It's November! Not that you'd know it on a day like today... it's currently 97 degrees in San Diego! Yikes!!!
Tomorrow will be the end of my 5th week back at work fulltime. It has gone SO quickly. I feel so normal again... when I think about all I went through it seems like a dream now. I'm amazed everyday with my outcome and I am ever so grateful.
What prompted me to blog today is the billboards, radio ads and website reference to my amazing oncologist, Dr. Marin Xavier, and another miracle patient, Diana Sanchez. Perhaps you've heard the radio spots or have seen the billboards with Diana and her two young sons on it?! You can also visit www.scripps.org/diana and read her story and watch a video with Dr. Xavier in it. Where she is being filmed is in the actual hallway of the floor at Mercy where I spent so many days and nights this Spring and Summer. While Diana and I are living miracles, Dr. Xavier and many other fine doctors and nurses are truly miracle workers.
Life is so incredibly precious and my life is amazing! I have great friends, a wonderful job, loving family, including my beloved daughter, son-in-law, grandson and a new granddaughter coming in the New Year!!! I am truly blesssed.
A big shout out to my dear friend, Nancy, this week. She had surgery and the outcome was the best case scenario. Another miracle!!! So grateful for her good news :)
Happy Fall everyone! I hope your Halloween was lot's of fun and that you all enjoy the rest of the upcoming holidays as well! I'll be thinking of you and wishing you well.
Much love, Reba
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you! I have the cutest short hair :) So cute in fact that I'm thinking of keeping it short. I get compliments all the time and it's SOOOOO easy to take care of! I will try to get a picture posted sometime soon.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
I'm doing cartwheels!
Sooooooooo happy! The fabulous Dr. Xavier called today to inform me 1. the MRI of my lower spine was normal. 2. The colonoscopy polyp was benign. 3. My PET scan was clean, clean, CLEAN! Woo hoo! I'm cancer-free and fit as a fiddle :) So blessed and amazed at my good news. While I can totally believe it, it's a little hard to believe! Jay just bought me dinner to celebrate and I even had a yummy glass of red wine.
LIFE IS GOOD.
I'm back at work full-time and am loving it! Life feels so normal again and it's a beautiful thing. I'm a happy camper. :)
So now what?! I plan on being the best me I can be. I want to get in shape, eat right and respect my amazing, strong body. I want to find ways to give back. I want to explore, expand and discover. But most of all, I want to make sure each and every one of you knows how much I love you and how much I thank you for all your love and support! You all made this miracle possible by lifting me up, making me laugh and keeping me positive. I could not have done this without you.
Many people have asked what the biggest thing I've learned from this experience is. Well, there's a few. First, listen to your body and respect it's messages. But, on the other hand, don't obsess... find the balance. This is true for life in general. It's all about respect and balance. Don't sweat the small stuff! Find the beauty in every day and in all people. Don't be critical, of yourself or others... you never know what someone might have going on in their life. LOVE!!! with all your heart. SMILE!!! the world will smile with you. GIVE!!! what you can... whether it be a hug, a hand, or a prayer. No gesture is ever too big or too small. One of my favorite quotes is, "One person can make a difference. And everyone should try." - John F. Kennedy. If you are stuck, get unstuck. Whether you believe you can or you can not, you are right. Speak up for yourself. Be kind. Play. Be silly. Laugh. Do yoga. Meditate. Read. Dance. Move. Shake things up!
***Find what makes YOU happy!!!***
The future's so bright. I am overjoyed at the prospect of getting to be of part of my beloved Tate Thomas' world as he grows into a young man and to watching Travis and Brenna welcome their new little girl into this world in January. I can't wait to spoil my Granddaughter ;)
I feel like I've been through one crazy storm and was spit out the other end, miracously, in one piece. Wow. I probably won't be doing much blogging from here on out, but please feel free to catch up with me on Facebook or email me if you want to check in :) I'd love to hear from you! Heck, I'd love to visit with all of you too!!! Just give me a call or email and we'll make some plans. I've got a whole lot of livin' to do!
With much love and gratitude,
Reba xoxo
*Leave a comment below if you need my personal email address and/or phone number :)
LIFE IS GOOD.
I'm back at work full-time and am loving it! Life feels so normal again and it's a beautiful thing. I'm a happy camper. :)
So now what?! I plan on being the best me I can be. I want to get in shape, eat right and respect my amazing, strong body. I want to find ways to give back. I want to explore, expand and discover. But most of all, I want to make sure each and every one of you knows how much I love you and how much I thank you for all your love and support! You all made this miracle possible by lifting me up, making me laugh and keeping me positive. I could not have done this without you.
Many people have asked what the biggest thing I've learned from this experience is. Well, there's a few. First, listen to your body and respect it's messages. But, on the other hand, don't obsess... find the balance. This is true for life in general. It's all about respect and balance. Don't sweat the small stuff! Find the beauty in every day and in all people. Don't be critical, of yourself or others... you never know what someone might have going on in their life. LOVE!!! with all your heart. SMILE!!! the world will smile with you. GIVE!!! what you can... whether it be a hug, a hand, or a prayer. No gesture is ever too big or too small. One of my favorite quotes is, "One person can make a difference. And everyone should try." - John F. Kennedy. If you are stuck, get unstuck. Whether you believe you can or you can not, you are right. Speak up for yourself. Be kind. Play. Be silly. Laugh. Do yoga. Meditate. Read. Dance. Move. Shake things up!
***Find what makes YOU happy!!!***
The future's so bright. I am overjoyed at the prospect of getting to be of part of my beloved Tate Thomas' world as he grows into a young man and to watching Travis and Brenna welcome their new little girl into this world in January. I can't wait to spoil my Granddaughter ;)
I feel like I've been through one crazy storm and was spit out the other end, miracously, in one piece. Wow. I probably won't be doing much blogging from here on out, but please feel free to catch up with me on Facebook or email me if you want to check in :) I'd love to hear from you! Heck, I'd love to visit with all of you too!!! Just give me a call or email and we'll make some plans. I've got a whole lot of livin' to do!
With much love and gratitude,
Reba xoxo
*Leave a comment below if you need my personal email address and/or phone number :)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Wow... has it really been 3 weeks?!
So much for my blogging weekly! Oops! 3 weeks has literally flown by.
I'm back at work part time until October 1 when it will be full days/full time once again. It feels great to be back in the real world! After spending so many months in a bubble the real world is simply amazing. So full of life, living and love. I feel more and more like myself everyday... but an even better me. I've definitely come through this a changed person. Changed for the better :)
Health update... hmmm, let's see... I had a mammogram 2 weeks ago. There was a small scare but it all turned out a-ok. Monday I will be having an MRI on my low back due to regular back aches and I will also have my first post-treatment PT scan. I believe the backaches are simply because my abdominal muscles are weak still but Dr. X wants to make sure. The PT scan is the big test and when it comes back clean I will be doing cartwheels in celebration!!! Thursday I will have a colonoscopy, NOT FUN but a necessary cancer screening. Dr. X assured me there would be plenty of screenings in my future and she wasn't joking! I saw my surgeon this week and things are good in that department. She told me I can start exercising and building my core strength as long as it doesn't hurt. That was good news :)
I feel amazing! Sometimes this whole thing seems surreal... I know I went through a lot but I'm feeling so good and so normal it's hard to believe sometimes. It truly is amazing what our bodies are capable of enduring and it's amazing that we can heal so well. I'm truly blessed.
HAIR! I have hair!!! The last week or so it's really taken off... I sort of feel like a Chia Pet! I can't really tell what color or texture it's going to be just yet. It is really dark though... stay tuned!
Well, it's Friday and I hope you all had a really nice week. Enjoy your weekend!!!
Much love, Reba
I'm back at work part time until October 1 when it will be full days/full time once again. It feels great to be back in the real world! After spending so many months in a bubble the real world is simply amazing. So full of life, living and love. I feel more and more like myself everyday... but an even better me. I've definitely come through this a changed person. Changed for the better :)
Health update... hmmm, let's see... I had a mammogram 2 weeks ago. There was a small scare but it all turned out a-ok. Monday I will be having an MRI on my low back due to regular back aches and I will also have my first post-treatment PT scan. I believe the backaches are simply because my abdominal muscles are weak still but Dr. X wants to make sure. The PT scan is the big test and when it comes back clean I will be doing cartwheels in celebration!!! Thursday I will have a colonoscopy, NOT FUN but a necessary cancer screening. Dr. X assured me there would be plenty of screenings in my future and she wasn't joking! I saw my surgeon this week and things are good in that department. She told me I can start exercising and building my core strength as long as it doesn't hurt. That was good news :)
I feel amazing! Sometimes this whole thing seems surreal... I know I went through a lot but I'm feeling so good and so normal it's hard to believe sometimes. It truly is amazing what our bodies are capable of enduring and it's amazing that we can heal so well. I'm truly blessed.
HAIR! I have hair!!! The last week or so it's really taken off... I sort of feel like a Chia Pet! I can't really tell what color or texture it's going to be just yet. It is really dark though... stay tuned!
Well, it's Friday and I hope you all had a really nice week. Enjoy your weekend!!!
Much love, Reba
Friday, September 3, 2010
It's been a GREAT week!
Hi Folks!
Do you like the new picture?! It's me and Jennie before the Melissa Etheridge concert this past Wednesday. My hair is still sparse but it's really coming in! I've decided it's time to bare it all and not worry too much about head wraps, caps or my wig. The exception being when I'm going to be outdoors for any length of time because of course I still need to think about sunburn ;)
So Melissa Etheridge... Jennie won tickets and graciously invited me. It was at Morongo Casino near Palm Springs. The venue was very small so there wasn't a bad seat in the place. We were at the back of the room dancing and singing, having a ball basically. Melissa starts singing her survivor song, "I Run for Life"... no, I didn't cry... I suddenly became very brave and grabbed Jennie's hand and marched us right up the center isle to the front of the stage! We were about 4 people back when a girl in front of me looks back and says you should be closer! She squeezes us up in front of her so now there's only 1 person between me and Melissa's mic stand! I was literally just a few feet from her. SO exciting and so fun. Melissa did make eye contact once and winked at me. Good times!!!
Last Sunday I was at the the La Jolla farmer's market with my wonderful friend, Jiea, and two different vendors identified themselves as survivors. One four years and one, are you ready for this?, 28 years!!! She said her chemo was before infusion so she had regular shot injections over the course of 3 years... whoa! She was awesome and actually embraced me... so sweet.
I'm getting stronger everyday, emotionally and physically :) I'm excited about returning to work on the 15th! Life is feeling more normal every day and for this I am very thankful. I have some cancer screenings coming up... colonoscopy, mammogram, MRI and at the end of September my first post-chemo PT scan (that's the biggee). I've been busy scheduling all of this around my September work schedule.
Well my dear friends, that's about it for now. I will catch up with you all again soon! Happy Labor Day weekend, be safe but have loads of fun. Much love, Reba
Do you like the new picture?! It's me and Jennie before the Melissa Etheridge concert this past Wednesday. My hair is still sparse but it's really coming in! I've decided it's time to bare it all and not worry too much about head wraps, caps or my wig. The exception being when I'm going to be outdoors for any length of time because of course I still need to think about sunburn ;)
So Melissa Etheridge... Jennie won tickets and graciously invited me. It was at Morongo Casino near Palm Springs. The venue was very small so there wasn't a bad seat in the place. We were at the back of the room dancing and singing, having a ball basically. Melissa starts singing her survivor song, "I Run for Life"... no, I didn't cry... I suddenly became very brave and grabbed Jennie's hand and marched us right up the center isle to the front of the stage! We were about 4 people back when a girl in front of me looks back and says you should be closer! She squeezes us up in front of her so now there's only 1 person between me and Melissa's mic stand! I was literally just a few feet from her. SO exciting and so fun. Melissa did make eye contact once and winked at me. Good times!!!
Last Sunday I was at the the La Jolla farmer's market with my wonderful friend, Jiea, and two different vendors identified themselves as survivors. One four years and one, are you ready for this?, 28 years!!! She said her chemo was before infusion so she had regular shot injections over the course of 3 years... whoa! She was awesome and actually embraced me... so sweet.
I'm getting stronger everyday, emotionally and physically :) I'm excited about returning to work on the 15th! Life is feeling more normal every day and for this I am very thankful. I have some cancer screenings coming up... colonoscopy, mammogram, MRI and at the end of September my first post-chemo PT scan (that's the biggee). I've been busy scheduling all of this around my September work schedule.
Well my dear friends, that's about it for now. I will catch up with you all again soon! Happy Labor Day weekend, be safe but have loads of fun. Much love, Reba
Monday, August 23, 2010
No news is GOOD news.
Hello All!
I was visiting work the other day and ran into a couple of people that commented on how infrequently I blog these days... my response was "no news is good news!". I've been feeling great and just using my days to catch up on things, visit people and work on getting my strength back. I haven't actually gone back to yoga since that so-called gentle class kicked my booty but I am planning on attending a yoga class for cancer survivors this Wednesday. Stay tuned for the results on this second attempt. Ha ha ha!
My official return-to-work date has been set :) I will be going back 9-15-10 and working part-time until October 1st when I will resume full-time. I am actually very excited about going back. It will be nice to have structure and a purpose again. Returning to work will normalize my life real quick ;)
No health updates really... I have a regular check up with my oncologist this Friday. My next scan will probably be around the 3rd week of September. It will be a PT scan and when I clear that I will be really confident and my being "cured". Keep your fingers crossed for me!
The big news this week is HAIR! I have a nice growth of fuzz at this time and I have a feeling within the next 4 - 8 weeks I will have what should pass as normal hair! As long as no scalp is showing, even if it looks like a super short man's cut, I will be thrilled to no longer have to wear head covers. I rarely wear my wig (too itchy and binding) but I do wear caps or bandanas. Speaking of which, do any of you know anyone who has actually used Ovation Cell Therapy for hair growth? I'm wondering if it might work to speed things up for me. I'm going to ask my doctor Friday also.
Ok, I'm off to eat a really yummy lunch. Brenna's mother-in-law, Linda, made me stuffed peppers! I've never had one so I'm pretty excited :)
I hope this note finds you all HaPpY! Have a great week everyone!
xo Reba
I was visiting work the other day and ran into a couple of people that commented on how infrequently I blog these days... my response was "no news is good news!". I've been feeling great and just using my days to catch up on things, visit people and work on getting my strength back. I haven't actually gone back to yoga since that so-called gentle class kicked my booty but I am planning on attending a yoga class for cancer survivors this Wednesday. Stay tuned for the results on this second attempt. Ha ha ha!
My official return-to-work date has been set :) I will be going back 9-15-10 and working part-time until October 1st when I will resume full-time. I am actually very excited about going back. It will be nice to have structure and a purpose again. Returning to work will normalize my life real quick ;)
No health updates really... I have a regular check up with my oncologist this Friday. My next scan will probably be around the 3rd week of September. It will be a PT scan and when I clear that I will be really confident and my being "cured". Keep your fingers crossed for me!
The big news this week is HAIR! I have a nice growth of fuzz at this time and I have a feeling within the next 4 - 8 weeks I will have what should pass as normal hair! As long as no scalp is showing, even if it looks like a super short man's cut, I will be thrilled to no longer have to wear head covers. I rarely wear my wig (too itchy and binding) but I do wear caps or bandanas. Speaking of which, do any of you know anyone who has actually used Ovation Cell Therapy for hair growth? I'm wondering if it might work to speed things up for me. I'm going to ask my doctor Friday also.
Ok, I'm off to eat a really yummy lunch. Brenna's mother-in-law, Linda, made me stuffed peppers! I've never had one so I'm pretty excited :)
I hope this note finds you all HaPpY! Have a great week everyone!
xo Reba
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