To Everything…Turn Turn Turn!

There is a season, turn, turn, turn…

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And a time to every purpose under heaven!

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A time to be born,

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A time to die…

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A time to plant,

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A time to reap…

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A time to kill,

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A time to heal…

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A time to laugh,

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A time to weep…

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To everything, turn, turn, turn…

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Stay tuned…much more to come…

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Three more verses with photos synced to “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by “The Byrd’s.”

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 “Pat the cat also likes the Byrd’s…I mean the Bird’s!”

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HRCG is over and out with a swish of a very well known tail…my sweet Melody:)

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Along with my Aussie’s sweet picture! I love my girl!

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Have a wonderful “Fall” wherever you may be!

Celebrating The Days Of My Life…April 11th 2006…An Amazing Day In A Country Girl’s Life!

We celebrate April 11th as it is “one of the blessing days of my life”…a new day and a new birthday!  I had been diagnosed with wide-spread non-invasive breast cancer a few weeks before…we could still do something proactive as it was contained and had not become invasive or spread. It was the size of a small orange, so we chose to do the most proactive treatment we could do…a double mastectomy with immediate tram flap reconstruction with a 99.7% survival rate for a healthy life.

We explored the other options…but it was recommended by both the radiologists and my oncologist that we do a mastectomy due to the large wide-spread area. I was young and healthy…with lots of life yet to live with WB. Having been high risk for many years, in many ways, to us it seemed like a gift as we could choose the best option for us.

When they took me to surgery it was 7:15 in the morning and when I opened my eyes again and I saw my hubby “WB” it was 2:15 the next morning, April 12th. I was okay after 18 hours…16 hours surgery and 2 hours recovery…to me that is yet a miracle. I actually had 4 more hours of surgery after 48 hours…so in total between April 11th and April 14th I had a total of 20 hours surgery without complications. Through the months of recovery I healed quickly and was back working out at the athletic club by October.

 “Wild Bill” shared with me how scary it was for him as it was hard to watch other families wait…then leave to greet their loved ones who made it out of surgery and were in recovery. OHSU was a huge teaching hospital and he only heard a few updates in that long 18 hours a part.  He was the last one in the waiting room that early dark morning, when my Dr. came out with a smile letting him know that I was fine…all was well.

I am healthy today…my usual silly ding-dong self… living a happy life!

Today we wear pink to fight cancer…to bring awareness to the disease and to give hope that there is life beyond cancer:)

Instead of making lemonade out of a bunch of sour lemons…since we are out here in the farm country…let’s make bread out of kernel’s of wheat the same way. “Grind It and Just Do It!!!!”

I thank God for sparing my life…for giving me a future, a hope and a life!

Where ever you are…please support raising money for the cure of cancer! It is striking more and more people each and everyday…it is an insidious disease that needs a cure!

We can find the cure!!! “Let’s Just Do It!”

“LIFE”….We Can Fight…Yes We Can!

 “Save a Life”…Make a difference America!

January 26th 2006…Not The Usual Normal Day But A New Normal.

January 26th 2006 was not the usual normal day for WB or me as it was time for my six month mammogram…it was a toss up…would I be clear or would there be another suspicious spot. I had 8 suspicious high risk breast biopsies in the five years before and because of that I had sought out a specialist in breast cancer at OHSU in Portland.

That crisp cold morning we left home in the dark not knowing how the day would go. We stopped for coffee and pastry about an hour into the drive in a place called Boardman…we both needed caffeine and sugar…and when we climbed back in the car the sun came out with blue skies.

Nervous? Yeah I was…it was possible that I would be diagnosed with what if this or what if that…”if” was a huge word in 2006…what we would do and how we would choose?

I knew without a doubt that my husband would be ok with me no matter what. I was me…a cowgirl…WB’s wife…a daughter…a mother…friend and sister…I was young. Our life was just beginning to take shape and we had so much yet to do.

10 hours later we found ourselves in a weird kind of shock…when your breath goes in and does not come out and you can’t breathe. There was a large area that the head of radiology told us that was highly suspicious…he was certain it was cancer. We saw my Dr. immediately after the mammogram and he agreed…he wanted to do a biopsy as soon as possible a few days later and on February 9th I was called and told that yes it was cancer.

Three weeks later we were at the Portland Roadster Show with three customer vehicles we had restored…we were signed up to go before the cancer diagnosis and no we will keep going and live our life…we brought home three Best Of Class Trophies…yeah baby!

 My oncologist explained what we could do to treat my cancer and how we had three choices…we chose to be very proactive as it was best for my survival…and it was the right one.

Do I look like a push over folks?  Cancer smancer…Fran Dresher said it right on! The key with life is no matter what we are dealt with, we gotta keep a going with the attitude that it will be ok. Smile and know that you will kick whatever it is…do not ever give up ever! Everrr!

Tonight I am celebrating life…hang on Minnie!

January 26th will always be a sort of birthday to me…the war of life that was won by faith…a new life fought hard for…and I am here!

Where ever you are tonight…where ever your heart is and your life is…celebrate your life and know…you have a purpose…you are needed and always keep the faith in tomorrow!

No matter how dark it may get…keep going knowing that you can do this…it will get better or will be a new normal that is even better than the old normal!

Watch out I may be taking your picture…Hot Rod Cowgirl on the move!

Over and out:)

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