Shame on Kelly and me!!!
Sorry it has been so very long since our last post! There has been so much going on in both of our worlds and we have neglected you all. We hope that you will continue to follow us through 2010 and beyond...we promise it will be better!
A quick update...Kelly finished her treatments and now has quite the cute hairstyle!! She actually has to use product to keep it from looking like "bed head"!! Her fall has been tough. Chloe, her 3 year old, was hospitalized over Thanksgiving due to complications with asmtha and pnuemonia. She is better, but still has some pnuemonia in her little lung. Brody, her 1 year old, has been battling ear infections! He is currently on meds to rid himself of a double infection. Please keep them in your prayers!
As you can see, she has had her plate full, so I won't bust her too bad for not posting on this blog too!!
As for me, I have no excuse really. I'm just terrible about posting. I will go through spurts where I post constantly and then nothing at all. My goal is to change that in 2010!!!
We had a great meeting December. It was actually a fun pot luck dinner!! Our member Lorrie and her family came and it was great seeing her. She has one more chemo in January and she is done with that part. Her two girls are going to come over and we are going to bake her a couple of cakes. Aubrey, her 6 year old, said she wanted to bake her a "cancer cake"!! I'm sure Markie, her 14 year old, has some great ideas for her cake too. It should be fun and messy!!
We also had our support team there as well. Destiny and her husband, Larry, joined us. Destiny is my BFF that was right there by my side throughout my treatments. I can't imagine what Woody and I would have done without her by our side. She has so graciously offered to be there for S.E.E. Pink and we couldn't be more excited about her contribution. She will be invaluable to our group.
Michelle was there as well. She may not realize what she has gotten into, but I'm sure she will in January when we enlighten her!!! She is a wonderful young woman with a lot of compassion. I know that she will have a big impact on the kids of our members. I believe her work with the youth from our church will help her relate to our "S.E.E. Pink kids". Thanks Michelle!
We welcomed Emily and her son, Lee, in December. I met Emily at radiation in March. She finished her treatment after me, but you can't believe how fast her hair has grown back!!! She makes me look like I'm bald again...oh, and did I mention that she has the curls I had hoped to have?...I digress! Her son, Lee, is just precious. We really enjoyed having him there and I believe he had a good time too.
We missed Miss Freda, but we'll surely see her in January!
I will close for now. Please stay tuned in 2010. We hope to have an actual website, non-profit status, and many more things in the coming year.
God Bless and Happy New Year!
Lynne
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Can cancer be a Blessing?...Yes, it can!!
As crazy as it sounds breast cancer is a blessing. Kelly and I were brought together by breast cancer and together we had a vision. That vision is S.E.E. Pink. The vision of S.E.E. Pink is Serve/Empower/Educate. If tonight was any indication of the positive impact our organization is going to have, then we need to get ready for a wild and wonderful ride!!
The support that Kelly and I receive from family and friends continues. It is with their support that we know we can accomplish the mission God has for us. Woody, my husband, was there tonight taking notes and making pizza runs and if David, Kelly's husband, hadn't been stuck at an airport then I know he would have been there too! Destiny, my bff, was right just like she was from the beginning. I know that the three of them will be an invaluable resource for the loved ones of our members. Michelle doesn't know what she has gotten herself into, because I see her working with the kids of our members. She is wonderful with young people and we are blessed to have her want to be a part of S.E.E. Pink.
I can't write tonight without talking about a very special young lady that came with her mom tonight. I have a new bff and her name is Markie!! She is 14 and precious. I know that her mom feels so blessed to have her. Her personality just fills the room and you can't help but be drawn into her world! I see big things in her future.
I will close now. It has been an emotional night and I need to get geared up for tomorrow. I have my 3rd follow up appointment with my oncologist and then Kelly and I are going with a new S.E.E. Pink member to her oncologist appointment at Vanderbilt. By the way, thanks Destiny for taking care of Kelly's little people!
Have a blessed weekend.
Lynne
The support that Kelly and I receive from family and friends continues. It is with their support that we know we can accomplish the mission God has for us. Woody, my husband, was there tonight taking notes and making pizza runs and if David, Kelly's husband, hadn't been stuck at an airport then I know he would have been there too! Destiny, my bff, was right just like she was from the beginning. I know that the three of them will be an invaluable resource for the loved ones of our members. Michelle doesn't know what she has gotten herself into, because I see her working with the kids of our members. She is wonderful with young people and we are blessed to have her want to be a part of S.E.E. Pink.
I can't write tonight without talking about a very special young lady that came with her mom tonight. I have a new bff and her name is Markie!! She is 14 and precious. I know that her mom feels so blessed to have her. Her personality just fills the room and you can't help but be drawn into her world! I see big things in her future.
I will close now. It has been an emotional night and I need to get geared up for tomorrow. I have my 3rd follow up appointment with my oncologist and then Kelly and I are going with a new S.E.E. Pink member to her oncologist appointment at Vanderbilt. By the way, thanks Destiny for taking care of Kelly's little people!
Have a blessed weekend.
Lynne
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
S.E.E. Pink meets again...
Don't forget that S.E.E. Pink will be meeting on November 19th at 6:00 pm. We will meet in the training room at Exit Realty Clarksville located just off of Exit 1 (I-24) next to Sonic. (1289 Northfield Dr, Ste 3)
This meeting will be a time to brainstorm about what you would like to see at your meetings. Kelly and I have some good ideas, but are totally open to suggestions. We will have food...probably pizza...and definitely some fun mixed in!
Please feel free to bring your spouse, bff, and/or kids. If you have any questions, please shoot us an email seepink2@gmail.com.
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
This meeting will be a time to brainstorm about what you would like to see at your meetings. Kelly and I have some good ideas, but are totally open to suggestions. We will have food...probably pizza...and definitely some fun mixed in!
Please feel free to bring your spouse, bff, and/or kids. If you have any questions, please shoot us an email seepink2@gmail.com.
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
Sunday, November 8, 2009
13.1 miles...Kelly Rocks the Clarksville Half Marathon!
Good morning,
I just wanted to take a moment and congratulate our own Kelly Blevins! Kelly has not only kicked breast cancer's behind this year, she also ran her very first half marathon on Saturday. She, along with her dear friend Erin Weatherford, posted an awesome time for their inaugural run...3 hrs 1 min!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!
Please feel free to leave all sorts of "way to go girl" comments for Kelly and Erin. Pictures will follow, and yes, I will get busy in the next day or so putting up pictures from the kickoff!
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
I just wanted to take a moment and congratulate our own Kelly Blevins! Kelly has not only kicked breast cancer's behind this year, she also ran her very first half marathon on Saturday. She, along with her dear friend Erin Weatherford, posted an awesome time for their inaugural run...3 hrs 1 min!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!
Please feel free to leave all sorts of "way to go girl" comments for Kelly and Erin. Pictures will follow, and yes, I will get busy in the next day or so putting up pictures from the kickoff!
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Short Kickoff Update
Hi friends! Finally I am sitting down to briefly update you about the SEE Pink kickoff that happened on the 18th. Where to start....oh, I know...things went GREAT!!! Everything went off without a hitch and we had a really good turnout. We met some super nice ladies and are excited to begin friendships with each of them. Some were survivors, some were support people, and some were just there to support our cause. Whatever the reason, we are blessed to have them in our lives now.
We took lots of pictures so I need everyone to harass Lynne to put them on the blog (just kidding sweet friend!)
THE NEXT SOCIAL WILL BE NOVEMBER 19th at 6:00 pm.
We took lots of pictures so I need everyone to harass Lynne to put them on the blog (just kidding sweet friend!)
THE NEXT SOCIAL WILL BE NOVEMBER 19th at 6:00 pm.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Mark Your Calendars
Hi! It's me, Kelly updating....finally!!! Things have been pretty busy for Lynne and me. Between training for the 1/2 marathon and 5K Clarksville races, getting things ready for our big SEE Pink kickoff meeting, and just managing our daily lives with our families, time has gotten away from us. However, we are back and READY to go!!!
In just 10 short days (October 18th), we will be kicking off our SEE Pink care group. This kickoff will be held on Sunday, October 18th from 2-5 PM in the upstairs room at Exit Realty. I'll post directions at the end of this for those of you who may not be familiar with where it is. The purpose of this kickoff meeting is really just a "meet and greet." Before we go full swing with our bi-monthly meetings, we are wanting to see what the interest level is in our group and have potential members sign-up for more information. There will be snacks, goodie bags, and door prizes too.
I would like to go ahead and tell you that SEE Pink is not what you think of when you think "support group." You see, when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I was not at all interested in joining a support group, but what I was looking for was just a group of friends that I could call on at anytime for anything... whether that meant asking them for a meal, or just a word of encouragement. That is the goal of our group and therefore why we refer to our group as a "care group."
For women who are currently undergoing treatment we want to take care of meals, childcare if needed, transportation if needed, grocery shopping, errand running, and anything else that may come up. We also firmly believe in showing and sharing the love of Christ and will be praying for our members constantly, calling to offer encouragment, and sending little surprises in the mail occasionally to cheer you up when your day may not be so sunny.
For women who are past treatment we want to encourage you as you begin living your life after cancer. We hope that friendships are formed so that you never have to go to a follow-up mammogram or a doctor's appointment alone if you don't want to.
So, that's the group in a nutshell. One meeting each month we are going to have a guest speaker come and talk to the group about nutrition, exercise, etc... and the other meeting each month will be what we refer to as our "WIG OUT" night. This is just a fun night for girl time. We may just hang out and watch a movie, have a pot luck, play games, have a wine tasting, and other things along those lines. As long as it is laid back and relaxed, we are all for it. Everyone needs a night just to have fun and forget that the word cancer even exists.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come check us out. We would love to have you! And as a side note, this is not just a care group for women with breast cancer, but for any woman with any cancer. Do not feel like you can't come if your cancer is something other than breast. It does not matter!
So, here are the directions...
Take exit 1 off of I-24. Turn left (going towards Clarksville, not Kentucky) and go approximately 2/10 of a mile. Exit Realty is on the left. If you get to the stoplight at Tiny Town Rd, you have gone too far.
Feel free to email us with questions and we will get back to you right away. Our email address is seepink2@gmail.com
In just 10 short days (October 18th), we will be kicking off our SEE Pink care group. This kickoff will be held on Sunday, October 18th from 2-5 PM in the upstairs room at Exit Realty. I'll post directions at the end of this for those of you who may not be familiar with where it is. The purpose of this kickoff meeting is really just a "meet and greet." Before we go full swing with our bi-monthly meetings, we are wanting to see what the interest level is in our group and have potential members sign-up for more information. There will be snacks, goodie bags, and door prizes too.
I would like to go ahead and tell you that SEE Pink is not what you think of when you think "support group." You see, when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I was not at all interested in joining a support group, but what I was looking for was just a group of friends that I could call on at anytime for anything... whether that meant asking them for a meal, or just a word of encouragement. That is the goal of our group and therefore why we refer to our group as a "care group."
For women who are currently undergoing treatment we want to take care of meals, childcare if needed, transportation if needed, grocery shopping, errand running, and anything else that may come up. We also firmly believe in showing and sharing the love of Christ and will be praying for our members constantly, calling to offer encouragment, and sending little surprises in the mail occasionally to cheer you up when your day may not be so sunny.
For women who are past treatment we want to encourage you as you begin living your life after cancer. We hope that friendships are formed so that you never have to go to a follow-up mammogram or a doctor's appointment alone if you don't want to.
So, that's the group in a nutshell. One meeting each month we are going to have a guest speaker come and talk to the group about nutrition, exercise, etc... and the other meeting each month will be what we refer to as our "WIG OUT" night. This is just a fun night for girl time. We may just hang out and watch a movie, have a pot luck, play games, have a wine tasting, and other things along those lines. As long as it is laid back and relaxed, we are all for it. Everyone needs a night just to have fun and forget that the word cancer even exists.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come check us out. We would love to have you! And as a side note, this is not just a care group for women with breast cancer, but for any woman with any cancer. Do not feel like you can't come if your cancer is something other than breast. It does not matter!
So, here are the directions...
Take exit 1 off of I-24. Turn left (going towards Clarksville, not Kentucky) and go approximately 2/10 of a mile. Exit Realty is on the left. If you get to the stoplight at Tiny Town Rd, you have gone too far.
Feel free to email us with questions and we will get back to you right away. Our email address is seepink2@gmail.com
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
I (Kelly) Stole This...
from Beth Moore's blog, but you see, it was too good NOT to take and share so here it is.
My Dear Sister
God has not overlooked you
He has not ignored you
He hears every petition
And intimately knows
The heart beneath it.
Give Him full access
To all your longings
Pray every single day
To become a person who delights in Him.
When it seems to disappear
Remember to check your JAW
Are you jealous?
Are you angry?
Are you worried?
Roll it all on Jesus
He's strong enough to carry it
Big enough to handle it.
Trust God with all your heart
Now leave this place
And go into the world
And do some GOOD.
The line that strikes me most on this day is the third from the bottom...NOW LEAVE THIS PLACE. That's what I feel like has happened to me. I have left the place of cancer ,and for the first time since January 12th when I found the lump, I feel NORMAL!!! Like really normal. I don't think about it everyday and to be perfectly honest I don't think about it that much at all. Now I'm sure that will change when I start my daily radiation in 2 weeks, but for now, I've left that place and I am FREE! I'm going to do as Beth says and go into the world and do some GOOD. Anyone want to join in?
My Dear Sister
God has not overlooked you
He has not ignored you
He hears every petition
And intimately knows
The heart beneath it.
Give Him full access
To all your longings
Pray every single day
To become a person who delights in Him.
When it seems to disappear
Remember to check your JAW
Are you jealous?
Are you angry?
Are you worried?
Roll it all on Jesus
He's strong enough to carry it
Big enough to handle it.
Trust God with all your heart
Now leave this place
And go into the world
And do some GOOD.
The line that strikes me most on this day is the third from the bottom...NOW LEAVE THIS PLACE. That's what I feel like has happened to me. I have left the place of cancer ,and for the first time since January 12th when I found the lump, I feel NORMAL!!! Like really normal. I don't think about it everyday and to be perfectly honest I don't think about it that much at all. Now I'm sure that will change when I start my daily radiation in 2 weeks, but for now, I've left that place and I am FREE! I'm going to do as Beth says and go into the world and do some GOOD. Anyone want to join in?
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Be Strong Ring, Part Deux
I hope you all enjoyed Part One of the "Be Strong" ring. Now I will share with you about SEE Pink's "Be Strong" ring.
Last year Woody and I stopped by my office (Exit Realty Clarksville) to visit with a few people before I went to the hospital for bloodwork. It was September 18th and I was scheduled for surgery the following Tuesday. As we arrived there was a group of ladies that came out to greet us. Jane Barker took a ring off of her finger and put it on mine. Although she didn't say, "this is a 'Be Strong' ring", that is exactly what she meant. I have always felt stronger when I had it on...kinda like I had super powers or something! It has a big beautiful pink stone and the ring itself is sterling silver and just fun! I will post a picture later. It fit my personality just right!
A couple of weeks ago, I began thinking about Dayna's "Be Strong" story and thought this ring was PERFECT to start the tradition as Kelly and I were starting SEE Pink. Before I passed it on there was a couple of things I needed to do. I took it to McKenzie & Smiley, a local jeweler, and they tightened up the prongs to better secure the awesome pink stone, shined it up, and engraved "Be Strong" on the inside. The "Be Strong" ring was ready to begin a journey of representing many beautiful women!
Kelly was naturally the first person to receive the "Be Strong" ring. I gave it to her and told her to wear it as long as she felt she needed it. Kelly has been forced to deal with more than three times the chemo than I did and she has shown such strength and grace. I'm so amazed by her. Her faith has taken her through the worst of breast cancer and it will bring her through the rest, which involves over thirty radiation treatments.
Jane Barker, thank you! Thank you for unknowingly becoming a part of something bigger than us all. I couldn't have picked out a more perfect ring to become SEE Pink's symbol! You are too sweet!
I think this fall the "Be Strong" ring will make its way to another deserving lady facing a difficult challenge! With each finger it graces it will gain in strength and history. I look forward to hearing about the ladies it touches and their stories. We will be chronicling the journey of SEE Pink's "Be Strong" ring right here, so stay tuned for more!
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
Last year Woody and I stopped by my office (Exit Realty Clarksville) to visit with a few people before I went to the hospital for bloodwork. It was September 18th and I was scheduled for surgery the following Tuesday. As we arrived there was a group of ladies that came out to greet us. Jane Barker took a ring off of her finger and put it on mine. Although she didn't say, "this is a 'Be Strong' ring", that is exactly what she meant. I have always felt stronger when I had it on...kinda like I had super powers or something! It has a big beautiful pink stone and the ring itself is sterling silver and just fun! I will post a picture later. It fit my personality just right!
A couple of weeks ago, I began thinking about Dayna's "Be Strong" story and thought this ring was PERFECT to start the tradition as Kelly and I were starting SEE Pink. Before I passed it on there was a couple of things I needed to do. I took it to McKenzie & Smiley, a local jeweler, and they tightened up the prongs to better secure the awesome pink stone, shined it up, and engraved "Be Strong" on the inside. The "Be Strong" ring was ready to begin a journey of representing many beautiful women!
Kelly was naturally the first person to receive the "Be Strong" ring. I gave it to her and told her to wear it as long as she felt she needed it. Kelly has been forced to deal with more than three times the chemo than I did and she has shown such strength and grace. I'm so amazed by her. Her faith has taken her through the worst of breast cancer and it will bring her through the rest, which involves over thirty radiation treatments.
Jane Barker, thank you! Thank you for unknowingly becoming a part of something bigger than us all. I couldn't have picked out a more perfect ring to become SEE Pink's symbol! You are too sweet!
I think this fall the "Be Strong" ring will make its way to another deserving lady facing a difficult challenge! With each finger it graces it will gain in strength and history. I look forward to hearing about the ladies it touches and their stories. We will be chronicling the journey of SEE Pink's "Be Strong" ring right here, so stay tuned for more!
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The "Be Strong" Ring, Part One
My dear friend, Dayna Paine, shared a wonderful story with me a couple of years ago about a simple little gold band called the "Be Strong" ring. I will retell this story as best I can and then share with you how Jane Barker unknowingly blessed me with the start of See Pink's own "Be Strong" ring!
Dayna's story:
Dayna graduated from Clemson and is not only a great friend, but she is also a rabid Clemson fan! This really has nothing to do with the story, but with football season about to start I would be remiss if I didn't mention it!
Dayna has a dear friend in Clemson, Esther, who owns Nick's. It is a Clemson institution and holds many memories for many alumni! If memory serves me correctly (which it doesn't always do!), then someone at Nick's found a simple gold wedding band while sweeping. The ring was held onto for quite sometime, but it was never claimed by anyone. Esther began wearing it as a thumb ring, I think. Anyway, she left it a friend's house and this friend began wearing it so that she could feel Esther's closeness while she was going through a difficult time. (Esther is one of these wonderful women that loves her friends with her whole being, so they naturally pull strength from her whether she is physically there or not.) Well, story has it that once her friend made it through her difficult time, she returned the ring to Esther and told her how she derived strength from it. Thus, the "Be Strong" ring was born!
The "Be Strong" ring was bestowed upon Dayna while she was dealing with a long deployment separation from Jeff, who later became her husband. Once Jeff returned, and Dayna felt stronger, she returned the ring to Esther. Two years ago I met Esther and learned of the "Be Strong" ring. Dayna and I were in Clemson for a football game (yes, I'm ashamed to say that I actually wore an orange shirt with a tiger paw on it!!)...I digress...we were charged with bringing the "Be Strong" ring back to Tennessee to Mandy who was pregnant with her first child and whose husband was scheduled to deploy before the baby was to be born. Dayna not only shared the ring with Mandy, but she stood by her side as Mandy's precious Logan was born!
The "Be Strong" ring isn't about a piece of jewelry, it is about the women behind it. The sisters who are there for one another, now and always. It is about finding strength when you think you have none left. Whether you are fighting cancer, struggling with a deployment, or simply going through a transitional time in your life, having friends that you can count on is crucial to victory! A symbol such as the "Be Strong" ring just works as glue to bind friends and strangers together forever!
I hope you have enjoyed this story. I will post the story behind See Pink's "Be Strong" ring later today. Kelly is on her way over for coffee and to discuss See Pink's big Open House in October. Stay tuned for those details!
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
Dayna's story:
Dayna graduated from Clemson and is not only a great friend, but she is also a rabid Clemson fan! This really has nothing to do with the story, but with football season about to start I would be remiss if I didn't mention it!
Dayna has a dear friend in Clemson, Esther, who owns Nick's. It is a Clemson institution and holds many memories for many alumni! If memory serves me correctly (which it doesn't always do!), then someone at Nick's found a simple gold wedding band while sweeping. The ring was held onto for quite sometime, but it was never claimed by anyone. Esther began wearing it as a thumb ring, I think. Anyway, she left it a friend's house and this friend began wearing it so that she could feel Esther's closeness while she was going through a difficult time. (Esther is one of these wonderful women that loves her friends with her whole being, so they naturally pull strength from her whether she is physically there or not.) Well, story has it that once her friend made it through her difficult time, she returned the ring to Esther and told her how she derived strength from it. Thus, the "Be Strong" ring was born!
The "Be Strong" ring was bestowed upon Dayna while she was dealing with a long deployment separation from Jeff, who later became her husband. Once Jeff returned, and Dayna felt stronger, she returned the ring to Esther. Two years ago I met Esther and learned of the "Be Strong" ring. Dayna and I were in Clemson for a football game (yes, I'm ashamed to say that I actually wore an orange shirt with a tiger paw on it!!)...I digress...we were charged with bringing the "Be Strong" ring back to Tennessee to Mandy who was pregnant with her first child and whose husband was scheduled to deploy before the baby was to be born. Dayna not only shared the ring with Mandy, but she stood by her side as Mandy's precious Logan was born!
The "Be Strong" ring isn't about a piece of jewelry, it is about the women behind it. The sisters who are there for one another, now and always. It is about finding strength when you think you have none left. Whether you are fighting cancer, struggling with a deployment, or simply going through a transitional time in your life, having friends that you can count on is crucial to victory! A symbol such as the "Be Strong" ring just works as glue to bind friends and strangers together forever!
I hope you have enjoyed this story. I will post the story behind See Pink's "Be Strong" ring later today. Kelly is on her way over for coffee and to discuss See Pink's big Open House in October. Stay tuned for those details!
Have a blessed day.
Lynne
Friday, August 14, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to our blog! Let us first introduce ourselves.
My name is Kelly. I'm 32 years old and a former Pediatric ICU nurse. I never in a million years would have EVER guessed that I would one day be a patient...much less a cancer patient. But that is now my story and I am proud to be able to share my journey with you all. In January, I did my first self breast exam and found a lump. Two weeks later, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer thus beginning this journey. I had a lumpectomy first and then a mastectomy as the cancer was found to be in the lymph nodes. Shortly after surgery I began the first of 16 rounds of chemo. I am about to finish up that part of treatment and then will have 30-35 radiation treatments. There are many many things that I have learned and am continuing to learn through this experience. Briefly, the most important thing that has happened to me has been a tremendous growth spiritually. Through that, I have seen the faithfulness of God and the way that He has been my strength through this. I have had to rely on Him and His promises more than any other time in my life. Am I glad that I got cancer? Nope. Has it been tremendously hard? Yep. Have I been angry, scared to death, depressed, and anxious at times? Oh yes! But am I happy about what I have gained from it all though? Yep!!! The other things that I have learned through this is that my purpose and calling is to SERVE....to serve other women who are battling breast cancer. We are all sisters in this and I just have a passion to make sure that my sisters are cared for. I want to meet you all, pray for you all, encourage you all, and help you all in any and every way that I can. Please leave comments telling your story and prayer requests so that I can start going to Jesus on your behalf. Love you girls!!!
My name is Lynne, I'm 44 years old, happily married to a wonderful man, Woody, and I'm a breast cancer SURVIVOR! I know it is true because it is tattooed on my right calf!! (I am the one who cracks jokes all of the time!) Humor has really helped through this journey called breast cancer. I began having semi-annual ultrasounds about 3 1/2 - 4 years ago after I found a lump on my right breast. It was determined that I have such extremely dense breasts (visit http://www.areyoudense.org/) that I needed to incorporate the ultrasounds into my normal screening routine, which mainly consisted of an annual mammogram. (Dense breasts are more difficult to detect breast cancer in through a normal mammogram.) It was also determined that my breasts were filled with cysts! It was crazy to see the ultrasound. Most women who enjoy an ultrasound are looking at sweet little babies on the monitor, while my husband and I were looking at tons of little cysts everwhere!! It was insane! I digress...once my surgeon saw the situation, he advised that I should see him twice a year.
There have been a few times that he felt a biopsy of some sort was needed, so when he did a needle biopsy early last September I really thought nothing of it. However, being the chicken that I am, no WAS, I took my friend Destiny with me (my husband, Woody was at Ft. Bragg for a few weeks) to receive the results. Dr. Steely felt another biopsy was needed, one with tissue, so we went across the hall and made it happen. The following week, with Destiny by my side (Woody still at Bragg), we received the diagnosis. I didn't fall apart, there was no time for that! We simply got down to business! I scheduled my lumpectomy and appointment for bloodwork at the hospital and then I called Woody! He came home and we really got to work kicking cancer's behind! After surgery I began chemo and followed it up with radiation. I am now cancer free and I HAVE HAIR! Really, I do.
If I ever wondered, which I did, what my purpose was here on earth then cancer brought it to the surface. Like Kelly said, you do a lot of praying when something like this happens. There is always a "why me", but early on I felt the "why me" had to be a positive and not a negative. I have always thought that my one true talent was my vocal chords...no, I cannot sing but I sure can talk!!! Ask anyone!! So, I believe God thought it was high time I put those vocal chords to good use and talk to as many people as I could about early detection. That is my passion now. I am so excited to partner with Kelly in this venture. I know that we can touch many lives through See Pink. Helping others through service and education will empower them to see the future and to fight for theirs!
My name is Kelly. I'm 32 years old and a former Pediatric ICU nurse. I never in a million years would have EVER guessed that I would one day be a patient...much less a cancer patient. But that is now my story and I am proud to be able to share my journey with you all. In January, I did my first self breast exam and found a lump. Two weeks later, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer thus beginning this journey. I had a lumpectomy first and then a mastectomy as the cancer was found to be in the lymph nodes. Shortly after surgery I began the first of 16 rounds of chemo. I am about to finish up that part of treatment and then will have 30-35 radiation treatments. There are many many things that I have learned and am continuing to learn through this experience. Briefly, the most important thing that has happened to me has been a tremendous growth spiritually. Through that, I have seen the faithfulness of God and the way that He has been my strength through this. I have had to rely on Him and His promises more than any other time in my life. Am I glad that I got cancer? Nope. Has it been tremendously hard? Yep. Have I been angry, scared to death, depressed, and anxious at times? Oh yes! But am I happy about what I have gained from it all though? Yep!!! The other things that I have learned through this is that my purpose and calling is to SERVE....to serve other women who are battling breast cancer. We are all sisters in this and I just have a passion to make sure that my sisters are cared for. I want to meet you all, pray for you all, encourage you all, and help you all in any and every way that I can. Please leave comments telling your story and prayer requests so that I can start going to Jesus on your behalf. Love you girls!!!
My name is Lynne, I'm 44 years old, happily married to a wonderful man, Woody, and I'm a breast cancer SURVIVOR! I know it is true because it is tattooed on my right calf!! (I am the one who cracks jokes all of the time!) Humor has really helped through this journey called breast cancer. I began having semi-annual ultrasounds about 3 1/2 - 4 years ago after I found a lump on my right breast. It was determined that I have such extremely dense breasts (visit http://www.areyoudense.org/) that I needed to incorporate the ultrasounds into my normal screening routine, which mainly consisted of an annual mammogram. (Dense breasts are more difficult to detect breast cancer in through a normal mammogram.) It was also determined that my breasts were filled with cysts! It was crazy to see the ultrasound. Most women who enjoy an ultrasound are looking at sweet little babies on the monitor, while my husband and I were looking at tons of little cysts everwhere!! It was insane! I digress...once my surgeon saw the situation, he advised that I should see him twice a year.
There have been a few times that he felt a biopsy of some sort was needed, so when he did a needle biopsy early last September I really thought nothing of it. However, being the chicken that I am, no WAS, I took my friend Destiny with me (my husband, Woody was at Ft. Bragg for a few weeks) to receive the results. Dr. Steely felt another biopsy was needed, one with tissue, so we went across the hall and made it happen. The following week, with Destiny by my side (Woody still at Bragg), we received the diagnosis. I didn't fall apart, there was no time for that! We simply got down to business! I scheduled my lumpectomy and appointment for bloodwork at the hospital and then I called Woody! He came home and we really got to work kicking cancer's behind! After surgery I began chemo and followed it up with radiation. I am now cancer free and I HAVE HAIR! Really, I do.
If I ever wondered, which I did, what my purpose was here on earth then cancer brought it to the surface. Like Kelly said, you do a lot of praying when something like this happens. There is always a "why me", but early on I felt the "why me" had to be a positive and not a negative. I have always thought that my one true talent was my vocal chords...no, I cannot sing but I sure can talk!!! Ask anyone!! So, I believe God thought it was high time I put those vocal chords to good use and talk to as many people as I could about early detection. That is my passion now. I am so excited to partner with Kelly in this venture. I know that we can touch many lives through See Pink. Helping others through service and education will empower them to see the future and to fight for theirs!
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