maitri monday

be grateful

It has been said, the greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times...

Unfortunately, many of the things we desire are costly. However, if you think about it, the things that really satisfy us and make us feel full are totally free – love, laughter, relationships, and working on our passions. Do not fall into the silly pit of believing that with a slimmer figure, a higher salary, a boyfriend, a faster car, or a bigger house, you will be happier. The world is full of things and people that will serve as daily reminders that you don’t have the best of the best. Someone will always be prettier, healthier, skinnier and richer, but they'll never be you. The opposite is also true. It's important to live the life you’ve been blessed with, and be thankful. 

We all have struggles, and there are times when I would love to go shopping and forget about said struggles, but lets face it, shoes don't cure cancer and jeans are not fulfilling- relationships are. Relationships with ourselves and others. For it's the struggles that create these relationship bonds, make us individuals, connect us to our spiritual begins, and light the path of our soul-mission.

Protect your goddess heart from things and people that try to convince you that your life is not good enough.  There will always be bigger, faster, stronger, or shinier – but you’ll never be satisfied with more until you’re fulfilled with what you have now! If you focus on what you don't have, that's how it will remain. You are able to manifest your destiny. Be grateful for the things you have and they will stay in abundance.

Be conscious and grateful for the progress you've made. Don’t worry about what others are doing better than you. Focus on winning and not on winners. Success is a battle between you and yourself, jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings, and as I've said before, comparison is the thief of joy.

You may not understand everything the moment it happens, and life can be really brutal.  It's important to reflect back on those negative "curveballs" thrown at you. You’ll often see that eventually it was those curveballs that led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile! Be grateful for those less than fortunate circumstances and note the growth you've made.

No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you don't have, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing. The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves. Live in the moment and be grateful!

The grass is not greener on the other side- it's greener where you water it. 

                                                                           

friday favorites

True Food Kitchen

 Oh my goodness, holy yum! I can hardly stand the fact that Santa Barbara doesn't have a True Food. I'm mildly disappointed I only ate here once while being in Scottsdale. Kale and sweet potato hash? All day please!

Mandalynn Swimwear

If you know me then you know I live in swimsuits. They are my weakness and by far my one true addiction. I pretty much never have an issue justifying a new swimmy purchase. Mandalynn Swimwear made this purchase real simple by creating this cutie reversible. 2-in-1. Bingo!  My favorite swimsuit shop is iShine365. Go check them out!

Rapid Lash

 Initially chemo let me hold onto my eyelashes and eyebrows.  Unfortunately as treatments continued I lost both.  Naturally I was going to buy latisse as I've heard so many positive things about it. However, Rapid Lash was recommended to me by another cancer patient so I took their word for it and made the purchase. Now, I can't say if latisse works, or not, but I can ecstatically vouch for Rapid Lash! I used it on both my eyelashes and eyebrows and both are back! My eyelashes are still a bit thin, but they're so so sooo long. I've been using less than the recommended dosage and only for about a month. I'm beyoned thrilled with the results and the bottle is still half full.  If my testimony isn't enough, also take into considersaion its half the price of latisse! I don't know why everyone isn't doing it. We all deserve luscious lashes!

                                                                       

treatment tuesday

I'm happy to report I'm still enjoying life and not undergoing any treatments at this time. Dr. Greenwald is out of town this week. but as soon as he returns I'm expected to check back into 5South. This should be my final intensive inpatient round of chemo. For the next year and forthcoming several months I will still be a cancer patient and taking many meds, but it'll be less intensive and most of the time done in the comfort of my own home. I'm really looking forward to my last intense inpatient therapy. I'm even more so excited to start getting my life back!

As you can tell, my hair has started to grow back. Unfortunately, I'll probably loose it all one last time...let's pray I don't.

maitri monday

snapshot sunday

Gangs all here....almost. 

Just missing my Lou, my Hirsh and a few other hometown usual suspects.

 

friday favorites

Travel.

(photo:leaving Santa Barbara)

If there is one thing I really love it's traveling. After all, it's the only thing money can buy that makes you richer (or so they say). Though I only made it to Arizona, it feels like a bigger deal. Being someone who is always trying to jet-set and in constant fantasy land dreaming up my next gypsy vaca. it pains me that I haven't left central California since my diagnosis.

Shooting Range.

(photo: results of me and my mom's target practice)

My mom is on this "self defense" kick so I agreed to go with her to Scottsdale Gun Club (twist my arm). Today she shot a 1911 22mm as per my request. It's quite a bit larger than her preferred 9mm pink pocket size revolver. She still beat me in target shots.

Orange Blossoms.

(photo: mr. bee pollinating the orange blossoms in my moms backyard)

Orange blossoms, there is no elixir on Earth quite like it. To my knowledge there aren't any orange trees in Santa Barbara. I didn't realize how much I had missed their sweet smell until I was reminded while laying out in my moms back yard. Not to mention watching all the bees slurp their nectar and cover themselves in pollen makes me really happy too.

    

 

treatment tuesday

Clearly the last seven months have been no cake walk for me. However, this is the best I've felt in at least a year! The past two weeks have got me feeling like a real haus! The amount of vigor and life I've had is unreal. I feel like I have put some much needed life back into my days and meat on my bones. However, not exactly how I want the LB's to look. ;) Regardless, I'm feeling strong and beefy comparatively.

Recovering from this last treatment round has been tough. Roughly a month of no chemo and still my overall blood counts and energy levels have been low. With scheduled blood transfusions every Monday, I'm happy to report we're over the hump and my bone marrow is beginning to produce well.  This week I'm headed home to Scottsdale, Arizona for the first time in TOO long.

My flight leaves out of Santa Barbara, California tomorrow afternoon. As a precautionary measure I went in today to give myself an immune booster shot of neupogen in my belly... here's a photo of that :)

something different

Hi Readers, 

Sorry I've been away. Not only have I found myself feeling guilty about my lack of commitment to this blog, but I've also had many people inquiring about my health and requesting updates. So... I'M BACK! 

This time around we're going to do things a little differently. I quickly grew tried of writing about being sick. Though I always tried to make my posts positive it became hard for me to constantly write entries about what's "wrong" with me.

In efforts to keep myself interested in blogging as well as keep everyone informed, I'm trying out "lifestyle blogging". My plan is to incorporate positive messages, photos and random things in addition to my treatment updates. Of course there will still be a heavy focus on cancer and recovery with hopes of shedding some light, or showing someone they aren't alone. I have designated a few days a week to these new promised posts: Maitri Monday, Treatment Tuesday, and Friday Favorites. It is my hope that by designating these days I'll hold myself accountable as well as stay committed and interested in blogging. I'm excited to start keeping people informed again and to continue inspiring and sharing my story.  

See you tomorrow for "Treatment Tuesday".

-k