Feeling better, even today.

This morning, I am UP bright and early. I got some great sleep, courtesy of Ambien and Tylenol PM. I took these because the steroid they gave me, Decadron, causes major sleep issues. Without the sleep aid, I would literally be up all night...and have been for many a night the past couple of months.

Anyway, I got some great sleep and woke up at like 5:30! I am feeling a lot better today from the antibiotic my doctor gave me. It seems to manage the fever pretty well. I am sure I have some unnamed infection of irrelevance, but it does not matter. When it impairs daily life, that is when I want to have it treated.

A couple of weeks ago, I was on the news here in KC. I know most of you know this. I am not trying to brag as I am not really sure why I am getting all of this attention right now. I won a breast cancer advocate award and was also in a fashion show. So crazy.

In between those times when I was involved with these events, Michael and I have been re-routing our schedule to go to Jeff City and therefore re-routing the kid's schedules. September and October have been wild months...not bad months, just busy. November will be a month to recuperate.

I am telling you all of this because I want you to understand that my fighting my cancer is still and will always be a job to me. I take it on with professionalism and candor like I would a real job. I have spent two hours this morning researching drugs to discuss with my oncologist. I am not sure which way he wants to go so I am just preparing myself.

Though the attention has been kind and I am truly thankful for it, I am also humbled by it. You see, for some reason, I get to be the messenger in this whole crazy story. Little old me. I get to find purpose throug my situation and I truly get to help other people. I am a caregiver, at heart, so I love to give.

I am working on balance in this regard, but I think my priorities are more in check than ever before and it is exciting. I am continually humbled by all the flaws I have. If I continue to feel better this weekend, then my family and I will feverishly work on preparing the Pass It On! mailing to get out the last week in October.

Tina and I also have one speaking event next week, which we are excited about. And, there is the potentially the Kansas City Star is going to reprint my story, MY THIRD LUNG, in full either sometime this weekend or next. I will keep you posted on all of that.

Thanks for your suppport and for reading the blog, but the most important thing to me is that you learn from my experience. I have never short-cutted a treatment or a procedure and have been swift and thorough in my decisions regarding my medical team. Yet, I still live with cancer...I get to LIVE with it, not die with it...because I chose to advocate for myself.

In some ways, I feel silly because my face is becoming known with breast cancer and this disease, but I put that aside because I want you to understand that your health comes first. You come first in your pursuit of optimal health and there is no time like the present to get a move on this goal!

Blessings,
Lolo