Part of our 2014 Palooza-ing was gifted to us. Family and friends gave us priceless contributions towards the epic spring break trip Maren and I took to NYC last year.  Friends slipped us money and said, “Go.  We insist.  Have fun.”  Brad’s parents covered much of the cost of our Disney trip in October.  A group called Tina’s Angels sent us...

As I wince, try to breathe through the pain, and turn my head away, I catch Greta’s expression. Her shoulders hunch up, she brings her hands up to her chest, and she squinches her face in empathy as she looks from my foot to my face.  Without looking at it, she points gingerly to my foot as the doctor begins to depress the syringe he just stuck between my...

Lately I’ve been asked the following questions by a few different people.  I thought others might be wondering too… Um, you look great.  Do you still have cancer? Thanks!  And, yes. I have metastatic disease, or Stage IV breast cancer, or whatever you want to call it.  Dr. Wonderful is very clear in letting me know that whilst I can hope to be his...

When I was diagnosed with my first lung spot sixteen months ago, I wrote a blog called “I’ve been told to dream” because the message coming from my medical team is “hope for the best, but don’t wait”.  That’s why 2014 became known as Vacation Palooza 2014; we did some amazing and spectacular things.  Many once-in-a-lifetime...

Ladies, you know that towel turban thing you do on your head when you get out of the shower so that your wet hair doesn’t drip all over the place? I did that this morning. Subconsciously, I did that towel thing.  For the first time — probably — since March/April of 2012, since that was the last time I had enough hair to be drippy wet. It was weird....