Plunging Your Way Through Life

Hello my friends,

I hope, everyone is hanging in as we are all traveling this pandemic journey together. As I'm learning to social distance, just like we are all are, I'm also learning to breathe and take this journey in and enjoyed my surroundings.

As the title reads "Plunging Your Way Through Life." On Friday, I had a battle with the plunger, and I hate to admit, the plunger finally won. Sometimes, I'm very stubborn and don't like to listen.  I want to be independent and do things my own way. (HMMM, that has gotten me into a lot of ISSUES). God is saying, hey my friend it is ok to let other's help you.

I seem to battle that lesson a lot but through a very SLOW process, I'm learning two is better than one and to LISTEN. With the plunger, in my mind, I think it should fit around the hole perfectly in the porcelain bowl. NO, not all porcelain bowl's are the same.

After trying over an hour and still having a clogged toilet, I had to step back and take a breather. (sweating, sore arms, and hands) That was after talking to myself ( by saying, you have been shown this multiple times, on my knees Praying, Kept saying plunge on plunge off, you know like the Karate Kid) Yes, I'm sure you're thinking CRAZY.

Well in my midst of Craziness, the words "Plunging your way through life came to me". When I heard it, I was like "WHAT", that does not have to do with anything at all. How, can you compare plunging a toilet to plunging your way through life?

After I thought about it for a few minutes during my rest period, I was like that phrase does have some meaning to it. There are many times, I feel like I'm just plunging through and not truly stepping back to enjoy this LIFE GOD as given me. I'm running through the motions but am I really truly taking a step back and just be in the moment? Some days I think I am but most days I have not.

Going through this
Cancer journey and now the CORONAVIRUS pandemic. God, is showing me to slow down and enjoy each minute. Not constantly goooooooooooo but to breathe and realize he has a plan. (Not my plan but his plan for me)

I'm sure we all have these moments, and you may feel that you are just PLUNGING through but keep holding that head high, and know God has a special plan for you as well.

Faith over Fear my friends-(Is it easier said than done? Yes absolutely! Know this God is with us each step of the way.

Health wise I'm doing pretty good. I'm LISTENING and doing what I need to. Thank you for the continued support and Prayers. You guy's are amazing!

Everyone stay safe, be kind, listen, thank the ones taking care of us, and help others! We are all in this pandemic fight together.

Have a Blessed day!

Jen

Updates and More

Good Morning!

First, I want to thank all of my beautiful support from near and far on this journey!

I had my three month follow up with my Oncologist on March 5th. According to this visit, everything looks great and my blood markers were good. I will go back in June, and test again.  I was very pleased with this outcome and I have to face it Pelvic and Rectal exams are my new friends for a while. LOL! ( I know TMI!)

My immune system seems to be getting stronger, which it was already compromised by the disease I have, which is Lipedema and Lymphadema. I am extremely thankful to GOD, he has been hand in hand in this journey with me.

So knowing I have to be careful, especially now with everything going on and trying to stay germ free (YIKES). Mask, is on and trying not to fog my glasses at all times. LOL. As you can see, my hair is growing back and it is coming in dark. At the beginning of this journey, I was focused on my hair, but as I travel though this journey, I have learned it is just hair and I am just thankful for each minute of the day.

In focusing on keeping my immune system built up. I have really been trying to stay on track with my nutrition. Making sure, I am getting the proper nutrition that I need.

Everyone knows, my love for photography. I have decided, why not take pictures and share some of the things like to eat. You never know, it could help someone else.



All in all I am doing good. I continue to take one step at a time. I am very thankful for the continued support. All of you are amazing! GOD places special people in your life for a reason!

Everyone stay safe and remember you guys rock!

More Later,

Jen

Keep Moving

Good Morning, I hope everyone is well. As I continue on this journey that I am on, I wanted to update everyone. Overall, I seem to be doing pretty good. Each day, I feel a little stronger. 

Sometimes, I have to remind myself what my body, mind, and spirit have been through the past several months. I have to take a step back and realize this is a journey, somethings will change and it is ok to make adjustments and just step back and relax.

The reason why I titled this portion of the blog keep moving, is because I feel it is extremely important, even when we do not feel like doing anything is to try and keep going. Having this in mind, has helped me to continue to move in everything I do. I know that GOD has me in this journey hand and hand. When I have moments of frustration or understanding, he is always there to hold me, pick me up, dust me off and carry me through.

As my hair is growing back, in the beginning for myself, I thought I was going to have a real problem with loosing my hair. In this continue to journey, I realized that it is just hair and it will grow back.

I am thankful for each day and so grateful for the continued support. I go back in March to have my blood markers tested, to see where we are at. In the mean time, I am just enjoying these next several weeks, and trying to get back into a norm (haha, not sure about this). 

Thank you again for everything. I hope you guys have a great day and I will continue to be in touch!

Bell Ringing

Ringing of the bell! Last chemo!

The HICCUP Is Not Over,COCKTAILS for ANYONE? Vol. 5

09/16/2019

I'm sorry, for my lengthy time between posts. I've been preparing for another round of Chemotherapy, and all the ills that follow. 

I've just completed, my second round of chemotherapy. Boy did I experience a HICCUP!!!

See, I thought I was having one of those wonderful flaming hot flashes. However, my boyfriend asked me if I was feeling OK. I responded, yes I am just having a hot flash.

He points out to me, I think your having a reaction to your CHEMO COCKTAIL. He notices, and points out to me, that my face is bright red, my ears look like Rudolph's red nose, and it looks like I am ready to cry.

After, he points these things out to me. I do mention that I'm having a hot flash. I proceed to tell him, my hands are very red and itchy and my nose is becoming clogged. I still say I'm having a hot flash.

He says it's time to CALL 911, aka my NURSE.

As Renee, (that's my Nurse) pops around the corner, she says YOU are having a BIG HICCUP. Yes, I am going through a reaction to my CHEMO COCKTAIL and not a HOT FLASH. I felt scared, and both my boyfriend and Renee assured me that we will get through this.

After a few more steroids and Benadryl, I resumed my CHEMO COCKTAIL and I was able to complete my treatment.

Let me wrap this session up. My second CHEMO COCKTAIL is eliminating a HICCUP that some of us women find annoying.

I don't know about you, but I hate shaving. 😁

This little HICCUP has eliminated ALL of that. See my hair, is beginning to fall out EVERYWHERE on my body. I mean Everywhere!!! (I know TMI)

When your diagnosed with the Little-C, trust me LIFE is not over. I look at this as just a HICCUP in life. The BIG-C, my Commander and Chief upstairs has me through this journey.

Have a wonderful day!

Did you check your SUPPORT HOSE today? -Vol. 4

09/01/19

Your SUPPORT HOSE, can never be to tight!! When you are thrown into the abyss, you think you are alone, but your not.

That is when your army of friends, rise to the occasion. I've had many phone calls, texts, cards, letters, and gifts from my army of friends.

My "SUPPORT HOSE" is there everyday, physically and literally. I'll get back to this in a minute. Each and everyday, I have a hand full of different friends, communicating with me in all the different ways I've described.

Let's face it, a friend is a GIFT you give yourself! I'm extremely blessed to have an abundance of friends, both far and near, that have come out to support me in my time of need. You will never know how much your continued support truly means to me.

See, I'm a half glass full girl, since the Little- C has knocked a lot out of me. My many friends have been there to KEEP my glass FULL.

Trust me, you need friends going through major battles in life. Without friends, and my Commander and Chief upstairs, leading the way the Little- C would tear you down. My army, with my Commander and Chief is definitely stronger than the Little- C. I want to personally shout out to each and everyone of you "THANK YOU", from the bottom of my heart for going out of your way for being so kind.

Before I finish let ME go back to that literal thought. My friends are my physical support hose. However, for those of you who are not aware, because I try to keep it under "WRAPS".
I literally wear SUPPORT HOSE. I WRAP my legs, each and everyday, to help with my Lipedema/Lymphedema that has consumed THE lower half of my body.

I would like to share these two items with all of you.

Song by Point of Grace, Circle of Friends
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfuujVQwewI

Just a few of the many gifts that I've received.



That's a WRAP, Chat with you soon!

Jen

Yesterday is Gone..but Today is Here

08/30/2019

As we go through changes and adjust to life, sometimes we may ponder why me?? Waking up this morning with this thought, the words why not me came to mind. I know, very deep huh?

As a lot of you, who truly know me, also know I can live in a little bit of a fairytale sometimes. I'm always trying to remain positive. Which is a good thing, but there is also reality as well.

Why not me, going through this Journey of the little - C ?  Yes, yesterdays challenges of life are gone, but today is here and today is a gift. All of these emotions that come with cancer are real and scary.  So many unanswered questions and whys. Here is the thing,  I want to rely on my faith in God, that everyday he is carrying me through each of these challenges that may arise. He has given me the gift of life, to live and not take for granted so many things I know I have in the past. I am willing to embrace this journey that I am on right now, and share in hopes that it may help others not to give up, but to look up and know you are not alone in this battle!

One of my first challenges that I encountered, when I heard I had cancer, was that I was going to LOSE my hair. My first thought was WHAT!! I wasn't focused on anything else. Like, being sick, how many treatments, what this is doing to my body. All I could focus on was my HAIR. Now when I look back, I realize I was making a MOUNTAIN out of a MOLEHILL. You learn very quickly, after being diagnosed with cancer, what are the most important things in life. Your hair isn't one of them, it will grow back. I remember my Oncologist saying to me, it will come back, and it may come back curly. To me, that is AMAZING I love curly hair.

My point is, I want to embrace all THIS ENTIRE journey, and not take ANYTHING for granted. I'm learning on the fly, to let go of those so call MOLEHILLS, and not turn them in to MOUNTAINS.

This why, I'm documenting everything.

Here is a small clipping of the past. A lock of hair, that was a MOUNTAIN that,
I've overcome.

I hope you guys have a rocking day and I will be back with more

later!