Survived or Surviving by Faith

Today on the way to my Echo for my heart I was listening to the local Christian Radio Station New Life 91.9. The topic of the morning was 'Things we have Survived or Surviving". I was so overcome with emotion at what I am surviving: Breast Cancer. At first, I wasn't going to call in because most of the calls were light and funny. But I thought of the scripture, "We overcome by the word of our testimony. What better way to thank God for all he has done in my life but to let everyone and as many people that I know how Thankful I am that he has brought me through Cancer. I know there are a lot of women who have gone thru this before me and more will have to go thru it until they find a cure. But I just wanted God to know publicly, "Thank You Jesus for giving me a second chance at life to be able to be with my wonderful husband, see my children grow up & live for him for as long as I can."


Thank you to the 91.9 Morning Team for allowing me to give a small part of my testimony.
You can see Erica's blog from this morning at www.newlife919.com



A few friends heard and texted or emailed me. That was kind of cool. Not my purpose but cool never the less.



My ankle is doing much better and I am able to walk on it more. Still a little sore but at least it wasn't broken and I would have to be in a cast on top of going thru Radiation.


Have a terrific Thursday,
Rachael

Faith never knows where it is being led,

But knows & loves the One who is leading.

-Oswald Chambers

9/11/2009 My 100th Post: Never Forget

How fitting that my 100th Blog Post would be on this day. May we never forget where we have come from, the sacrifices of those who died that horrible day. I was at home with Chandler. He was about 13months old & we were planning a trip to Cancun Mexico to leave the very next day. Needless to say we didn't go but I will never forget holding Chandler in my arms and thinking what kind of world have I brought this child into? But since then I have decided that we cannot live in fear of what may happen in our country or our lives. I have since brought

2 more babies into this crazy world of ours & I think if I would have given into the fear what I would have missed out on. Life is like that though in everything.

I am sorrowed for the lives that were taken involuntarily on that day, but amazed by the lives & sacrifice for the ones who Voluntarily went in to save others. Some it was their job but a lot just wanted to help their fellow countrymen & women. Then I am so grateful for our Troops who also signed up to serve their country no matter what. I am sure most did not expect to ever have to go fight a war that would last this long in this day and age but here we are 7 years later and our troops are still fighting. I have 2 brother both of who have served our country. My brother, Travis has been to Iraq & Afghanistan & by the grace of God came home safely. There are a lot who didn't and more who won't.

Never Forget the Sacrifice for all of those involved. We should support our Troops even if we do not support the reason they are over there. They are doing it for us.

Just as I will remember how far we as Americans have come in the last 8years. I will also remember how far I personally have come in Our Journey. Thank you again for all of the prayers & support.

Have a Memorable Weekend in our Country the Home of the Free & the Brave

Rachael

My Hair is back Slowly

A Little Cleavage Too!!!

Mommy & Caitlyn

Side View

Top View


Not the best pictures, but better than that beach picture. I am so glad that my hair is slowly coming back. The color is really weird. A combo of blonde, white, & brown ash color. But it is hair. I guess it is what it is. Most people say I just look like one of those chic girls with a really short haircut. I am not skinny enough for that but it is all I've got now. So Shane says Flant It. I do sometimes but I still where my wigs also. But I have noticed it is coming back a lot quicker since I finished chemo. So that is awesome. Before I know it I will have more hair than I know what to do with. "I Can't Wait" I will never complain about having too much hair again.

I Am by Chandler Higginbotham

If you can't read it, just double click on his poem and it will give you a larger view. It was just too cute not to share.

What is Normal?

Caitlyn on the stairs after eating a tomato from the garden!

How blessed I am for a beautiful baby girl.

Hold Me Mama?

This has been an awesome week. I have felt more normal this week than I think I have since all of this started 7 months ago. It feels like forever. It is weird the simplest things that I have noticed this week that have made me feel normal.

1. Being able to put Caitlyn down for naps & at night to bed.

Getting her back to her routine.

2. Helping the boys with homework.

3. The smell of my Paul Mitchell hairspray.

(And Yes I actually have enough hair to use hairspray finally)

4. Doing my own laundry

5. Walking in the neighborhood 3 1-2 miles.

Crazy the things that you think nothing of "normally" & when you can't do it you want it back.

So I am very thankful for this week & feeling so great.

I had another fill today. Another 50 cc's. So think that puts me at 565 cc's all together. The most I can "hold" is 700-750. So I am almost there if I want to go "big". I feel like I am there all the time. Twice a week for about the last 5 weeks. So total when I am done will have been 13 fills. My radiation planning has been rescheduled to the 21st due to a board meeting the Shane & Mom need to attend. So that actually will give me the chance if I want for 2 extra fills. This week I have not been sore at all except in the mornings after my fills. I guess my skin is getting used to the stretching finally or my chest muscles have adjusted accordingly.

Wednesday Mom had to drive my truck to church for a Dave Ramsey Financial Class that she signed up for. Dustin needed her car to go to work because it was raining and he couldn't ride his motorcycle to work that night. Anyway she comes home and says, "You need new tires. 2009." And went to her room. So of course I am trying to figure out what the deal is. And apparently on her way to church the tire pressure light came on and she had to pull over to Sears. It was gushing out so fast by then she ran in to Sears before it got to the rim. There was some kind of metal piece in there. So they had to put the spare on the truck. So now it looks like a ghetto truck. LOL Anyway...I don't know if it was from the wreck and just now lodged it way into the tire itself and the air proceeded to gush or if it was just something on the road. Who knows.

I was talking to an old friend yesterday and told her, "It doesn't help to cry anymore over all this. So you can only laugh."

For the weekend we are having a lazy weekend at home without any plans to do anything. Yeah!! Sounds like fun Huh?? I think so. Shane is going to the Panther Game on Sunday and Chandler was invited to a friends to have a "Panther 1st Game Party". So he is excited about that. The rest of us will probably take a nap & Connor will probably play Xbox. He really does not like the fact that school gets out later this year and he has less play time. He was in tears over it yesterday. He will adjust I am sure.

I hope everyone has a safe & productive weekend.

Love,

Rachael

Our Labor Day Beach Trip

As you can see from our pictures we had an awesome time. It was very relaxing and we almost all read at least one book. I think Shane read two. My mom said she has never seen so many reading people in one beach house at the same time. We discovered a new game called, "Imagine iff...." It was a lot of fun and a good family game. Even the kids were able to play and loved it.

We ate at the beach house the whole time. We had chicken Parmesan, salsa verde chicken casserole, shrimp boil, crab legs, waffles, biscuits & gravy, Audra's Hershey Cake & homemade ice cream. It was delicious. We could not have gone out and ate any better or cheaper.

It rained the day we left, which makes it easier to leave but I still hate leaving. I love the beach and the relaxation that it brings. The kids love it and play all day & sleep hard all night. Bella was able to get in the water for the first time and she loved it. She just crawled around on the sand and let the water come up on her and would laugh and keep on crawling.

As you can see from the one bad picture of me that my hair is really starting to come back in. It is starting to become a little more blond but is still pretty dark compared to what it was. Oh well. Still a long way too go.

I had a fill today, another on Friday & my last one on Monday morning. I am so ready not to have to go twice a week to have these fills done. It gets painful and sore the "bigger" you go. I am ready to feel somewhat normal. My fill today was not so bad. I actually felt really good today and was able to get a lot done today. Laundry, ironing (steaming)Caitlyn's dresses, going thru some stuff to donate to the school, & make homemade potato soup for dinner. Shane went to boot camp from 6-7pm so after the kids & I ate we went for a walk. We did about 1 1/2 miles. Not too bad. I just felt so good. This extra weight has really been bothering me but I have not had the energy to do anything about it. I hope how I felt today is a sign of how I will continue to improve and feel.

I start Radiation in a week and a half. Not this Monday but next Monday. I go on the 14th for them to do my "markings" & have another CAT scan done before they start. This apparently is too help them prepare and plan for the treatment of radiation itself. It takes a week to get those results and come up with a plan. I will find out more on Monday afternoon what that consists of.

Connor & Caitlyn both are feeling much better, but now Mom is feeling a little under the weather. Hopefully she doesn't come down with anything serious. Connor had another good day at school and Chandler always does. His biggest problem is getting him to read for his AR. Oh Well.

I think I will go for now. Just wanted to share the beach pictures with everyone. Have a great week.

Love,

Rachael Renea

One More for 2009......

On Wednesday, it was my Mom's Birthday. We were really busy trying to get everything ready for the beach. I was pretty sore from my fill and so we opted not to go to anything that night and just celebrate at the beach. Connor woke up that morning also with a sore throat so Mom took him to the Dr. and he had strep throat. Again. This is about the 4 or 5 time in the last 2 years. Too much. Caitlyn was already on antibiotics since Friday so now Connor is too. Wonderful.

On Thursday we left for the beach around 10 am. We look a shortcut down 218 thru Fairview/Unionville. Not so much of a shortcut....They were paving the roads and had pilot cars for traffic control and we were 2 cars behind the pilot car then Yessie was driving behind us because Dustin had not slept since he got off work earlier that morning. The pilot car took off the van in front of us did and so we did. Pilot car slams on breaks, van does, we do, & Yessie didn't quite make it and ran into us up underneath our Expedition. We hit the van in front of us. So my bumper & fender are messed up. But from just looking at it, it only looks like it is scratched up. It was loud. No one was hurt but Yessie was really shook up and banged her knees up on the dash. And the airbag did come out. Thank God no one was seriously hurt. Unfortunately it was Yesenia's fault. But we are all OK.

We had to wait for the State Trooper and then Mom took my truck to go and get her truck. The lady that we ended up spending half of our day with was so kind. She brought us drinks & chairs to sit on. We waited until Mom came back and got back on the road to the beach. The first thing Connor said after the wreck was, "Great there goes our beach trip." LOL Yessie didn't want to go to the beach because she thought everyone would be upset with her over the wreck. But it was an accident and we have all had them.

Needless to say it was 2pm before we got back on the road, we were all starving, babies tired and thought we would have already be at the beach. We did finally get there around 5:30pm or so. It was a long day for all of us. We were so glad to get here.

Friday early afternoon Shane and Chandler got down here to the beach and Chris & Robin came later that afternoon. We had Chicken Parmesan for dinner and it was delicious. We have had perfect weather. It has been very relaxing.

Tonight Caitlyn threw up during dinner. I don't think it was the sun but who knows. But she was also running a pretty high fever. So we had to give her a cool bath to cool her down. She seems to be better now though.

We are getting ready to have cake for Mom's Bday and play a game. We are really enjoying our family time together and if the wreck did nothing else it reminded us of how important family is and that "things" just do not matter. They can be replaced, Family & People Cannot.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend.

In spite of everything, We are.

Rachael