Relay for LIFE...

Tonight I get the honor...and yes, I do consider it an honor...to walk in the Rockwall Relay for Life supporting one of my teacher friends, Leigh Plagens. When I first began my career teaching at Rockwall High School Leigh was already a veteran there. She quickly became a friend and a mentor and to this day I still treasure her friendship. After I left RHS to begin a career in educational administration, I lost consistent contact with my friends there, but they have never been far from my heart. A couple of years ago I learned that Leigh had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I knew...just KNEW...that she would come out the winner in that battle. Leigh is a fighter...a strong spirit and a compassionate heart. I've seen Leigh a couple of times over the last year or so and have kept up with her fight. She has NEVER been anything but 100% positive. So it is with pride, and not just a little bit of thankfulness, that I will be be on 'team Plagens' tonight...sharing the joy and celebration of a battle won. Not all news on that front is good news. However, as Leigh says, "Cancer is a word, not a sentence." Leigh's precious husband, Clarence, is fighting his own battle against cancer. He is not doing as well...but this race is not yet run. So while celebrating Leigh's victory, I will be walking and praying...asking God to reach out to this wonderful man and extend His healing hand so that Clarence and Leigh can continue being a joy to their friends and family. As I've had an opportunity to think about things over the last month or so, I recall all of my friends and family who have been touched by the ugliness and scariness of cancer. I'm sure that I will fail to list someone here...not because they aren't important to me, but because I have the memory of a gnat, and because I'm on steroids again for poison ivy and they make me crazy! Kristin Durbin: my daughter. Diagnosed with uterine cancer at 24 years old. I remember the emptiness I felt at hearing her say, "Mom, two of the tumors are malignant." I felt like a sleep-walker. I can only imagine how she felt. I am proud to say that today Kristin is perfectly healthy and has even blessed us with another grandson since her healing. For privacy reasons I will now only use first names: Judy: A friend. Diagnosed with breast cancer about 5 years ago. Fought and WON her battle. Pat: A friend. Diagnosed with colon cancer about 5 years ago. Fought and WON her battle. Mary: My Aunt. Diagnosed with colon cancer. Fought and lost her battle. Kim: My cousin's daughter. Diagnosed with breast cancer. Fought and lost her battle. There are others. Friends and spouses of co-workers. Neighbors. Some win their battle and others, sadly, do not. Cancer is an ugly, dreaded, horrific disease that, pardon me, scares the hell out of you. But, as my friend Leigh says, it is a word. It is no longer necessarily the death sentence it once was. So, if you are so inclined, reflect on those you care about who have been touched by cancer. Send up an extra prayer on their behalf. Give them and extra hug. Thank God for letting them be a part of your life. I know I do.

Picture Perfect

I won't bore you (or gross you out) with the pictures, but I am sure that you will be thrilled to know that you have been reading the blog of someone with a "beautiful" esophagus. That's right. I said "esophagus." I will explain.

I have suffered...and by that I mean SUFFERED...for years with acid reflux. It got so bad about 4 1/2 years ago that I thought I was having a heart attack. I was returning to my car from shopping at Tanger Outlet Mall. I love that place. No crowds. Close parking. But I digress. Walking across the parking lot I began having severe chest pains. I got in the car and just sat for a few minutes while the pain moved up into my left shoulder and into my neck and jaw. It scared me. Before I even pulled out of the parking lot I called my doctor and scheduled an appointment. A doctor visit, a cardiology referral and a few dozen tests later I was referred to my gastroenterologist, Dr. Zopolsky. I love this man. He's like a life-sized Weeble. As sweet as they come. Anyhoo, he scheduled me for a surgical procedure called an EGD. Bottom line, they put you to sleep and run a scope down your throat to look at your stomach and esophagus. My esophagus was severely inflamed and that little flap that covers your esophagus was having a field day with spasms...thus the pain. A high dosage of omeprazole and I've been good to go. Or so I thought. On my most recent visit in order to get my prescription renewed another year, Dr. Z informed me that I needed another EGD done...and will apparently have to have one done every 4 or 5 years. It seems that acid reflux puts you at a much greater risk for esophageal and throat cancer. Oh boy.

So, on Monday of this week we trekked off to the surgical center AT 5:30 IN THE MORNING!!! The only good thing about that was that I knew that I could go back to sleep during the procedure and that the "anesthesia hangover" would let me actually REST while sleeping the day away.

Oh, yeah. There was the post-surgical report from Dr. Z that I have a "beautiful" esophagus. So. There you have it. Eat your heart out all of you with plain and/or ugly esophaguses...esophagi? Whatever.

And for my doofus brother-in-law, Keith: No, they do not use the same equipment they used with the colonoscopy of the patient before you!

Doctor, doctor, gimme the news....

The diagnosis is in. It's official. I have been diagnosed with...Spring Fever! Of course, it was a self-diagnosis, but I believe that makes it even more accurate. Beware! I understand it is highly contagious.

Symptoms of Spring Fever include, but are not limited to the following:

An uncontrollable desire to pick up the alarm clock and hurl it through the nearest widow...open or not. This desire is usually initiated upon the incessant buzzing/ringing/chirping, etc. of said alarm clock. Do not...I repeat...DO NOT give in to this desire as it can result in costly repairs, replacement of said alarm clock, loss of employment, etc.

Spontaneous cravings to be a spectator is outdoor sporting events such as TEXAS RANGER BASEBALL! A little sun, a little partaking in the consumption of adult beverages, a little "fellowshipping" with family, friends and fans...aahhhhhh! The only time that I can determine this activity to be dangerous is if it results in repeated absences from work. Proceed with caution!

Visual acuity. That's right. You suddenly develop an eagle-eye for every weed, empty spot in the flower bed and landscaping faux paux in your immediate proximity along with an insatiable need to "fix" everything at one time. This can be hazardous to your budget as you stroll through your nearest Home Depot or Lowe's suddenly desperately needing every tool known to mankind along with bedding plants, soil preparation materials, mulch, fertilizer, bug killer, etc., etc., etc.

Narcolepsy. That ability to instantly fall asleep during your favorite television program right when it gets to the best part.

And finally, the relegation of gainful employment to last place on the priority list. While it may appear otherwise, this is usually a Lose/Lose situation. While the loss of a job may net you freedom and control over your own schedule and how you spend your time, it will also result in an immediate reduction in funds which then determines how you can AFFORD to spend your time. Not a good thing.

So, if you find yourself experiencing any of the above symptoms, do not seek medical attention. There is absolutely nothing that they can do. Instead, look at your calendar, look at your budget and determine when and how much you can afford to wallow in the symptoms of your "illness." Good luck to you, mate. Not to discourage you, but I'm fighting this battle and it seems to be uphill. Arg! Summer, you need to put in an appearance really soon!!!

There but for the grace of God...

Tuesday, April 3, 2012, is a day that will not soon be forgotten in the DFW area. That rarest of cosmic events transpired which put those of us living in the area in the path of not one, not two, but up to 20+ tornadoes. Most of the time thunderstorm and tornado watches leave me unconcerned. They're never really close to the area that I find myself or my loved ones in. Yesterday was different. It didn't matter where you were...you were in potential danger. My first "awareness" of the weather came in the form of a text from my son. We were planning a birthday dinner for my daughter later that evening. I texted reminders to all of the time and the location. Ryan texted back a message telling me to watch the weather. He works in Ft. Worth and was being blasted at the time. I checked the radar and, sure enough, there was a huge storm cell out there. Not long after that the secretary at the school where I was working came in to the room to make me aware that we might have to initiate emergency weather precautions (duck and cover in the hall). I was still thinking, "No big deal." Shortly the announcement came that everyone was to seek cover in the hallway. In truth, it didn't look that bad when I looked out the window. But, whatever. Fortunately I grabbed my cell phone before heading into the hall. Via cell I was able to keep up with my family and reassure my friends who were calling and texting to check on us. Keep in mind that in the hall we were cut off from computers, newscasts, etc., so we really had no idea how serious things were. Until. Yes, until I got that message that a tornado was on the ground in Forney...about 3-4 miles from my house (as the crow flies...or, in this case, as the tornado flies). My husband and puppy were home. Then I got a message saying that a tornado touched down one block from my daughter's office in Plano. Thankfully she had already left work and grabbed her kids from school so they could all take shelter in my son-in-law's office. My son-in-law in Mesquite was being told to take cover because there was a confirmed tornado in their neighborhood. Then I heard that Ft. Worth was getting a second wave of activity. I must admit, I was fearful. The people that mean the most to me in my life were in danger and there wasn't a damned thing that I could do to protect them. I don't consider myself a control freak...but I had no control and I was worried. Thinking back on things, I was never worried for my own safety. I was, however, scared to death that someone I love would be injured...or worse.

Obviously we rode out the storm. No one that I know was hurt...none of us suffered any damage to our property. We all awoke this morning to a beautiful morning that reeks of freshness and renewal. Thank you, God, for your merciful hand on all of us. And thank you, too, for the affirmation that I am loved. I can't say how very special it was to me to receive that phone call from Yola, that text from Tina, the Facebook messages from Karen and Reba (high school friends living elsewhere) and Amy (a former co-worker in Scurry) and Jo and Jeanne and so many others. They wanted to pass on the information that they were concerned and praying for me during the midst of the storm. Thank you...all of you. I have witnessed first hand the miracle of an answered prayer. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that maybe, just maybe, if you hadn't interceded on my behalf this blog might have a different tone today...if, indeed, there even was a blog today.

When I got home after 2+ hours of being locked down in a hallway with students and strangers, we had no electricity. There was still no electricity when I went to bed at 9:30 last night. That meant no television...no computer...no reading after it started getting dark. It was quite a peaceful evening. Not something I would want to do every night, but not a bad break from the clamor of a busy life.

No electricity also meant no ability to watch the news coverage of the days events. It wasn't until this morning that I learned many of the details of yesterday's weather phenomenon...homes in a former work community destroyed (and this not the first time for Lancaster)...a former co-worker's community devastated by the twisting, roaring winds of a funnel...the cars, trucks, RVs, semis, tossed about like Hot Wheels. So in the midst of my thankfulness and humility, I feel an ache for those that were not as blessed. I ask God to reign over their lives and pour out His blessings as these individuals and families draw together and begin the process of rebuilding their lives. As they rebuild, I pray that they recognize that even in the turmoil there is a merciful God at work and that they make a place for Him in their lives as they move forward from this day. And I think..."There, but for the grace of God..."

This picture was taken from the parking lot of the Wal-Mart located in Forney at Hwy. 80 and FM 740. It is responsible for lots of damage to homes in the area and a nearby elementary school.