tranquilizer....along with my pain meds, and muscle relaxer, right before I do the scans.

I'm praying that this time works....otherwise they'll have to sedate me. She NEEDS the scans to form a battle plan!

She also said my iron was a tad low, but it's nothing to be concerned about.

So...the cat's out of the bag, so to speak; I now know why I've been in so much pain, and have had difficulty moving around, these last few months.

Time to kick cancer's butt, again!! I WILL be cancer free, in Jesus' name, because the Bible says I'm already healed!! And I'm still holding God to his promise that this disease will not end in death.

I've got a life to live....and I intend to do exactly that!! God bless you all, for being part of my story! I can't tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you!!

Let the battle begin.....

Indeed it did...I will never give up, or give in!!

Stardate 92610.14 (geek moment)

For those of you who are not familiar with all things Star Trek, I’ll translate the Stardate for you....today is January 3, 2015; and I woke up at 6:42am. I’m geeking out, only because I woke up!!!

Let me explain....

The day I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, my doctor also said, “So...this is what you’ll die from.” I defied is claim; but later learned that, statistically speaking, the average survival rate is 2½ years. My loves.....that’s today; as of this day, it’s been 2½ years since I was diagnosed!!

AND I’M STILL ALIVE!!!

I’m in tears, as I praise God for the privilege of being alive, to share this with you. As many of you know, while I was in the hospital, having been newly diagnosed, my oldest daughter prayed for my healing. As she was praying, she was led to read John11:3-4 from her Bible. And I've been hanging onto that promise, every day.

According to the American Cancer Society,  the 5-year survival rate for Metastatic Breast Cancer (Stage 4) is 22%. I was never given an “expiration date”, so I fully intend to be one of those who survives well beyond the first 5 years. Bring it on!! LOL!

Another one of my favorite Bible verses is, Psalm 118:24; I will, indeed, rejoice in this day! Rejoice with me, my loves....it’s a new day, and we’re alive and well!

I hope you have a stellar day, today!!

Life Has Changed

I haven’t posted a blog in a while...I think it’s been longer than a month! Sorry about that! Here’s an update for you...

Last week, I went to Peachtree City, GA, and spent the week with my youngest daughter; I, finally, got to meet my granddaughter!! <3 It was the best week I've ever had...and I've got tons of pictures, too! Last week, I also celebrated my birthday (first birthday, officially cancer free); I’m 44 years old, now! Yay, me!!

Three generations of survivors, there! Breast cancer, a difficult pregnancy, and attempted suicide!

My birthday week was AMAZING!! I loved getting to spend time with my daughter, her boyfriend, and my granddaughter; and the boyfriend’s parents are such great people, too!! They not only picked me up, from the airport; they also dropped me off, when it was time to go home...and hugged me “good bye”! Love them!!

I have more pictures on my Facebook page (The Savvy Survivor)...including pictures of two birthday meals my daughter fixed for me! They were delish!! So was the vegan birthday cake...made from scratch!!

I was there from Monday afternoon, to Friday afternoon. Friday night, I had a strange dream, about my estranged husband (I mentioned him here); I told him he needed to be the husband he promised me he would be....his answer was, “I'm sorry; I can’t”. A few hours after I woke up, Saturday morning, I got told something that has changed my life, forever.

I was told he had taken his own life, Friday evening. Now, I understand why he told me he can’t be the husband he promised he’d be, in my dream. He had struggled with bipolar disorder (un-diagnosed), for quite a number of years; and was diabetic, as well. I’m coping with this, the best I can...we never resolved the issues that split us up. I’m also having a hard time dealing with the fact that he took his life, the day after my birthday.

My youngest daughter, and son, are his children; she's dealing with his death, much the same way I am...and, as of this post, I haven't heard back from my son.

The Bible says murder is a sin (Exodus 20:13), and killing yourself is murder. However, I am choosing to believe that God went to him, at his final breath, and he asked God for forgiveness; if that’s true, he’s in Heaven, waiting for me....and we’ll see each other, again, some day.

I made this, to honor him....

My loves, I am begging you....please don’t consider taking your own life, just because things may seem a bit difficult; suicide is not the answer, it just creates more problems!!

Talk to someone...reach out for help!! It’s there...someone will always be there to help you through the bad times! You're NOT alone!!

Thank you for your love and support; it really means a lot to me! God bless you!! oxoxox

It's Christmas Eve!

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19 KJV)

As I sit and connect with God, this morning, He brings me to this Scripture, and it got me thinking.

I've often said that it’s not a great idea to assume what God’s doing, or thinking. That means you’re putting yourself in His place, and you believe you know more than He does (I'm guilty of this, myself...but I've learned my lesson!) Lucifer did that....and was thrown out of Heaven for it.

All the time, I hear people ask, “If God's so "all powerful", why does He allow bad things to happen? Why doesn't He just stop them?” Well...if someone comes chasing after you, with a big stick, aren't you going to run for cover?? How do any of us know that maybe God’s allowing all these bad things, because He knows they’ll bring us closer to Him??

The Bible says, in Psalm 9:9, many people are suffering— crushed by the weight of their troubles. But the Lord is a refuge for them, a safe place they can run to. (Easy to Read Version)

Now, I’m not assuming to know what God thinks, or anything...I’m smarter than that! LOL!! But, think about it...the Scripture, above, tells us He does new things to make life a little more bearable!

For instance, consider all these different Bible translations we have available to us, these days. So many people get offended at them, citing that the King James is the ONLY translation there should be; but, how do any of us know that it wasn't God’s idea to create easier to read versions of the Bible??

I’d consider that making “a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert”. Wouldn't you??

See...thanks to all those different variations/translations, more people are getting to know God, because they can finally understand what the Bible is teaching! Granted, some of those translations have left whole verses and chapters out (not good, folks!); but if you can’t understand...

“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:16-18 KJV)

you might be able to understand... “Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone.” (same Scripture, but from the Contemporary English Version)

Folks, we’re not supposed to be fussing with each other over what God’s will is; it’s not our place to assume we know what God is up to, with all that’s going on in the world! That would be usurping OUR will, and claiming it's God's will. We’re only supposed to be concerned with how He wants us to impact the world!

That’s OUR job...the job of the Believer; and, the biggest impact would be to introduce the Savior to those who may not understand that that’s who He is.

We’re also not supposed to stand in judgment over anyone, for any reason, either, and I hear more and more Believers doing that! Jesus' own words to His followers:

Luke 6:37-38 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (KJV)

Luke 6:37-38 Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. (The Message)

This is what we (the Believers) are supposed to be doing with our time...

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (KJV)

Mark 16:15 And then he told them, “You are to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. (The Living Bible)

The GOOD NEWS (aka: The Gospel) is that Jesus gave up His life, being crucified on the cross and resurrected from the dead, so no human being would have to spend eternity in Hell...we can all go to Heaven! The only “catch” is that you have to believe that...if you don’t receive what Jesus did for you, as the gift it was intended to be, you won’t make it to Heaven.

Not my rules, folks...just the truth!

Jesus even said it.... “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV) The Father is God, and He lives in Heaven; none of us will ever get there, if we don’t believe that Jesus IS the Savior of the world.

The Apostle Paul taught us how to do that...

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10 NIV)

You don’t have to change how you live, or think, or dress, or speak. You don’t have to convert to another religion. And you don’t have to “be a better person” before you decide to believe and confess; just do it!! And, I know, some of you are thinking, “Why would anyone give up their own life, for me??” Simple...He did it, because He loves you; and He knew that was the only way to bring you Home.

That was the whole purpose behind His birth...He came down from Heaven to bring us Home!!

John 1:14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. (AMP)

And, wouldn't you say that a virgin birth was a "new thing"? It only happened once, in the history of mankind!

Enjoy your Christmas holiday!! And, God bless us....every one!

oxoxox

Home Sweet Home

Yes, that’s right…I’m finally home, again; I've been home for a week, now!! Thank God!!

And, boy, do I have a blog for you, today!

After surgery, I rehabbed at a place called Pebble Creek, in Akron; it’s only about a 20 minute drive from my sister’s house. I wanted to go back to Edwin Shaw, which is where I rehabbed, last year; but, my insurance company wouldn't cover it. They gave me a ton of grief over a few things, while I was recovering from surgery! I’m seriously considering switching insurance companies (on the Medicaid program, you have the luxury of switching insurance companies)!!

While I was at Pebble Creek, I developed a few health concerns…I spent the better part of those 2 months throwing everything up, having hot flashes, and going through major panic attacks; all of which the house doctor medicated me for, without running any tests to find out why I was experiencing these issues. I kept telling everyone I've never had these issues, before, and it wasn't what it looked like, but (of course) no one would listen. I've never experienced anything like that, before, so I knew something was a bit off…but, since no one would listen to me, nothing was done about it.

I also came down with pneumonia, while I was at Pebble Creek…pneumonia!!! I've never, in all my 40+ years, have ever had to deal with pneumonia; I was only in the hospital for that, for a week, but still!!! And, I’m still recovering from it, too…my lungs aren't quite as strong, now, as they were, before; my sister said the best respiratory therapy for me would be to sing. And, since I like music so much, it’ll be the most fun way to build my lungs back up, too! LOL!!

Now that I’m back home, I've been set up with a Nurse, a Physical Therapist, and an Occupational Therapist, for home care. And, I've got a walker, for around the house; and a wheelchair for shopping, and errands. Every once in a while, I dare the devil and walk a short distance without my walker, but that’s incredibly difficult to do, at this time! My PT says we’re going to have to work a lot on building strength in my legs, so I’m not leaning on my walker so much, when I use it.

Hopefully, I won’t need to use the walker, or the wheelchair, for much longer!

My appetite is getting better, too…slowly. The food at Pebble Creek was atrocious!!  Every meal they made for us was cooked; they hardly gave us any fresh fruits and veggies, at all! And it was all cooked WAY too much…tasteless, soggy, and inedible. It’s no wonder I spent all that time throwing up!

My sister’s been feeding me lots of raw foods (fresh fruits and veggies), and I have eaten a few cooked things; although, the cooked things at home are still making my stomach turn, from time to time. My sister says it’s because my brain has been trained to think that cooked food is gross, because of the two months I spent throwing up at Pebble Creek. I’ll reprogram it, soon!

Oh, and my insurance company! Not only would they not pay for MY choice of rehab facility, they made a decision to discontinue covering my pain medications, after I got back from having pneumonia. See…I was at Pebble Creek, then went to the hospital with pneumonia, then I went back to Pebble Creek. When I got back, my insurance company refused to cover most of my medications; the in-house doctor fought hard for me, too…he convinced them that I NEEDED those medications, and they gave in. Can you blame me for wanting to switch companies??

The plus side of the time I spent at Pebble Creek, is that because I spent all that time throwing up, I actually lost 20 lbs! Not that I would've wanted to lose weight that way, but I can work with it!! LOL!!

Now that I've been home, for a week, I’m slowly getting stronger in a lot of areas; the carpet is difficult to walk on, with my walker, but that’s helping me build up my strength. And, last night, I actually slept in my own bed!! I've been “living in” the recliner, since coming home, because my back still isn't too keen on laying down. But, I positioned my bed so that the head was elevated a little, and slept the whole night! I wasn't going to bother with it, but God spoke to my heart, and encouraged me to try…I’m glad I listened!! LOL!!

And, I've begun another round of chemo…yesterday was my first dose; this time I’m being given Ixempra. I don’t know how long I’ll be doing this round, or what it’s going to do to me, but I should be hearing my doctor tell me “It’s gone!”, early next year!! I’m excited about that!!

Not too thrilled to be doing this, again...but it beats the heck out of dying!!

I also told my Oncologist I was going to wait to move to Knoxville, TN because I wanted to be cancer free when I get down there; that way my new medical team will only have to help me stay healthy, rather than help me fight the disease. He said he liked that idea! Of course, the actual timing of my move is all up to God…I’ll go, when HE says it’s time.

Well, I do hope you have a fantastic day, today! Thanks for keeping up with me! God bless you! oxoxox

I CAN WALK!!

Ok, so…it’s update time; again, sorry it's been so long between Blogs. I bet the title of this Blog caught your attention, didn't it?? LOL!

Let’s back up, just a bit, first. Many of you know, I was admitted back into the hospital, for more surgery (last month). Cancer got aggressive on me, and even surprised my Oncologist; so I am now the proud owner of two cages, and a thoracic/lumbar fusion bar (it has taken the place of my spine, between my rib cage and my hips. Surgery went well, and I spent a few weeks in ICU (mostly because they didn't have a room for me, elsewhere).

I’m in so much pain, with my new and improved body; the surgeon practically gutted me, to do what he needed to do! The staff at the hospital were amazing, as always; they took real good care of me! The healing process will take some time, but this too shall pass!!

Everything’s a learning experience, now…getting in and out of bed is the hardest part. I haven’t quite got used to pushing myself up to a sitting position, while struggling through the pain of movement. But, it’s only been a few weeks, so I’ll just have to give myself permission to struggle. Log rolling is ridiculous!! LOL!

My back is at a point where I can’t lay flat, at this time, because the pain is (once again) unbearable; so, I've made that a goal of mine. I will become strong enough to lay down, flat, in bed. I wish you could've seen the look on my face, when I woke up from surgery, and discovered that I was laying down...in a bed. I was elated!! Just knowing that I could lay down, in bed, was amazing!! LOL!

I've moved into a place called Pebble Creek Nursing and Rehab Center, to recover from surgery and regain some mobility; they hooked me up with Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy; the Speech Therapy is more for learning how to swallow my food. I was intubated, for surgery, so the muscles in my throat got weak. She’s helping me learn to take baby bites, and has encouraged me to drink after each one; I've also noticed, my appetite has changed! I can’t eat as much as I used to be able to…bonus!! This will, undoubtedly, help me lose weight!

Whatever I do, throughout the day, gets me all sweaty, now…and this is no exaggeration! I can break a sweat, doing my deep breathing exercises! I think I scare the staff, sometimes, with all that. Here, again…you never really know what the body is capable of doing, until you can’t do it, anymore. Last year, I had to re-learn everything, from the start; this time is no exception. I am, literally, re-learning the art of being a human; limitations and all. They’ve got me all set up, though…lots of equipment, and tools to use, to help me out. Stellar staff, here, too!!

And, yes…yesterday, I walked! This whole time, I’ve been struggling to move around, thinking (and starting to believe) that I wasn’t going to be able to move, much, now. God’s been dealing with me on a wide range of emotions, during this part of my journey!

Yesterday, during PT, my coach said, “I’m gonna go get the walker, and we’re gonna take a few steps. Just to see where we’re at.” She joined me in my struggle. As I began to move my feet along the floor, she smiled at me…first two steps, done. I kept going; not paying any attention to anything, except….every time Jesus told a crippled person to get up and walk, they did. I’m not crippled, just temporarily set back.

My Therapist’s face lit up, once she heard me say I needed to sit back down; she had another Therapist walk with us, and bring my wheelchair along. They were both pretty impressed with me! It wasn't me…it was God; the only thing I can take credit for is the praying I do.

God doesn't want me stuck in bed, for the rest of my life. I have things to do, people to see, and a life to live! I have a message to deliver for Him; and I can’t do that, if I can’t get around. Yesterday, I walked about 3 ft.

Today is a brand new day! Enjoy this day, and be blessed!!