My Benefit

So, some really cool people got together and decided to throw my family a benefit, to help with some of the costs we incurred when I was sick....

I mean, I personally may have chosen a different photo, perhaps...... 

Buuuut, whatever, beggars can't be choosers. 

Muh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Thanks to everyone who has helped. There's more info on Facebook, or you can contact Jay or Russell if you want more info on how to help. So much gratitude and love for the fantastic people in my life. 

Selfie

Here's one I just HAD to share. Its not actually from the selfie project, but its fun.

The Selfie Project

I've been working on a selfie project. I know, I know, selfies are soooo 2013. It's partially inspired by a pin I saw on Pinterest.... but the link was to a spam site, so I don't want to link it here. Here is an image, though:

I guess the concept is that you take this pic yearly, and see how much you change. I like it. So, it got me thinking about my physical appearance. It is going to change so much, just as my hair grows. I tried to document my journey as much as possible, but I'm learning that I am sort of lacking in photos of myself. The other day, I was discussing with Jim that I am, for the first time, starting to look like myself again. I said to him that I never would have thought that cancer would have such a profound impact on my physical appearance. I became a person I actually did not recognize when I looked in the mirror, and thats not a metaphor. I knew I would lose my hair, but I did not anticipate not knowing myself. So, things are changing now. My hair is growing... See pic below. 

I'm starting to feel energized enough to accessorize and put makeup on every day, and I have even started with the earrings again. Those of you who knew me before all of this remember my fantastic earring collection, but for those of you who didn't, I have a pretty bad ass stash. So wearing those is part of it.  

Another inspiration for my project was this adorakable text I got from my dad the other day, "Katy, what is a selfy?"

I had to explain selfies to him and I learned that the Oxford Dictionary named it the word of the year in 2013! 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/ 

He then sent me the best/cutest/sweetest selfie I have ever seen. I think it is saved on my phone, but can't find it right now. I promise I will update and post later. 

Nice face, right? I took these pics just for you guys, in real time, so you can see what I look like when I blog. I'm actually sitting at my breakfast nook. It's my day off today, so Jim and I are having coffee, and Jack is playing with some pots and pans near our feet. I have also been working on some visual art, so thats part of neglecting you guys over here. 

Also, I talked to Dr. Sehbai yesterday.... We had gotten results of Jack's hCg, and it came back <0.6, which is very good, not detectable in any way. All of his other bloodwork was normal as well. His liver functions have improved and are now normal. So I let my main man know, forgetting that he is on a trip to Pakistan and Mecca. He sent me this amazing photograph, and such a nice message: 

His message said "this is the most sacred place in earth for us and I will pray for your well being and your family well being take care."

Let's hear it... awwwwwwwwhhhhhh. I love him! Please take a moment today to hold Dr. Sehbai in your heart and hope, or pray, if that is your thing, for his safe return. He's important to a lot of people! 

Jim and I are doing a few little projects around the house today, so I am going to get back to that. Have a good day kittens! 

Hey, Arnold!

A few weeks ago, the news of Jen Arnold, of TLC's series "The Little Couple," having choriocarcinoma, broke. It really was the strangest thing, because first, they released that she had "a rare form of cancer," well, thats not too uncommon. It seems, these days, that "rare cancer," is a term you hear a lot. So, I saw it, and I immediately began scouring the web. You might not believe this, but I had the strangest feeling that she had what I had. So, I searched and searched about her pregnancies. Of course, at the time, I wasn't thinking in terms of her having possibly had a miscarriage. I was thinking of her being exactly like me, so I googled the heck out of it, then kind of forgot about it. I figured it was breast cancer... just like everybody I ever talked to about my own cancer figured about me.

About two weeks later, People magazine broke the story that she is battling Stage III Choriocarcinoma. AKA exactly what I have/had. I could not believe it! My heart goes out to you, Jen.  The headline reads: "A New Mom's Fight to Live." I picked up a copy while grocery shopping, and took it home. I left it on the counter, because I had worked late and got busy picking Jack up from his grandparents, preparing dinner, you know. The usual. The next day, while preparing my morning cuppa joe, my gaze fell on that headline. I welled up with tears, and was overcome with emotion. That is such a loaded headline. A New Mom's Fight to Live. That is such a direct, heart breaking, gut wrenching, accurate account of what she is going through. What I went through.

I have mentioned in other blogs that, during the cancer, I was extremely single minded and focused. It was only after I had won the battle that I really understood the emotional toll of the war. There are simply no words for what I feel for you and your family, Jen. When you described laying on the couch, but being in the living room, so you could see things and witness them, I felt like your soul sister. You were being quoted for everything I felt, exactly the same. EMA/CO is an extremely challenging and toxic regimen, and I cannot even imagine being in your shoes, dealing with the rarity of your form of dwarfism, with it's own set of challenges to treatment.

I wanted to reach out and put my feelings out there, and let you know that my family and friends and followers on this blog are all pulling for you. I wish that I could hug you, or bring you some cookies. I know you have millions of fans and so many people praying for you and sending you that good juju, but I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you too.