OVERWHELMING PINK

Sunday, February 23, was an awesome day. I woke feeling better, even though my leg was giving me a problem. I took some Tylenol and went to church anyway. Since I am the fearless leader of the Welcome & Greeting Committee, I was in the perfect spot to see most everyone. I have never received so many hugs and people saying that they were praying for me. The overwhelming feeling of love that I felt was almost too much for my poor head to fathom.

One of the things that made a lasting impression was the number of women telling me that they had been through the same thing and most were over 10 years ago. They were so supportive and I wondered how I didn't know this. After talking with a friend, I find that most of the women didn't want anyone to know they had Breast Cancer. I guess that they feel that it was a private thing that no one else should know. I think some of the shock and horror that you feel when you get this diagnosis would be overcome if you could realize that you weren's alone. Personally seeing Robin Roberts on Good Morning America was a real inspiration to me. She gave me real hope from the beginning. I appreciate her candor all through her illness. Even though I won't have to do chemo, she was still an inspiration.

I sent Robin the following: "Robin was a real inspiration for me, since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January. I had surgery on January 28 and am facing radiation starting March 10. Every morning, I see Robin and say to myself "You can make it too". I even started a blog called Thoughts of Pink" (http://barbara-duke.blogspot.com/) in the effort to keep all my friend updated on my progress and help them to realize that they need to get their mammograms every time they are available. Thank you so much Robin for helping to ease this very difficult journey. "

Ray and I went to Cheddars for lunch. I had some of their wonderful Baked Potato Soup and a house salad, with one of their awesome croissants with honey butter. I ate the soup and roll, but brought the salad home for dinner. It was just fine (with added onions). Their blue cheese dressing is to die for; there were large chunks of cheese in it.

We had a quiet afternoon. On the way home, Ray went into COSTCO for milk and "Skinny Cows." (my favorite ice cream sandwich). I will work on the church website in the morning. I have an appointment with the doctor at the Riverside Cancer Center on Monday.

I did talk to my mother in Kentucky. She said it was snowing there. She is having one of her eyes redone. The lens has a slight fold in it and has to be replaced. Mother had it done at the University of Kentucky Hospital and her doctor was highly recommended. The problem was her doctor was not the one who did the surgery, it was a resident. Mother thinks that she surprised them when she recognized him when she went back in.

She has been dealing with this problem for a year now. I am so glad that she is going to get it fixed. She is an artist and she cannot see well. I think sometimes that doctors treat older people different because they think that older people don't have anything to contribute any longer. My mother loves to draw, paint, garden, sew, and decorate.

Mother is the proverbial "Jack of all Trades." She is the mother of five, grandmother of eleven, great-grandmother of seven. She has a lot to contribute and she feels like a year of her life was wasted with this problem. I am go glad they are going to fix it. It shouldn't cost her anything, and I don't think they should charge. It has been so stressful for her. I have tried to talk with her as much as I can; I seem to be able to make her laugh. I love her so much and I really hate it that she had to go through this, especially since I was the one who urged her to do to have the surgery since I had gone through it in 2004. Although, my doctor, Dr. Hauser Weiler, in Kilmarnick is a former District Governor for the Lions Club and highly recommended. I have to drive almost an hour to see him, but being able to see is surely worth it.

Taylor's Dance Class

TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT - http://www.heartlight.org/ February 22, 2009 VERSE: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. -- Hebrews 10:24,25 http://www.searchgodsword.org/desk/?query=Hebrews+10:24,250:24,25

THOUGHT: We need each other. We cannot make it on our own. God calls us to get together regularly to encourage and to motivate each other to live vibrant lives of service and faith. With the day of Jesus' return and our ultimate victory on the horizon, we should be motivated even more to help and to encourage each other.

PRAYER: Lord God, thank you for giving me a Christian family to encourage me and motivate me to serve others. Please use me to bless others when we gather in Jesus' name to praise you. In the name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.