Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Breast Cancer Affects Us All
On most years, on one Saturday morning in October, I put on my comfortable shoes, my pink sweatsuit and my t-shirt to walk in the Komen Race for the Cure. It is important for me to participate any way that I can because I have been affected by breast cancer. For the record, I have never had it, and hope to never have it. However, that has not stopped this disease from affecting me.
Two of the ladies in the picture have both had breast cancer. The one in the foreground with the beautiful fuzz growing back on her head was my friend Pat. I met Pat years ago at church and liked her from the beginning. She was this quiet, calm person. I did not know all of her story - not until we started working for the same agency. It was then that I found out that cancer was something that she had fought twice before and was now fighting for the third time. She had worked with it, raised a son with it, seen the birth of her grand-daughter with it and never stopped smiling. Even when she lost her hair, she had accumulated a collection of hats and scarves for going out.
One of our state-wide television stations wanted to feature Amazing Arkansas Women. I sent in the article that I had written for our local newspaper, and Pat was chosen. A large group of co-workers and family showed up to shoot the piece. We stayed and walked in the Race for the Cure. For months after that piece was done, Pat could be anywhere in the state and people recognized her. It was wonderful, and she beat the cancer again.
A couple of years after that, the cancer came back again, and we all rallied around her as always. By this time, the sister of her daughter-in-law had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and one of Pat's best friends had to be treated as well. We had many reasons to walk that year, and we did; she couldn't, so we walked for her too. What we didn't know was that she was still our Pat, still stoic and forever planning. By the time we knew about her Stage 4 cancer, she had already engaged hospice services.
A group of friends and family were with her day and night. Since I was one of the shorter people, I curled up and slept on a loveseat. It wasn't the most comfortable thing but I didn't care. I sat holding her mother's hand on the night Pat left us. The pain that she had felt in those days was over. The strongest person I have ever known was strong until the end.
No, I've never had breast cancer, but it has affected me, and it always will. Every year, whether I am able to participate in the race, I celebrate the lives of each and every survivor - and of the people who faced it on their own terms and lived their lives on their own terms - people like Pat. You go girl!
Two of the ladies in the picture have both had breast cancer. The one in the foreground with the beautiful fuzz growing back on her head was my friend Pat. I met Pat years ago at church and liked her from the beginning. She was this quiet, calm person. I did not know all of her story - not until we started working for the same agency. It was then that I found out that cancer was something that she had fought twice before and was now fighting for the third time. She had worked with it, raised a son with it, seen the birth of her grand-daughter with it and never stopped smiling. Even when she lost her hair, she had accumulated a collection of hats and scarves for going out.One of our state-wide television stations wanted to feature Amazing Arkansas Women. I sent in the article that I had written for our local newspaper, and Pat was chosen. A large group of co-workers and family showed up to shoot the piece. We stayed and walked in the Race for the Cure. For months after that piece was done, Pat could be anywhere in the state and people recognized her. It was wonderful, and she beat the cancer again.
A couple of years after that, the cancer came back again, and we all rallied around her as always. By this time, the sister of her daughter-in-law had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and one of Pat's best friends had to be treated as well. We had many reasons to walk that year, and we did; she couldn't, so we walked for her too. What we didn't know was that she was still our Pat, still stoic and forever planning. By the time we knew about her Stage 4 cancer, she had already engaged hospice services.
A group of friends and family were with her day and night. Since I was one of the shorter people, I curled up and slept on a loveseat. It wasn't the most comfortable thing but I didn't care. I sat holding her mother's hand on the night Pat left us. The pain that she had felt in those days was over. The strongest person I have ever known was strong until the end.
No, I've never had breast cancer, but it has affected me, and it always will. Every year, whether I am able to participate in the race, I celebrate the lives of each and every survivor - and of the people who faced it on their own terms and lived their lives on their own terms - people like Pat. You go girl!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Giveaway Addict: {Review} Rembrandt ~ Two Winners {Giveaway}
Giveaway Addict: {Review} Rembrandt ~ Two Winners {Giveaway}
www.rembrandtwhitening.com
You have a chance to win a tube of the New Rembrandt Intense Stain Toothpaste and Rembrandt Plus Peroxide Whitening Mouthwash from the Giveaway Addict and Rembrandt. Why not give it a try? Whiter teeth await.
www.rembrandtwhitening.com
You have a chance to win a tube of the New Rembrandt Intense Stain Toothpaste and Rembrandt Plus Peroxide Whitening Mouthwash from the Giveaway Addict and Rembrandt. Why not give it a try? Whiter teeth await.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Great Prize for a 30 Rock Fan
I'll admit it. Tina Fey is amazing, and she's one of the reasons that I became a fan of 30 Rock. When my friend, @abitnerdy, told me about a 30 Rock contest at @SFMovieBuzz, I was all for it! All I had to do was complete a sentence about a crazy boss. Well, I had a former boss with some issues that gave me a lot to work with.
We had these long, rambling meetings that drove us all nuts. We would do anything to get out of the meetings. One of our favorite things that we liked to do with this boss was put the pictures in the conference slightly askew. During the meeting, we would just glance at the pictures with a confused look on our faces. Once she saw the crooked pictures, she would lose her train of thought and end the meeting. She would have to fix those pictures.
Thank you @SFMovieBuzz. You rock! - and so does 30 Rock!!
We had these long, rambling meetings that drove us all nuts. We would do anything to get out of the meetings. One of our favorite things that we liked to do with this boss was put the pictures in the conference slightly askew. During the meeting, we would just glance at the pictures with a confused look on our faces. Once she saw the crooked pictures, she would lose her train of thought and end the meeting. She would have to fix those pictures.
Welcome!
Welcome to my first blog!
I've called it Cre8tive Tales - Ramblings on an Online Mind because I'm almost always online! I am a self described Twitter Addict who loves contests, shoes, trivia, music, reading, horror movies, and all sorts of things. If you've read my @theshoegrl or @contestgrl updates on Twitter, you already know that I ramble on about whatever subject strikes my fancy. Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes I'm not, but I'd like to think that somewhere during those posts is something for everyone.
I love talking to followers and have made some great friends online. I also am in school online (another reason for living online). Maybe I should have used the schoolgrl name? You never know - she might show up one day - if the names isn't already taken.
BTW, I am new to blogging, so expect changes (and oopsies)! Hope you enjoy it!
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