Lots of walking

I haven't had much energy lately. Just walking up the stairs has been taking all my effort. Ridiculous really. And I have this fear, huge fear, that in a few weeks, unless the radiation starts doing something productive, I won't be able to walk at all. With this new tingling in my right foot, I'm very fearful. I'll be talking to the radiation oncologist about this tomorrow.

So today, after radiation, when I actually felt okay, loaded up with a Caribou Caramel Highrise, I actually went for a walk. Just around the large block in my neighborhood...maybe took 20 minutes. Not far...but the furthest I've walked in awhile, so I'm glad I did it. I'm a little unsteady on my feet, but I managed not to trip or anything.

But my walking was NOTHING compared to the serious walking, and money raising, some people I've been aquainted with have been doing to help fight breast cancer. Below are some pictures of these amazing women and men who really pushed themselves physically, emotionally and financially. I know each person had to raise over a couple thousand dollars just to participate. Many raised more than that.

Below, second to the left, is a lady named Dana. She found me through a blog. I do believe she lives in Toronto...where they have a 2 day walk to fight breast cancer. Her team was called Viva La Cure, and they raised LOTS of mula! When Dana was pregnant with her daughter Bella, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Can you imagine that! Bella, Dana and her husband are doing well. Dana always makes me laugh in her messages to me. To help me get through my last MRI, she wrote out the lyrics to Run-DMC's "You Be Illin" Remember that from the 80s! I had to download it from iTunes. Very fun to dance around to! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next is Shannon and Jeff. I haven't met either of them, but Shannon works at the same hospital as my husband. She's written me a few encouraging messages and told me that she was doing this walk for me...and others I'm sure! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Below is a picture of someone else I've never met. To the left is Jodie Wilson. Last year she was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (same as mine) when she was in her young twenties. I found her blog via the Detroit News. I think I was about 2 weeks ahead of her in her treatment, so it was interesting and helpful to me to be going through the same experience.

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Lastly, on the left, is someone I met when I first was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was sitting in the plastic surgeon's office for my initial consultation. Beth started talking to me when she saw the breast cancer booklet I was reading and the look of complete fear and confusion on my face. Beth had just had her mastectomy and was starting reconstruction...which later got infected...but all is back together now. She has 3 young boys and actually lives in the neighborhood next to mine. She was very funny in her caringbridge site and also connected me to some other people going through breast cancer.

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Heidi Sue is another person I've never met, but she works with my husband. Her mother is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2006. Heidi did the walk with 9 other friends and family members this year. You can check out their amazing experience here.

I hope I didn't forget anyone who sent me pictures. If I did, please send them again so I can give you your props!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

That's quite far!

Today was the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 3 Day Walk here in Minnesota. No, I didn't do the walk. But I know a few people who did; some were cancer survivors and some walked specifically for me. And for that, I just want to say THANK YOU!

Last year, as I was driving to meet with my surgeon to discuss my diagnosis for the first time, I drove over a bridge, and down below the 3 day participants were walking by. I remember getting the chills, thinking that these ladies were walking for me. These ladies had spent many hours raising money for me. They were out there, in pain, for me.

I've never walked 60 miles. Actually, I don't like walking at all. I prefer to run, because to me, walking takes to long. But a few of my friends have told me they want to do the 3-day next year. Now I can't very well let them do it without me! So I think I'll suck it up and plan to do some walking next year.

Thank you again to everyone who walked this year and in past years. Please feel free to send me a picture from your walk, as I'd love to (with your permission) post it to my blog.

Ladies and Gentelmen...she's done it!!!!

Apparently after my last post about her not walking, Ella decided that she was tired of me introducing her to people as my 17 ½ month old daughter...who still doesn’t walk. That afternoon, she just starting putting one foot in front of the other, as if she had been doing it for weeks.

This is what I imagine her saying in her head: Fine, you win, alright? I can walk. See? What’s the big deal, anyhow? But hey, now that you know I can do this, don’t expect me to let you pick me up. And I don’t care if it’s in a crowded parking lot. And don’t even think I’m going to hold your hand when crossing the street either. And those stairs…yeah, I’ll show you that I can walk down those as well. Are you happy now?

I predict that within a few days, she’ll be running.

Stubbornly mobile

17 1/2 months....and she still doesn't walk.

At the church nursery, they finally gave up waiting for her and decided to move her to the walkers room. She's apparently too bored (and too much work I'm sure) for the infant room.

She doesn't walk...but what she DOES is...

Crawl up onto the kitchen table and pour out entire bowls of cereal onto the floor.

Climb up on the barstools at the kitchen island and come with in seconds of pouring my cup of coffee on my laptop.

And finally...well, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Get up on those feet!

Last night Ella took a couple steps for Melvin. Today she did a few for Sara. Finally. She's only almost 17 months old!

I hope she learns to walk consistently really soon because currently she has been doing this half crawl/half scoot which requires that she drag one knee on the ground while she pushes off with her other foot.

Already, since we've been outside the past couple days, she has put holes through 2 pairs of jeans by dragging her knee on the sidewalk...one pair she only wore twice! If I was crafty I'd buy cute little patches to cover up those holes, or create cut-offs and hem the ends with lace.

But that would require something like some thread, a needle, a sewing machine...none of which I own. Or it might take just take an iron for some patches...I think I have one of those somewhere.

Better yet, she just needs to walk.