Life Happens

The Color Pink Was Calling My Name Today

**Not bad for my first Susan G. Komen - Race for the Cure Walk!**

It was just the other day that I said "Well I did get diagnosed with breast cancer and I do live in Seattle." The next thing I knew I logged in and signed up for the Race For The Cure. I went to a few local stores to piece together my outfit.

I was getting faceprint on my face this morning when all the sudden this lady named "Princess," tells me to follow her. Next thing I knew she handed me a little black doll that a friend gave to her. Thirty minutes later I was helping to hold the banner in the Survivor March.

All I saw was pink, pink and more pink. I saw pink on dogs, pink on men and pink on all the beautiful ladies that were out there today. I personally went by the Swedish and Premera booth to thank them. I'm always walking but today was the first time I was in an actual marathon. I was able to talk with other women about their breast cancer and was able to share my story. Last year I probably recall seeing people wearing pink but of course I wasn't engaged as I was today. The difference is because breast cancer tapped me on the shoulder and it's opened my eyes to 1 out of 8 women being diagnosed. That was me on November 17, 2016 getting the call from the doctor.

Even though today was a day about breast cancer, it still gave me an opportunity to relax and have some fun. To be surrounded by a sea of pink means I'm never alone even when I think I am. Today was another type of support that was there for me. I think I will lace up my sneakers again and take more selfies with dogs next year.

Trump is a Narcissist but I'm not here to waste much time on him

To think I went to two Trump rallies. I was wearing my Tuck Frump t-shirt today. This shirt gets a lot of wear and folks love it. Elderly women in walkers will walk past me and give me a thumbs up. It is truly is embarrassing that he was elected into office. What a disgrace. Okay I suppose I had to get that off my chest.

I was thinking today as I was looking at the window in the bus. My family has been through hell. I don't need to mention all the events that has happened but trust me, it's hell. It has helped that I can reach out and someone is there on the other end to touch my end with support. I walked in my apartment today and found a postcard from Aloha Hawaii.

At my next treatment I will sit down with my Oncologist to talk about my insomnia and my hot flashes. I'm going to continue to experiment on different things. I will try acupuncture, yoga, and meditation. I'm working on some many good habits. I have now two full time jobs: Wellness and Good Habits. My life has changed because of breast cancer. I have been doing so many good things since November and my diagnosis. It's a full time job I keep saying.

I know yoga helped my sleep a little bit. I guess if anything helps and it's in a positive environment then I need to capture that and add it on my list.

Today I ate some gelato and a little bit of popcorn. Today was my junk food day. I'm going to try a strict week of eating straight protein, good carbs, veggies and fruits. I'm having acupuncture twice a week and will add yoga in. I know the lake of sleep playing a role in my immune system and the breast cancer. There were so many factors that were present. I just need to know I have to move forward like a boat in the ocean moving forward filled with wellness. I'm the captain of the boat. My doggie that I don't have yet will be my shipmate and we are heading to an island. I don't know the island yet but that will be my vacation condo rental. A gal can dream.

I have to do some things before my big dream comes true. I can handle it though. I've just come alive a bit more. I'm still being positive and that's a great thing. If I can get through this moment in my life, then I can make all my dreams come true. I will say that again, if I can get through a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment then I can do anything imaginable.

thanks for listening

The need to keep changing things up a bit

Today was another wellness day. I went to see the Naturopathic Dr at Swedish to go over a few things. I'm seeing so many doctors and specialists that I have to make sure I voice my opinion and ask the right questions on why. We have a habit of following what's put out there but now is the time for me to make sure I ask those very important questions: Why do I have to take this? What is this for exactly? How can this help me?

I went to the Pin Cushion for accupunture. It was different I will say for sure. It was almost an hour and you received your treatment in a group setting. I was able to doze off for most of the time. They work on a sliding scale. I'm going to try it for 4 weeks. I'm just trying to figure out these hormonal changes, fibroids, hot sweats and of course continue to heal from from breast cancer surgery. Sleep has always been important to me and I'm just not getting much of it. I'm going to try a few new things on my plate and see how that works for me.

Today was another great day in Seattle to get some sun. I saw lots of geese today. There was this one group in the lake with about twenty-six babies. Then there were some young girls wearing bathing suits. I don't blame them for wearing their little bikinis. When the one girl jumped in the water I was thinking she would get hypothermia.

I'm realizing that even though I set a plan to work on my wellness it does require adjustments from time to time. Now is the time to look at everything under a microscope.

My hair is starting to come in. My eyebrows are coming back. I think my eyelashes are coming out but not all of them. My nails still look pretty crazy but they are looking better. Today was the first day I took the anti-estrogen pill. I'm listening to harp music to get me relaxed for bedtime. I'm going to try listening to the meditation tape and making sure I turn off the computer and phone an hour before bedtime. It's nuts that I have to try to do all these things just to get relaxed before trying to go to bed. That doesn't even include the fact that the fibroids are keeping me up and then the hot sweats are crazy.

Well it's time to experiment with what words for bedtime. Wish me luck !

Focus on today and better habits

I have a friend of mine who is seeing a trainer. She showed me a list that only had 4 columns of foods that she was instructed to eat: Protein, Carbs, Fruits, Veggies. The list was pretty simple with about 8 items under each topic. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I wanted to say: "But I drink 5 cups of green tea, eat steel cut oats and eat kale salads." My eating habits are pretty great I would say. Sure every now and then I get a danish or macaroon or treat myself to a pesto bacon breakfast sandwich. Most days I will fix steel cut oats and end the day with a healthy meal that I prepare. Sometimes I need a shake up and this little list provided me with just that. The snack I had today was simply a hard boiled egg, and blueberries with a bottle of water. I thought that was pretty amazing. Right now I'm still healing and the best thing I can do is avoid those foods that do cause inflammation. For lunch I had farro, quinoa and steamed broccoli. I'm working on good habits and if there is someplace that I can improve then I will give it a go. I did have a Trader Joes popsicle because I was just so warm with my hot flashes.

I'm digging the 70 degree temperature in Seattle. I need the Vitamin D. It was perfect today. The sun and a nice little breeze over in Fremont. I walked down to this little dock across from a few houseboats. There was a lady that was folding up her inflatable paddle board with her little doggie that was wearing a hat and a life vest. I was thinking that I could live in Fremont. I went to PCC and got a few items. I could really just live in a small community with a good grocery store, farmers market, coffee stop and movie theater. That is all I need. Living by the water seems essential to me.

I'm continuing to read my book and work on my website. Now I'm adding in changes in my diet. It takes 66 days to build a new habit and I'm working on it. I've just started thinking about what my life is going to be like after my treatment ends. Right here and right now is where I put most of my focus. I try not to get distracted with goals and my things to do list and short term and long term stuff again. I want to change things up. I don't want to get my paper out and start planning my life down to the wire. I want to be able to get organized, continue to clear clutter, be at a healthy workplace, have a nice place and continue to build on what makes me happy. I would of course love a dog, one day publish my coffee table book and of course the ultimate would be to have a tiny vacation condo rental on an island. That's my dream right there. My focus though is my wellness and doing what I need to do to heal my body. It's a positive thing that I'm thinking about later on down the road. I'm still soul searching and I still have to get my breast area and under my arm back to functioning and there is radiation next month and then a hysterectomy. So even though I actually thought about After Breast Cancer I still have a ways to go. That means that I'm being positive with all that's going on around me. It's just been within the past few days that I started thinking about after treatment. I see it as a positive step in my recovery and moving forward. I focus on right now but I can still imagine how things would be. When I get to that fork in the road then I will get a little deeper into all my possibilities but right now I will focus on today. Thanks for reading!

Practice Makes Perfect

I love Macarons!

Fremont Farmers Market - That's Alexandra the owner standing in front of her 1973 Volkswagen Bus. It's cool that she asks me about updates on my breast cancer.

I think it's been 4 or five days straight that I have been on my website. I'm just working on good habits. Again 66 is the magic number to make it stick like glue, so I have a ways to go. In the meantime thanks for dropping in.

Today was another sunny day in Seattle. I'm from the East Coast so this weather is funny. You see the stores pushing their air conditioners and fans right near the front entrance. People are complaining about the heat already. I really don't know what this means to me, because here I am with my hot flashes that the chemotherapy pushed me in. So I'm just trying to figure out all these changes that are going on with my body and finding out ways to deal with them.

I'm trying to drink nettle tea for the benefits but then its followed by hot sweats. Perhaps I can have a cold glass of nettle ice tea? That doesn't even sound right but who knows I may give it a try. I try to leave the window at night cracked open but I'm such a light sleeper that the noise is also a bothersome factor. I turn my fan on but then I get cold and clammy with the sweating. I starting taking Black Cohosh just a few days ago. I will give it 3 weeks. Cotton is my friend nowadays. I met a nice lady today at the laundromat. Her name is Janet and she said I have a glow. I told her why I'm back at the laundromat because I saw her just the other week. I told her I have breast cancer and with the chemotherapy it pushed me to menopause. She was so nice to listen to. I went back and gave her a chocolate chip cookie from Storyville Coffee Shop. I'm a giver and I will continue to do so. It's a circle of giving and receiving and giving and receiving I suppose. I have been very fortunate and have been blessed. I'm also a little social butterfly at times.

Today was a good day. The temperature got up to 72 degrees. I just love going to the Farmers Markets in Seattle, WA. So many vendors, good food, and dogs. I've seen more dogs in Seattle than any other major city it seems. I can't wait to get a dog myself.

I saw Alexandra today at the market. She has her own business and sells macarons. They are just so tasty. After leaving the market I walked down to the Ballard Farmers Market. You have to try the smoked salmon hash from Travis at the Loki Fish Company.

I also stopped by to say hello to Gabriela at the Capuli Club Tea stand. Pieces of dried fruits and berries and lots of colors in a cute little packet. It's good for me to get out and walk and talk to all the folks that support me and share their passions with you. Thanks for visiting my site today. Feel free to check these businesses out.

So many beautiful colors. You can check them out at www.capuliclub.com