And I’m feeeeling good!

I am one lucky lady.

I have the best people in my life that choose to make an impact on the world even if in the smallest way.

My friend, Alicia, is a spokesperson for the Ava Anderson beauty products and this month she has decided to do something really special. She has a career  in the medical field just like me and sees the importance in health and cancer prevention/awareness. (Smart woman! :))

So this month, Alicia has most generously decided to donate ALL of her profits (that’s much more that 25%! Read this to understand this little remark)!!! She will use ALL of her commissions to make gift bags full of non-toxic products and distribute them to patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation.

Awesome!!

If you feel like helping out a little, here is what you can do…

Hit up this website: HERE

All you have to do is put in your order, get great products, and know that your moolah is going to a great cause! These women deserve to feel great ANNNND using non-toxic products in just a huge added bonus.

If that isn’t enough to convince you, listen to this…

All orders that are $30+ will receive a FREE reusable Ava tote or spend $95+ will receive a FREE anti-aging mask!

So do it peeps,

and feel good that you are making someone else feel good!

Happy Shopping!

Why you gotta be so rude?

 

What is the first thing you notice about this picture?

Is it her perfect (fake) huge boobs or the bra that will give a (very small) 25% profit to a breast cancer charity?

Two words.

Helloooo, Knockers.

My sister emailed me this article yesterday and was very offended. I decided to read it and I was too.

This is why…

I am very unsure if this is a true gift to charity or more of a self promotion for both the models and designers. I am the queen of celebs and I have no idea who this chick is, nor do I care.

What I do care about is the women who now have to see these women “promoting” breast cancer awareness with their perfect boobs out for all to see.

Why not have the real women who have gone through breast cancer represent these lines? Not models who show their goodies every other day. If they wanted to promote breast cancer awareness maybe they should take into consideration the women it has truly affected and who get to look at these models with perfect boobs that they might not even have.

Rude and disrespectful.

And the only 25% of profit is just laughable. I’m absolutely appalled and although I am a supporter of breast cancer awareness I will NOT support these designers because they were not sensitive to the women who may not even be able to wear these bras.

I am positive if it was brought to light they would come up with some bogus excuse to why they are doing what they are doing, but that is just it, an excuse. I had to see my mom’s eyes well up with tears when we looked at breast prosthesis because she was robbed of her own. I am sure this doesn’t make her or other women in her situation feel good.

And that is exactly what they should be feeling because they are all one hell of a woman!

They are the TRUE models for women.

(with or without boobs)

Click here if you would like to read this crap.

Hi Samantha, This is Valerie Bertinelli…

“Hi Samantha, This is Valerie Bertinelli. Do you think your mom is up for visitors?”

Yes people, that happened.

WHAT?!

That seems to be the common response when we mention that Valerie Bertinelli came to our house to see how my mom was recovering from her third reconstructive surgery.

Let’s start from the beginning…

Valerie was coming to our area for a women’s conference as the keynote speaker. My mom was so excited and couldn’t wait for the day to arrive. She had just undergone reconstructive surgery to put in an expander two weeks prior (if you don’t know what a tissue expander is, just click here)  and was STILL determined to go. The woman is nuts, but nothing keeps her down too long. Thank God!

Sunday: two days before the event and my mom wakes up extremely sick. We figure it is from an infection. We call her surgeon and he admits her into the hospital. She then goes under the knife once again to remove the expander that her body just didn’t seem to like.

(that was total cliff notes version)

But as I was sitting in the hospital room watching her suffer from this stupid crap she shouldn’t have to go through, something came over me. I knew she was definitely not going to have the opportunity to see her so I did what I do best, try. I decided I would try to contact her to see if she could just call my mom or maybe just send an autographed photo. She is a celebrity and I didn’t know exactly the type of celebrity she was, but I learned quickly.

Monday: The next morning after I sent my email to some random email (in hopes of it reaching her hands) I received a call from her assistant. She explained to me that Valerie had read my email, she was very touched and wanted to meet my mom. She was willing to go to the hospital or our home to see her, because she knew her circumstances.

You guys, I can’t tell you how quickly I called my sister and fiance bursting with excitement for my mom! I freakin’ did it and I couldn’t believe it (either did my mom).

Tuesday: My cell phone rings. “Hi Samantha, this is Valerie Bertinelli. Do you think your mom is up for visitors?” I wanted to scream, “YES!!!!!”,  but it came out more smooth like, “Oh yeah, of course”. (Valerie Bertinelli just calling me on my cell phone. PSH, no biggie.) I told my mom she was on her way and within thirty minutes, Valerie and her husband, Tom,  were knocking at our front door.

Let me explain something to you guys… this woman was so down-to-earth I couldn’t believe it. I forgot she was a face on television, a writer, or Betty White’s BFF. She was a human being and she listened to my mom’s story. She showed compassion and admiration for my mom. She sat on our couch laughing about my mom’s crazy stories, showed concern over her past diagnoses, and encouraged her in a way that I am sure she will remember forever.

This woman was awesome, beautiful, and human.

It is refreshing to know that although she was a celebrity she did not act like it. She didn’t say one thing about herself, didn’t alert any type of media, or tell us we should watch her show. She was a woman listening to another woman.

Listening to her struggles, strength, and determination to live.

She left our home with hugs and a “stay strong!”, but she left our home with much more than that.

She touched our family and created a lifelong memory for all of us, but mostly for the one that deserved it the most.

And for that, I will always be grateful.

Oh Happy Day!

Happy October 1st everyone!!

Today is the start to my favorite month and I can barely contain my excitement.

This is a month of pink, pink, pink and saving lives one day at a time. That is a HUGE reason to be happy! During the month of September, I went through WordPress and read other blogs of women who were going through breast cancer’s crazy roller coaster. As my eyes glazed over their words I felt their hurt, pain, sorrow, happiness, and strength. I felt so drawn to these women who do not know me and I made sure to let them know that someone was reading what they had to say, because sometimes that’s all you need. Although I am hidden behind my laptop, my inner feelings have been out there for you all to read and learn from my own experiences with my mom’s diagnoses.

I hope you have learned and changed your own life in some ways.

Whether you are new to my blog or been by my side reading on through the last three years, please remember that most cancers are preventable at stage 1. So fill your brains with information because it could save your life.

Like I have explained before, I didn’t know what breast cancer was until my mom was diagnosed. If you are in the same boat, here is a link to a cool little vid that can inform you more.

What is breast cancer? 

If it isn’t breast cancer, but another kind of cancer that has touched your life in some way, my hopes are still the same for you and I hope your month of awareness saved some lives as well.

OH!

Today is also my blog’s three year anniversary so…

Happy Anniversary Hold the Ribbon!

You’ve made me cry, happy, laugh, and appreciate life in ways I didn’t know possible.

So cheers to three years…

True that.

 

My family learned quickly how true this quote is when my mom was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.

Family and friends are everything, especially during tough times so take today as a chance to enjoy them.

Also, Check out this website that supports not only those affected by breast cancer but gynecological cancers too. ALL information is helpful and it doesn’t hurt to educate yourself with something that may not necessarily affect you at the moment.

Happy Sunday!

http://www.pinkribbonday.com.au/

you’re in good hands

 

I remember like it was yesterday…

I walked into pre-op and saw my mom lying on the bed covered with markings and IV tubing. She wore the blue hospital gown and blue cap to cover her hair. I remember the brave face she put on for me and my siblings, but inside I knew she was scared. Her physical appearance was about to change within hours and her life would start a crazy roller coaster of chemo, emotions, and hell. As I kissed her and told her I loved her I felt such deep terror because of what was going to happen behind those OR doors.

I didn’t know what would happen in there. Will they take care of her? Will they treat her like their family?? Will they watch her closely? What happens if there is an emergency?? Do they know exactly what to do?

SO. MANY. WORRIES.

That was almost three years ago and since then I am now behind those OR doors. I have been a part of the team that makes your mom, aunt, grandma, sister, friend better.

They will take care of her. They do treat them like their own. They do watch closely. They will do anything they can to treat her if there is an emergency. And they do know exactly what to do.

I have a different perspective now. I have been on both sides of the OR doors so I understand the fear in their eyes as they get wheeled into this cold room full of scary looking things. I understand that their journey could be just starting and that they possibly have a long road ahead of  them.  I understand that they have a family in the waiting room anxiously waiting for those long hours to be over.

It is impossible to not worry about a loved one, but now you have to understand that there are people like me who are also behind those doors with them.

Every time I see a woman lying on that bed in her blue gown and blue cap, I see my mom and now I know that someone saw the same in my mom when it was her lying there.

Oh, put a sock in it

The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk is THIS Sunday.

I am signed up and my shoes are ready, however, it would be great if I had some donations to take with me. If you would like to donate please click down below.

I know I am on the late show (procrastination is my middle name), but any type of donation would be wonderful.

And if you are my local readers and recognize my mom or I, don’t be afraid to come say hi 🙂

Click here to visit my PERSONAL page.

ANNNNNND….

Here is a nice lil’ video to see what you are supporting

Bye Boogie, Love you…

 

Tuesday was a day that I had been dreading for a long time and I knew that some day I would have to face.

My little one, Chuckles, passed away.

And a little bit of me went with him.

I have never experienced a pet passing away and I have never felt the tremendous heartbreak that goes along with it, but unfortunately now I know. I have become a walking zombie that goes through the motions of my every day life but without that little being to come home to. His little pitter patter foot steps have gone silent and I don’t see his little face anymore when I open my door. There is no one to scold that he can’t eat people food and no more shedding hair on my clothes that I always hated.

There is nothing I wouldn’t give up  to have my little fur ball back.

The silence hurts more than anything because  I always knew he was there, just steps away from where I was. He had gone through my major life moments with me; fourteen years to be exact. He was there from my junior high and high school years to my adult years, always in his little bed waiting for me to come home. He was my comfort when I was hurt and my happiness when I would see his little hop when he would walk. He was my love and I miss him already so much.

I know some of you may not understand the point in this post considering this blog is based mostly on breast cancer awareness but this little guy was there for me when my mom went through breast cancer. He was the one I curled up with at night to feel comfort that everything would turn out the way it should.

Sometimes in life, animals ARE some people’s only family and there is nothing wrong with that. You never know what life can bring and it is important to have someone (human or animal) to turn to.

Even though life gets busy and moves fast, it is important to remember to slow down and enjoy the things around you. Take the extra time to love on someone today and remember that time is precious because we don’t have a lot of it.

Don’t you forget it.

You guys, Let’s face it…

Last month I sucked at writing every day. It is with good explanation though, towards the middle of this month I got sick and had to make trips to the hospital to get poked, x-rayed, examined, and you name it… it was not fun but it was fun to hear that there was nothing seriously wrong.

Thank you God!

Although I missed the last two weeks of October, I thought about this blog every day.

The Race for the Cure was just as great as last year. Those women are amazing! I stood in the audience in the same area as I did last year and watched all of the survivors go on stage for their pink well deserved roses. It was all about them that day and it made me happy. We got some great pictures, seen old doctors and nurses, spent time with family, and most importantly seen all of the learning happening.

Just because October is over and the pink explosion is gone. I beg that you still remember that it is so important to remember to check yourself.

There is so much that life has to offer and it shouldn’t be shortened by cancer.

Early detection is our cure.

Don’t you forget it.

Every woman is at risk…

 

Every woman needs to know the facts. And the fact is, when it comes to breast cancer, every woman is at risk.

– Debbie Wasserman Schultz