Day 63

Today was a productive day for me, unlike most days where I just wish that I could be more productive and scorn myself for not being.  I am not used to this whole "being tired all the time" thing.  I am an independent soul and it is tough to have to ask people to do things for me that I normally would be able to do myself.

Back to productivity....made a smoothie for breakfast with some shakti chai tea, spent an hour or so catching up on online tasks, ran some errands, did some grocery shopping, vacuumed, laundry, then it all got good.  Some tomato & vegetable soup for lunch with a green salad (yep, I even had enough energy to make lunch).   Then I had a nice foot soak in twice refreshed water with essential oils of geranium, lavender, chamomile, frankincense, myrrh, sage and epsom salt.  I was told by my massage therapist yesterday that soaking in water, even just soaking your feet, is the best way to drain your lymph glands.  Heck yeah! I love foot soaks and full body soaks so this is great news!

My hair is still falling out though, it is just now starting to become noticeable although you wouldn't know unless I showed you (or you saw the drain in my bathtub or my pillow).  Looks like it is time to get serious about purchasing a scarf or head wrap or wig or something of the sort.

I am still researching medical tourism.  I have some of my friends on it as well.  I figured that since no one in the US wants to give me a liver transplant then I need to start looking overseas.  The upside to the entire situation is that getting medical attention overseas is much cheaper than doing it in the states.  The downfall is that it is still out of my price range and even if I do get qualified for SSI and automatically get on the Oregon Health Plan it isn't going to cover it.

Speaking of fundraising, I want to give another shout out to all of my wonderful friends and friends of friends.  I am surrounded by the most amazing people in the world!  You all rock!  Thank you so much for all of your support, it is so incredibly appreciated and needed.

I want to take this opportunity to share with you something that is a little strange for me.  I thought it was weird to have to ask people to so so much for me but one thing that is just as weird if not even more so is the lack of brain power that I have had lately.  I have this little journal (the book with the tree on it) that I call my brain.  If it sounds important to me when I say it or someone tells it to me or when I think of it, I write it down in the brain.  I have to look back through it from time to time to make sure that I didn't space out on something important.  Seriously folks, it is hard to follow movies sometimes and it is even getting hard to read without feeling tired from having to concentrate so much.

Although I am here battling for my life, part of my life is my education.  My education is important to me because it is through my education that I am better able to protect the things I love. The things that give me life, inspiration and fill my heart and soul with peace, love, respect and excitement.  Nature, national parks, open space, clean water, trees, birds, insects, mountains, deserts, shorelines, tundras, all that is natural and good.  So to make a long story even longer my education is a great excuse for me to spend time doing what I love, it is just hard to focus on it at all, which is challenging.  I am presenting myself and my change project on June 15th at 1pm-ish at Antioch University if anyone would like to come and see my presentation you are all welcome to attend.  There should be some really great presentations both that day and the next.  My entire graduating cohort is presenting on their projects and there are some really wonderful projects going on.  It just goes to show that one person really can change the world.

Jeff is due home from school anytime now and he is bringing me a piece of raw/live cheesecake home from the Blossoming Lotus.  I love that stuff!  It is such a treat and is soooo good!

The pictures I've posted with this blog are pictures of some of the things that I have really been enjoying recently.  The Buddha Nose is the most wonderful salve ever!  My liver is tender to the touch and hurts like it is bruised sometimes and when I rub this on it it feels better!  It is awesome, thank you Sam!  You Can Heal Your Life was given to me by another friend and classmate (Thank you Elise!) and I am loving it!  The flowers are from our rose bushes in the front yard, they are so pretty!!  My Pot Pie just always cheers me up (she is snoozing on my feet right now as I type).

The rhodie is from Stephanie (she was with Jeff and I the day I got diagnosed with cancer).  It got planted about a month or so ago and we didn't think it would bloom this year, but lookey here!

Oh, I know this is so scattered but I wanted to mention that a friend of mine, Angela is organizing a benefit concert for me.  There will be three amazing acoustic bands.  It will take place on June 22nd at 8:30pm at the McMenamin's White Eagle (which is also supposed to be haunted by the way for all of my creepy friends out there) in Portland, Oregon.  She also needs the help of anyone who would want to participate or volunteer in any way.  Please feel free to contact me if you would like to get in touch with her.  I would love to see anyone who can make it, please come and give me a hug...I love hugs :)  I can't wait!  It will be so much fun and I believe that there also may be a snowboard auction (maybe, not for sure yet, will keep you posted).  There are going to be posters and everything, how cool is that!?



Things are good, I feel good, my friends are amazing, life is beautiful, I can't wait to go for a hike, I also can't wait to see some friends this weekend that are coming to visit (you know who you are :) everything in my garden is sprouting and growing now, even the tomatoes in the pots and the herbs in the pots, YAY!!  You all take care of yourselves, really, eat organic, filter your water, rid yourselves of chemicals (there are natural alternatives that work just as well), your body/mind/spirit will thank you for it (as well as your friends and family).  If man made it don't eat it, if you can't pronounce it don't eat it.  Take time to reflect, think, meditate, exercise, relax, or just do what makes you happy, take a bath, soak your feet, be good to yourself.  I love and appreciate every one of you.

Cancer Can Suck It!