Gratitude Letter to Dan

When you give, you shall receive. When you lose something, give something back to see it multiple.

I have always believed this to be true but thought heart ache and pain sometimes struggle believing it. Today, amidst the tears streaming down my face, am reminded just how true this is.

My blog shall be simple and to the point.  I am not in much of a position to write more.

Many know that after my step-son, my husband Jim’s only son, Dan 

Bronold died we set up a memorial scholarship in his name, The Daniel 

Bronold Memorial Scholarship Fund. This money was donated to an organization to help offset costs needed for young men to attend Midcourse Correction Challenge Camp in Brighton, Michigan. So many your teens are turned away each year because they can’t afford the fees.  The fee is set at a minimal amount to cover simply the costs as this organization is a nonprofit. Many of  the employees were past graduates of the program who have gone on with their lives, gotten degrees and returned later on in life to work there.

This is a no nonsense camp full of a weekend of tough love, team building, and goal setting.  For many troubled teens, this is the last stop to try to get them on the right path. Most are on a collision course with self-destruction and many don’t care or know how to turn it around.  Sometimes the parents don’t either and need the help also.

The program is Christian based, which is something we liked and knew Dan would approve of also.  We wanted to pick something we felt Dan would be proud of and enjoy having his name associated with and this seemed perfect.  This fund would give some guys a chance before it was too late that might not  be able to attend otherwise.    And since the years of Dan’s death, the Executive Director, Richard Woods, lets us know each year the donors, amounts and the number of folks that benefit from the funding.  We are privileged to hear some of the stories without giving enough information to breach anyone’s privacy.  He also shares Dan’s story as an example of why it is best to turn your life around before it is too late.

Today, we were blessed beyond belief. A single mother asked for our name and wanted to write us directly.  I don’t feel comfortable sharing her letter as it was intimate.  It was forwarded to use through the Executive Director as he  is not giving out our contact information to anyone either but the essence of the letter was to thank us.  She wanted to let us know that without our money her son wouldn’t have attended camp. With his attendance, his life has completely changed.  Their relationship has turned in ways she never thought possible.  She feels like God has touched him in a very special place and turned the light on in her son.  They have reached a new level of understanding, her joy and gratefulness is so heartful in the letter.  She wants us to know that her and her son will never forget Dan and the Fund and us.  Her letter shows us that Dan is touching lives in a way that we can both indeed can be proud of.

There have been times, over the months and years, we have been disappointed that we can’t raise more money that we are many times, and the only one donating to the Memorial we set up. But we remind ourselves, if all we do is save one teen, if it was just one Dan that would be enough!  If one parent is spared the pain, if one person is not dying as Dan did, that is enough so our donation, several times a year will suffice.  We want to be sure we are doing what we can also to spare a parent from the pain of being on the receiving end of a phone call, from wondering if they did all they could and of not having any holidays left to celebrate with their child ever again. 

This letter confirmed our conviction that the Memorial Fund was the way to ensure we are making a difference in people’s lives, in children’s and in parents. Dan’s name is helping kids turn their lives around and get a new lease on life.  It was and is the just and right thing to do. As long as there is a memorial fund in his name, Dan Bronold’s legacy lives on!  And as the mother said in the close of her letter, her and her son will forever be grateful to Dan, dead or alive to them, he is always alive!

God bless you Dan always in heaven for what your spirit is doing!   Love always!  

If you would like to learn more about Midcourse Correction Challenge Camp, visit http://www.midcoursecorrection.org/

To donate to the fund, Send donations to:

Midcourse Correction Challenge Camp

Attn:  Dan Bronold Memorial Fund

833 E Grand River Ave

Howell, MI 48843

Sister Girlz Make Getting Pinked Cooler

It is so cool to see other teams take the time, after Making Strides Nashville, to be creative and create some lasting memories to look back on the days event! So many that could not attend would like to know what they missed, especially those in treatment that need to know and see what others were doing the street to show their support or those at home hurting because of the lost of a loved one to breast cancer.

Those of us that attended love having the chance to relive the moments through another team's eyes.  It was impossible, with 35,000 people in attendance to capture it all. Thus, seeing it through another Team's eyes, Sister Girlz's Team is just wonderful and shows you the heart of this team.

They have spent the majority of their time just getting ready for the event and doing what they do, giving do causes that matter. Take a few minutes, if you

enjoy the video and believe in the group, to consider visiting their page and perhaps donating at Great video made was memories of Making Strides for Breast Cancer by Team Sister Girlz out of Nashville, TN! Team Captain Melanie Burnett and all her team members did a fabulous job spreading the word around. If enjoy this, please consider donating to this team. They decide with all the work they did increasing awareness! Go to www.makingstrideswalk.org/nashvilletn, search on the team name & select Donate. Give a donation, whatever you can give,  to their team. At least, share the video to others affected by Breast Cancer. I think you will find, like me, a Survivor, it is very uplifting!

Click here 4 Sister Girlz Video

Making Major Strides in Nashville!

Most of us are alone when we are told we have cancer. We are scared because we never envisioned hearing that word said to us. How do you prepare for being told you have breast cancer?  Where do you get a handbook on what to do if you are told this kind of information? If it existed, who would want to read it? It would feel like a death wish or a self-fulfilling prophesy of sorts.   Thus, it is one of the most isolating moments in your life.

Afterwards, you can be in a room full of caring friends and have moments when you feel alone, isolated, as if no one else truly understands how you feel.  This feeling, even while in treatment, while in surgery, recovery will come and go.  It varies from person to person but cancer is unique to each and every individual. But one thing remains constant, the day you are diagnosed, the moment, is never forgotten and at that slice in time, you are alone.  Your world is surrounded by only your own thoughts and feelings for a few moments in time while you try to absorb the enormity of what was just said.

Because of this, one of the most beautiful things about Making Strides Against Breast Cancer sponsored by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to me is the concept of togetherness. We are not alone. We are in this together.  Breast cancer, beating it, ultimately, is everyone’s responsibility. Yes, individually we need to take treatment and try to overcome our individual pathology case, the side effects, if a re-occurrence occurs, metastatic breast cancer, etc…  But the community at large has a responsibility to help prevent others from getting the diagnosis to begin with, continuing doing research to find better methods of prevention, easier treatment plans and cures so that women and men are not dying from this disease. 

Making Strides is the coming together of all types of people, young, old, various religions and walks of life just to support this one cause that affects so many lives, breast cancer. In a world full of hate and violence, to see a symbol of love and life in a sea of pink is precious.  To see children and men wearing a color that to a cancer survivor means I lived another day to wear pink reminds me I am not alone ever, I never was and never will be as long as I live.    

This Strides season began this summer with Montgomery Gentry starting a Band of Pink, a commitment to donate $1,000 and promote their loyalty to the cause. When Tory Gentry’s wife Angie got diagnosed with it, rather than let the news come out through the media, he broke the news to his fans himself.  Troy and Angie then decided to do something positive about the disease choosing this venue, Making Strides for Breast Cancer. They challenged others to hop on board the Pink Band and donate too. This added incentive made me particularly proud of be an integral part of the social media piece this year. I thought this year could be, potentially, a huge year for Nashville.  

At the event, there were over 35,000 registered walkers this year on Oct. 10^th.  We know that many

walkers simply showed up without registering so we are not sure of the exact count.  The donations at the close of the day totaled more than $900,000 but with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month more donations are rolling in for teams and individuals to ACS the entire month of October so that number is rising.  But what is so different and so cool about the Strides event that some folks don’t get without knowing it inside out is there is little overhead.  

Making Strides budget doesn't allow for much money on promotion at all. That is perhaps why social

media is done often times by people like me, a volunteer, as in unpaid.  This way donors can be assured as much as possible the majority of donations  go to what is promoted.  There is not vendor booths held to have giveaways because that is not the focus of the Strides event for ACS. This is simply about Breast Cancer only. It is not a health fair, not a convention, not a buyers paradise, just exactly what it is called a show of support for Breast Cancer, a way to Make Strides towards the mission of obliterating breast cancer.  And it works, ask the 35,000 in attendance.

Walking with them all, standing in a sea of people, all smiling, none of us are alone in caring about breast cancer and the issues surrounding it. So remember, if you are ever faced with the diagnosis, the one moment in time you feel alone, it will pass and you will soon feel the love of us all, all of us that come in pink to the streets in October to Make Strides!    Video Link Here

To donate, visit makingstrideswalk.org/nashvilletn

For additional information about breast cancer or any form of cancer, visit ACS's website at cancer.org or call the 24/7 hotline# at 800-227-2345.

Snapshots of Change

Changing seasons as the months go by,

Changing voices as the years can’t lie,

Changing desires as our bodies become needy,

Changing goals as our minds become greedy.

 Some of the changes we embrace are good,

Some are totally misunderstood,

As long as we get back on track,

When, in life, we fall astray,   

And continue to grow

Being humble to God in every way.

Our growth will continue until we are called to come home.

Years ago I reconnected with a dear friend of mine I had made when our children were little. We were both young married couples, part of a Catholic parish in the area. We were both highly involved, both stay-at-home moms at the time so it was a source of social involvement, giving back and showing our small children Christianity at work.  Our relationship developed into so much more than a typical friendship, more like a sisterhood. The amount of time we were together is immeasurable. We saw each other through kid’s first communions and both went through divorces. We shared quite a bit over many years of our changing philosophies towards everything including religion, faith, child-rearing, marriage and life. Oh yes, even towards ourselves as well.

Both being in unhappy marriages, I think God planned for us to meet. He gave us each other, that human connection so that we could see in each other what unconditional love felt like, the comfort of looking into someone’s eyes and knowing, no matter what you said or did, they would still love and accept you.  We both needed and deserved that in our lives.  And, honestly neither of us had that in our young marriages.  We had children who looked up to us and should have had a better example of what a healthy marriage is.  Somewhere along the line our relationship splintered when we both moved away from the area and we lost contact. 

As luck would have it, or rather as God would plan it, we reconnected several years ago at a time when, once again, we were both going thru some life changes.  Yes, she was in the process of going from empty nester with her wonderful husband and being a grandmother to a small grandbaby to adopting her oldest grandchild with her husband!  It was a lengthy troublesome heart wrenching court proceeding. It was made even more agonizing as they had been raising him since he was a small baby. At the same time we connected, I had finally put my cancer treatment behind me, noticed some long-term effects of that treatment were beginning to show but was trying to acclimate to life after cancer.  Ah, looking at a life ahead being a grandma now not fighting cancer and embracing a new future! 

Here we both were, at a crossroads of sorts, reconnected at a special time in our growth period again, as women, sharing our thoughts, feelings, and fears about where we were and what lies ahead.  We wondered aloud how best to prepare for it, what steps to take and what to simply put in God’s masterful hands. 

Life was good but naturally had some pitfalls also, new anxieties for both of us but that unconditional bond was there between us, that magic we shared. However, this time, we both had a lifetime mate, we had each found a man that provided us with what we had so longed for all those years ago. We were so happy for each other and yet realized what we had was a different dimension of our womanhood that also needs nurturing from time to time.

With time, those issues sailed away working their way through change. Her and her husband/best friend received full legal custody of their darling son with absolutely no visitation of the mother with major issues.  My life also seemed to be coasting along merrily.  We, this time, made certain, even with distance, we stayed connected feeling certain God made this re-connection for a reason, some divine plan or maybe just because it was pleasurable!

Well, just when the boat didn’t seem like it was going to rock too much anymore, a storm blew through.  It hit both of us, equally hard, but in different

ways. She lost her riches, so much financial backbone they had as a cushion to enrich their life in a few disasters was gone. And I in another horrendous experience lost what I thought was one of the richest things in my life, my relationship with my firstborn grandson, the one born within days of my cancer diagnosis.   At the same time, my trust and relationship with my daughter blew away like a flame on a candle, blown out and all the sudden it was dark never to be light anymore. 

Both of us went through major heartbreak, pain and making adjustments. These were changes thrust on us that seem harder because the older you are, change is not quite as easy but still important to undertake as it is part of learning and growing. Learning to let go of what you can’t control and moving beyond is important, even when it hurts.  Everything you do, as you age, sets an example for those younger than you, it is your legacy.  We simply must show what you can’t control you must accept and change only what you can, yourself. 

We have heard each other’s hurts, each other’s disappointments and each other’s revelations during this time much as we did in all the other times in our lives. We will listen again when more changes come our way in the future and will gladness in our hearts knowing change is, overall good, a sign we are living one more day of God’s overall plan before he brings us both home.  Through the change, the pain, the upcoming winds of change is that pervasive knowledge that I will hold her as a very dear friend tightly, if she needs me and throw her extra oars, and she will toil my line if I need her too.  She has a lifeline and I do too in our husbands. We know we are survivors, in so many ways and stronger for having known each other and tapped into each other’s strength. 

I think many feel the same kinds of winds of change we experience throughout our life at various times, the why me, the you have got to be kidding me’s, the where is this going? But in the end, you have no choice but to button up your

bottom lip and deal with it. As another friend says, shit happens. Good relationships matter, not several, not many at all, just quality ones.  Decide where and who they are and foster those relationships!  And remember you are one of them, yourself!  Take care of you.  When a wind of change attempts to blow you over, reach for a lifeline if you need it, pray to God for added strength and remember always, someone else out in the ocean, just beyond the horizon is going through exactly the same thing.   You are and will be stronger and closer to God’s image if you grow with it!  

Are You Lonely Tonight?

Do you feel alone?  Do you feel like you are the only one that feels this way?  Well 

don’t feel like that any longer.

Statistics show we are a nation full of folks suffering from loneliness. When the 

National Science Foundation did a study on this topic, 1 in 4 people stated they 

were feeling lonely. When they were asked to rule out family, the numbers went 

up to 1 out of every 2.

The effects of loneliness can be devastating on our society. It causes depression. Depression can easily lead to mental illness. Depending on the severity of mental illness, other issues follow.   Potential issues are anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and impaired immune functioning.

Furthermore, there have been studies showing impaired immune functioning can lead to increased risk of arthritis, diabetes, and overeating. In general, the studies bear out that this decrease in immune functioning directly correlates to decrease longevity of life.  Also, at the top of the list of probability when encountering loneliness is suicide. Professor John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago found in his study in 2014 that loneliness was twice as bad for older people’s health as obesity and almost as great a cause of death as poverty.   

Loneliness is not reserved as an issue for simply elderly aged adults. Actually it has become a major issue with young adults these days.   The Mental Health Foundation 

found out through studies that it is a greater concern among adults aged 18-34 years 

old.  This age was much more likely, when questioned, to state they were feeling 

lonely and often.  They also worried about feeling all alone and feeling depressed 

because of being alone much more so than those over the age of 55.

There is such a close link between loneliness and mental health as stated before  that 

it bears repeating the incidence of increased stress levels go up when someone feels loneliness.  Thus these young people become more depressed increasing the  likelihood 

of paranoia, anxiety, addiction, with a cognitive decline.  These all are factors that 

can lead to suicide.    

Thus we have a society with a great deal of adults functioning, to some extent with a silent secret.  The secret they have is impeding their happiness and their ability to experience life fully and enjoyably.  And they need help but have no one,or so they 

feel, to help them. How did this happen over the last twenty years?

First, we have become a technological savvy society. Everything we do, we do through automated systems, through the internet. We talk to our office mates through instant messaging, we talk to family through emails or Facebook and we talk to friends through texting.  We make friends through Facebook or Twitter and Instagram.  Gone are face 

to face chats where verbal and non-verbal skills are used. No longer are we getting the direct feedback that gives one a sense of well-being, a general sense of acceptance, 

for those that need that.  This can create a world where some folks feel that they are unworthy of others’ time anymore.

Yes, you can have an online presence but is that really you? Having an online presence 

is not the same as having a real relationship. That persona people put up on their pages, their profiles, you have no idea if it is true, even that they look like the picture you are

staring at or if it is some stock photo they bought.  And let’s face it, no one is as good 

as they project online. No one is always happy, always faithful, that incredibly wise, 

so incredibly witty, comes up with the best answer for everything, and is never down-trodden!   

Thus, many people do not feel comfortable putting their loneliness out there on the internet, a so perfect world, to get the help they need.  They do not want to risk the criticism or rejection from the phony society they are a part of.    So even though 

there are helpful sites out there for those lonely souls seeking help , there is not 

clear evidence to show which sites are legit from which ones are facades. 

  

The job market is very demanding and seldom is a work week 40 hours. Many have few hours left to seek outside intervention, slash counseling.  Some still see counseling as a weakness, a strike against them.  They believe the old wives’ tale that no one else needs to know what goes on in your house or in your head even if it means it will clear up the cobwebs and straighten up your thinking to a clearer path.  So they will just work their butts off and keep their loneliness to themselves letting it eat away at them in the stillness of the night.

Family breakdowns more and more these days have caused deterioration in the family network. Thus no longer do we have families connected where they support each other through thick and thin. Some families don’t even speak anymore to each other.  New families can be a network of friends or non-existent thus making someone feel totally isolated until a new network is established creating a placebo family.   Until that is done or if not done, there is a hole inside a person, a void that is left which can make someone feel empty, thus alone.

Whatever the reasons or the issues for feeling lonely, real or imagined, the solution is 

get help.  The consequences are great, to you as an individual and to us as a society.  

The options are as varied as we are as people.   We mustn’t be shy about reaching out 

our hands to help others and point out ideas of paths to take to aid others on ways to improve their condition.  Or we can become part of the solution.  We should never try 

to become the only solution, as that would be self-defeating, becoming a crutch for another person.  They need the tools so they have the sense of accomplishment and

 the ability to go on with or without you.

  

There really is no excuse for noticing someone is lonely and not offering a helping hand, pointing out resources or extending some friendship.  It could be a matter of saving a 

life. And one day, that life saved might be yours!

Cindy Lovelace & The Healing Net Foundation

 

Years ago, when I first went to a camp for cancer survivors in the Nashville, TN area I felt like an outcast. I do not define myself by the cancer I had and so being there, around survivors and some still fighting the disease, seemed odd to me. I honestly felt like leaving out of denial that my life would forever be different and I would be bonded with so many of these people. But at that camp, I met a lifelong friend and feel I have changed, as a person and as a woman, for the better.

My friend I met there, Cindy Lovelace and I made an immediate connection the

moment we met. It was like an electrical shock, someone we just clicked, laughed about the same kind of things and saw life very similarly. It felt like an old comfortable shoe, except Cindy doesn’t look worn and tattered! She is vibrant, dynamic, and has an energetic personality.  Cindy’s faith in God is as strong as any clergy that I have known.  With an unshakable faith and deep abiding respect for human life, all the moments that make up a lifetime seem to matter to her.  And yet, so many of us wonder why such a strong, sharp intelligent woman would have to get re-diagnosed with cancer. Not only does she live with cancer, but it is a more rare type, Neuroendocrine Cancer, a word I can barely spell or say.

Cindy  has approached this like so many other things, in the years I have known

her. She is not lying down.  In most people’s eyes, she is a fighter.  I prefer to think of her more like a warrior, as she plays offensively in a battle with cancer as well as defensively.  And so it is with this diagnosis. 

Though many of us that love her pray reverently to God for a cure and for her long lifeline, she focuses on where she can make a difference with her life. Most

of us are much more affected by her disease than she is, mentally anyways.  She sees it as another opportunity to grow, a reminder of the preciousness of life and as a cause she needs to educate others about and help raise resolutions, research dollars and overall awareness. 

With that in mind, I asked Cindy, who is currently the President of Healing Net Foundation, an organization that devotes all its energy to Neuroendocrine Cancer, to address a few questions.  What follows is her responses, immediately after the questions stated by a novice, unfamiliar with this type and wanting to know more.  I hope you find this extremely informative and pass this information on to anyone who has ever battled something that seems incurable.  

How common is neuroendocrine cancer?  Neuroendocrine (or Carcinoid) Cancer is considered rare, but my experience and the experience of so many people being diagnosed in the United States, is starting to challenge exactly HOW rare.  The best guess is that 5,000 people will be diagnosed in this country each year, but I feel those numbers are rising rapidly.  It could be because of better diagnostic tools, more awareness, or unfortunately, an increase in the incidence of the disease.

Is there a common profile or demographic type that develops this type? It is diagnosed in children all the way to older adults, although the most common age seems to be around 45.  Male and Female

How much current research is going on with this type of cancer?  Is the research focused on cures, treatment or prevention?  Research in the United States is in pockets at best. One example is the University of Iowa, which was just recognized as a Center of Excellence in NET research.  The team there is led by Dr. Thomas Odorisio (Endocrinologist) and his wife Dr. Mary Odorisio (Pediatric Hemotology) Both of these physicians gravitated to treating neuroendocrine patients because of an influx of cases, and are now regarded as one of the few experts in the U. S. Right now most research is focused on treatment and cure.  No one knows exactly what causes it. However, most of the research as well as the latest treatment options developed in Europe, and as a whole, Europe continues to outpace the U. S. in the advancement of care for neuroendocrine cancer.  The grandfather of Neuroendocrine cancer research is considered to be Dr. Kjell Oberg of Uppsala University in Sweden.

What are warning signs you might have this type of cancer? Do GPs have this information and know to look for it? It’s complicated.  Some patients present with symptoms that mimic GP disorders such as Crohn’s disease, IBS, etc. These symptoms can range from flushing (face red/purple) to diarrhea and stomach cramps, even a racing heart. However, some patients have NO symptoms and the tumors are found incidentally when tests are run for other reasons.  Patients with symptoms can be misdiagnosed for years and treated for benign disorders when they really have cancer. It is a slow growing cancer, but can be insidious and eventually vicious if not found and treated properly.  As to whether GI’s have this information:  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Most physicians are told in medical school they will be lucky to see even one case in their lifetime. So they are not prepared to consider the disease as a possibility and tend to treat first for the more benign disease this cancer mimics.

Are there screening recommendations for neuroendocrine cancer as there are for many other types? Not really unless a physician suspects.  Then you can run some blood tests that could show some unusual elevations in gastrin, chromogranin A, glucose, etc.  This is a cancer of the hormone producing cells, and that is also what makes diagnosing this cancer so tricky.  There are all kinds of hormones are bodies secrete, and finding who is causing the trouble, and why can be very complicated.

How do you diagnosis it for sure, a particular test?  It is usually diagnosed when a tumor is found, biopsied and stained.  Then you know it’s neuroendocrine and can also tell what grade it is. The higher the grade the more likely it is to metastasis. This cancer is slow growing, but it does metastasis. The most likely place it goes whether the primary is in the lungs, pancreas, intestines, stomach, female organs, etc…it the liver.  There is another hidden element of this cancer. It tends to NOT show up on traditional scans. CT scans MIGHT catch it, and even the MRI is known to miss it.  There is a new scan, used in Europe for several years, called the Gallium 68. It is still in clinical trial in the U. S. even though the first trial was begun at Vanderbilt in 2011.  I was actually one of the first to take that scan.  A neuroendocrine tumor had been found in my pancreas and removed but my doctor, Dr. Eric Liu, suspected it might have already gone to my liver.  An MRI was negative.  Less than 30 days later I had the Gallium 68 and two tumors in my liver lit up.  This diagnostic test can be a lifesaver. FDA approval is said to be imminent, but it cannot happen soon enough to help so many people.  Sometimes this cancer is diagnosed because the patient has not responded to treatment of the benign diseases it mimics, but then, the cancer might have progressed and metastasized beyond surgery. 

Are you ever totally healed from it or does it just go in remission? At this point, you are never healed, and while you can go in remission, many patients live with the tumors until they become bigger or cause enough trouble to need to be removed.  That is my case.  I have tumors in my liver.  Some have been removed, others are still too small to be seen.  This cancer tends to “seed” the liver, therefore the tumors grow at different stages.

Is there an increase in this type in recent years?  I think so, but I cant prove it.  My work in establishing the Healing NET Foundation to focus on awareness and education of the medical community at large has brought me in contact with a lot of new patients, and the list grows every week.

What is the success rate in treating it in the early stages? It is very successful if you catch it early and there are folks now who have been living with this cancer for 20+ years.  However, there is the problem that it’s so difficult to diagnose, and especially so in people with no symptoms. 

If caught in later stages, what is life expectancy? Even in later stages, people have been, at the very least, greatly helped in their daily quality of life and the prognosis can be several more years.  Again, it depends on where it is, when it’s diagnosed, and if you are fortunate enough to be seen by an expert who really understands the disease.  There are many many sad cases of people who were given incorrect information and either not given enough treatment or given too much treatment. 

Who is highly involved in research in this field since it is not as well known? Is it being studied overseas, other countries? Europe. very few in U. S.

Which country is the most advanced in their diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine cancer? Sweden and Germany

What percentage of oncologists specialize in this type? There are some specialists who understand it, and treat a lot of patients.  My doctor, Dr. Eric Liu, a neuroendocrine cancer surgeon, has recently opened The Neuroendocrine Institute at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in Denver.  Dr. Richard Warner (GI) at Mt Sinai in New York established the first center on neuroendocrine and carcinoid in this country.  I mentioned Drs. Odorisio at U of Iowa. There is also Dr. Eugene Woltering and team at Ochsner in Louisiana.  There is an expert oncologist at UK Markey Cancer Center in Lexington KY—Dr. Ed Wolin.  Dr. George Fisher at Stanford was one of the physicians who treated Steve Jobs, whose neuroendocrine cancer caused him to seek a liver transplant and he died from complications of that surgery.  But these and a few others are just pockets of physicians in the U. S. There are major cancer centers who do not have experts, and unfortunately people go there expecting the top treatment, and well, doctors don’t know what they don’t know. 

What is the one thing no one knows about this type of cancer and they should know? It is misleading to refer to a neuroendocrine cancer in the pancreas as pancreatic cancer.  It’s not the same as the more common pancreatic cancer.  Same deal in any other organ. This cancer should not be treated the same as other types of cancer. It needs a physician who has had a lot of experience, and is aware of all the latest research and treatment options.  You can live with this disease many years IF you find the right doctor. 

For additional information and to support research and awareness in this field, please click on the link to the website below.        

The Healing Net Foundation http://www.thehealingnet.org/

You can follow this organization on Facebook  the healingnetfoundation   

or on  Twitter @HealingNET1

Fall is Approaching

The ending of summer is like turning a page to start a new chapter.  The memories of what we did and how we spent our time will be something we will hold dear in the cold winter months.  But with each season comes a whole new set of experiences, often unique to that season that we can cherish.

Summer was full of color this year in Tennessee as there was enough rain to keep flowers in bloom. Grasses stayed green instead of turning brown which made for scenic walks and drives. Kids rode bikes as there were plenty of warm days. The swimming pools in the neighborhood and elsewhere were packed many days as everyone outside headed for a cool water of body to try to withstand the heat.

Our pool water became quite warm, feeling more like a bath than a cold dip in the pool. But nonetheless, we used it, swimming for exercise, lounging on floaties and hanging out with friends in the water just to chat.  Oh there was even a day it was raining and I found myself with a raft over my head talking to a friend that was doing exactly the same in the center of the pool! Nearby friends were laughing as we must have looked silly.  But then again, summer brings out the child in all of us, from time to time.

Hoping your summer was full of moments worth remembering.  Every day is a blessing so each is worth celebrating whether it is the heat of summer or the oncoming fall foliage turning colors. Savor it for it represents the best nature has to offer us.  In turn, may it inspire you to make the changes you need to make so that your next chapter is worth reading!  

The GOP Debate Tonight, Sept. 16, 2016

Perhaps I need to precede this by no attacks are needed. I am merely reflecting on the current state and all opinions, actually of my own, are not endorsed. 

The GOP debate at CNN is tonight. I really do not get into public discussions on politics. Two reasons, I don’t feel well enough informed on all the candidates. Secondly, I don’t want another reason for people to hate me. Let’s face it, people, in general, are strongly opinionated on politics and throw venom at people that don’t support their views.

It is so interesting to see someone who so many never thought had a chance would become so popular.  In a way, being a celebrity and being involved in politics is nothing new.  We have seen tons from Sonny Bono, Clay Aikens, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura to the top office, Ronald Reagan. Perhaps it is fitting that this debate takes place in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Here we have our celebrity candidate, Donald Trump in the center stage, the middle podium tonight as he is rated the highest in popularity.  Yes, even in the very state Ronald Reagan got his political career started. 

Is it possible, being the most widely known to the public has something to do with his popularity?  Being a household name puts you in the forefront of people’s minds. According to marketing strategies, it doesn’t get any better than having the entire general public know who you are. Infact, that matters more than what you say.

Many Americans don’t know much about any other candidates so they are supporting Donald Trump. I am not voicing my opinion one way or the other, just stating that it is kinda funny to watch how fickle our society is, even, yes, in politics.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Here we have our celebrity candidate, Donald Trump in the center stage, the middle podium tonight as he is rated the highest in popularity.  Yes, even in the very state Ronald Reagan got his political career started.  

Americans are the first to throw daggers at their government and the very system that was created when thousands of young men died fighting for freedom, to have a democracy.  And yet, when it comes to having a say, more people are supporting the candidate that doesn’t talk about his strategies much or his policies he will enact but focuses on what government isn’t doing and what he strongly dislikes about other candidates. In any of his companies, this type of controversy or behavior such as mutiny would be met with his famous line, “You’re fired.” 

However, negative campaigning is nothing new. Wherever there is competition involved, folks want to throw their competition under the bus.  We, as Americans, often do the same to anyone who doesn't agree with our political views. Thus, perhaps we are to blame for some of the antics that go on in politics. 

This election campaign is not just about Trump but what is good for the country.  Republicans have somehow aided the media in letting one candidate dominate the news.  Infact, our process does not limit the number of candidates that can run, thus we have a sea of candidates running. How in the world is the general public supposed to learn and research each one to make an informed decision?  With so many to consider, it takes time to become informed and most of us are living on scarcely time to get our daily tasks accomplished.

I have to say, I love being in a democracy but in a country where many are starving, have no way of affording medical insurance, I find it somewhat embarrassing so much money is throw into the campaign ring! When only one Republican candidate will come out at the end carrying the ticket, why are there so many running?  And Obama has somewhat taught us that with a Congress not on your side, you can’t pass legislation whether it is good for the country or not.

So perhaps the easiest way to get a President in office that can accomplish what they set out to do is to let Congress nominate who the two candidates are they want running. Oh, I am sure folks are reading this saying it won’t be fair because it is dominated by one party or the other. I am just being facetious here. But perhaps our voting for Congress folks in our areas gives us more control over those candidates than who is running for the presidency.

As you watch the debate, see how much opportunity you have to learn equally enough about any of the candidates to really say one is better for the job than any of the others. 

Jump into You and Fly

I use to think only a few have talent in art. As I have aged, I realize art is self-

expression. Thus, no art is really wrong or right, it just is. All art is a form of

representation of a person’s self-expression. And we all have a right to express ourselves. In the realm of art, everything is acceptable. There are no holds barred. Your spirit can come alive and soar.

Some of us that relish various art forms were not blessed with amazing skill, we were not given that artsy fartsy gene.  However, usually, if you explore and try out different things, there will be an area you excel in and find your work enriching to your soul.

In college, I learned a lot about the art of writing. Anyone with a college education can attest to the fact writing is required. Included types are literary critiques, term papers, open essay, and yes, in my case, even journaling and diary dream interpretations.

Some of these dream diaries, as they were called in a graduate level class on Freud and the Interpretation of Dreams were shared in small groups. Wow, I thought I had a vivid imagination! Some of the dreams of my classmates were so bizarre it was hard to look at them without my eyes wide and my jaw dropped.  I was grateful I was only required to interpret mine.  But that type of writing was educational actually. Dreams, at service glance, don’t make sense, when you are documenting them.  In writing about them, we were all forced to write a stream of text with no real flow, no story line, not a beginning or an ending.  It was difficult, at first, because we all wanted to embellish our words, put a line between all the dots.

The journaling in this class taught how to write uncensored, true free-flowing writing without there being traditional writing rules in place.  I challenge you to try it sometime. Write or draw or sing, whatever art form you prefer is, without a plan in mind.  What we learned is the more we practiced it, the better we got.  We begin to learn that our restrictions we put on ourselves daily limit our ability to imagine. This has a far reaching impact because it limits our imagination and our creativity.

In reality, we can’t fly, we can’t be on center stage, etc..but in our dreams we can. We may not be able to paint using every color imaginable but in our subconscious at night, with no sensors in place, we can.  We can paint the world! 

Finding a way to express what lights your fire inside is important. It adds a new dimension to you. Never get so busy in life that you don’t allow yourself cathartic releases and to pursue some of your internal spiritual passions. 

For me, frequently, it comes in the form of writing. Even when I was a young child with a limited vocabulary, I wrote. When I have a disagreement with people, I have always found writing easier. Ask my husband, he has been on the end of many letters I have written him even with us living in the same house!

Writing allows you to free flow your thoughts without interruptions. When we communicate, we gauge what we say off of, to a large extent, our viewing audience. Comments from others and non-verbal signals affect what you are going to say and how you express it, your word choice, and your delivery.  This is also true of artistry of many types. Half of the time is spent thinking about how it will end, the picture, the song, the dance, the sculpture instead of savoring the moment and just trusting it will come to an end on its own without you overthinking it.

Putting thoughts on paper, opinions, feelings, etc.  gives complete leadway to express oneself, much as a painter faced with an empty canvas and an array of colors and possibilities begins a portrait. Others perceptions change the way we walk, talk and our level of honesty. Try picking some art form and putting blinders on others viewpoints and impressions.  Just please you.

My writing may not be good, it may not spark an emotion in everyone but it feels wonderful to me. And when I read it back, I see the real me clearly, in the tone, the word choice, the topic.  Oh, I have read many of the great writers’ pieces. I have friends that work professionally as writers and their words are impeccable, their grammar and their style is much easier to follow than mine. But, I am not trying to be them, nor the literary award winner.  

My hope is that, in sharing my reflections, it touches someone in some special way. If is makes someone think, it has accomplished something positive. If it doesn’t, that is okay too. No one has to read it if they don’t want to.  However, I do get feedback that some of my writings touch people; honestly it is so special to me!  It is made more special because I am expressing myself as I truly am, as unfiltered as I can be.  Who doesn’t like making a difference in the life of others just be being themselves?

I challenge you to find your niche, that art form you would enjoy trying but

were afraid to do for failure.  Those things you have thought about finding time

for but know, if you do, you will not be the best, you will not be rewarded with monetary gain and maybe you won’t grab a mention from another soul.  Do it because it feels good, it spreads your wings in a new direction and that, in and of itself is liberating!

I remember a friend telling me she always wanted to be a singer. Her husband finally bought her a karaoke machine so she could be a superstar. Does she sing well, ah, that is a matter of opinion. She is not trying out for a reality show, nor singing on a stage. She is simply singing in her living room for herself. And when I heard her one time, it was invigorating!  Now it is your turn. 

Dancing PINK in the Street!

Living as a breast cancer survivor, I have developed a love of life beyond what I had prior to my diagnosis. I realize I am one of the lucky, blessed individuals who gets a second chance to live a fulfilled life.  And in lieu of that, each year, when Making Strides against Breast Cancer comes up, I am involved.

My motivation for volunteering is too many people I have known have not been so lucky. They are on a life path of dealing with metastatic breast cancer or have died.  I have friends that are  currently struggling through treatment.

My other drive is our youth.  Specifically, one little girl who has my heart, my granddaughter is at the forefront of my mind when I think of breast cancer. Seeing Ava so full of life and so unique, I don’t want to think something nasty like breast cancer could dim her light.

Ava is a dancer, this is one of the things in life she is passionate about! It is part of who she is, the love of dance.    From as far back as I can remember, she wanted to dance when music came on. With her involvement in a dance studio, Grandma gets to sit back and quietly watch the rest of the world soak in her charismatic personality which is even stronger than her dancing.

Thinking about this one day gave me the idea of having a dance flash mob.  Taking dancing to the streets seemed like a logical move to me in a city known for music.   And to promote breast cancer in this way was something I have seen out there in other cities, but never in ours.  What a cool way to draw attention to American Cancer Society’s Making Strides for Breast Cancer! 

Justin Jenkins was an easy choice for being the choreographer. His dancing is phenomenal and his background shows he is well accomplished.   Justin grew up in Memphis, TN and went on to MTSU for college. He became a dancer in the group Southern Movement Dance Crew which competed on the TV show Dance Crew.  He teaches and choreographs hip-hip at Diamond Academy of Dance in Mt. Juliet, TN.  Justin shares his love of dance, live and laughter with every one of his students. 

Kemmian Beard, a close friend of Justin’s was on board too for choreography. He was also a dancer in Southern Movement Dance Crew. In addition to his choregraphy and teaching skills at American Academy of Dance, he has started his own company, Kemmian Bearded Productions. 

Justin and Kemmian  took a group of 50 dancers from two different studios Diamond Academy of Dance and American Academy of Dance and brought them together.  They also enlisted the Titans cheerleaders to be a part of this dance.  What they created was  a moment in time that none of us will soon forget. And they created momentum for Making Strides for Breast Cancer in Nashville at the same time. 

What unfolded was so touching, especially when you know the story behind the scenes. Every one that was a part of this volunteered their time and their talents.  All were ecstatic about being asked to be a part of this, including the youth’s parents.  They had exactly two practices on a Friday night in a gymnasium to learn a difficult routine and make it look seamless to the public. A four minute hip-hop routine with the Titans cheerleaders involved and Austin Jamal Philips, a hip-hop/break dancer starting it off making this dance much more complicated than it looked.

On Saturday, Sept. 5^th, the Dance Flash Mob took place. Our dancers for this were scattered around the Bridgestone Arena plaza, where the Nashville Predators play, a big landmark for the city.  Amidst it, Kelly Clarkson’s song started with the Bridgestone DJ saying something to get everyone’s attention to the center of the plaza.  Austin Jamal Philips started dancing and spinning.  Four minutes of awesome dancing, smiling faces, the Titans cheerleaders dancing a segment all happened according to plan! And the dance ended showing everyone in Making Strides T-shirts with the hashtag of the event on the back of their shirts, #IGotPinked.

Social media was buzzing afterwards and because film crews were there at the event,  all major networks in the city talked about it in air that night.  We are hopeful there will be additional opportunities to discuss this event in the near future.  A great deal of work went into it and it deserves to have some continued momentum. 

My goal was to create noise.  Justin Jenkins, Kemmian Beard and the others they brought along for the ride did just that, and it was beautiful! Please support these two young men’s business ventures as they have selflessly given of themselves for this mission. They realize something I feel strongly about, life is not all about cancer, but every once in a while we have to come together, raise some money, Get Pinked and save some lives!   

Click to check out images of the experience: