Me, now.

Ladies, thanks for all your positive thoughts and wonderful messages while I was undergoing treatment for breast cancer this last year. Through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation your many friendly messages were a cheerful part of my therapy.

So where am I now? Well, this is me in October of last year as my hair started to go, about three weeks after my mastectomy and into intensive chemotherapy.

See the hospital gown? Yeah, I'm getting drains out at this visit.

This is me in December of 2010. Hairless with drawn on eyebrows and a large collection of hats and scarves. Tired tired tired. Deep into chemo.

February 2011. Free wigs from the American Cancer Society! Chemo almost done, ready for radiation. Wigs and bright lipstick and fuzzy scarves are my fashion mainstays.

And here I am with The Welding Man at my parent's 60th Anniversary Dinner Dance in August. I made it! Still have five years of medication and lots of mammograms ahead but feeling almost as good as I felt before I was told I had breast cancer.

So, I'm still here. Rocking a bit of a Judi Dench look.

Except, Judi Dench has longer hair, lol!

I'm starting to get my creative and blogging mojo back, and trying to regain some of the momentum for sales in my Etsy shop, which were building nicely way back last fall. Onward and upward, I say!

I said I would not turn my blog into a cancer blog and I haven't. But ladies, believe me, it's important....do those breast self exams and get regular mammograms. I had pain in my armpit which led me to discover the lump in my breast. Take charge of your own care and pay attention to your body!



This is me, now. Thankful and counting my blessings. We live in the same town as most of our kids and grand kids and we have family get togethers once a week. So thankful that I'm around to enjoy life and make the best of things.

And thankful for all of you. Bless you, ladies.

Thar she blows! My hair, that is.

My hair came out in clumps and handfuls yesterday. Awesome. The doctors, nurses and oncologists have been telling me to expect this for a couple of months and boy howdy, here it is. And so, I'll deal as usual and make the best of things. Here's a lame bathroom mirror shot from last Christmas a year ago.

Thin hair but lots of it.

Sort of a modified version of my high school flip.




Pinned up in back most of the time since hair in my face annoys me. Little did I know....

Short crop after first chemo thanks to my clever daughter. This length was doable and spikable and kinda sassy. I thought I'd sneak up on the bald thing by going shorter every couple of weeks.

But my hair brush tells a different story. Wow, it came out fast once it started to go. So scarves and ballcaps and crocheted beanies to the rescue. But hey, I've discovered a newfound love for dangly, pretty earrings. Yes, Insanely Creative Christy is making them for me ; 0 ) Even futzing around here at home I'll wear them cuz I like that little spark of pretty when I look in the mirror.

I knew I wouldn't be blogging about my breast cancer woes, but in keeping with my whole outlook you'll see entries like this...me making the best of the situation, hopefully with grace and humor. And you know, the more I try to keep my chin up, the better I feel, even with heavy duty chemo and meds and multiple testing and the various aches and pains. So, a good attitude is working for me, looks like I'll keep it up!

Thanks ladies for all your wonderful wishes. Bless you!