I hope you enjoy my blog...please honor copyrights!

I hope you enjoy my blog...please honor copyrights!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Pink Saturday Salutes Breast Cancer Survivors and Angels!

Dear Pink Saturday bloggers,

Today we honor breast cancer survivors and the angels in Heaven who have lost their brave battle against this deadly disease. I would like to thank Bev at How Sweet The Sound for featuring me as one of the featured bloggers today. I began blogging this past February during the OWOH event (One World One Heart) and this is how I was introduced to Bev, through a fellow blogger I visited that posts PS! How blessed my life has been since meeting Bev and all the lovely PINK SATURDAY blogers !

In 2000 I was diagnosed with  breast cancer at the age of 45. For over 15 years I had told my doctors that I had pain in my right breast and a significant size lump. I could not get a single doctor to listen to me! It kept getting bigger and bigger with increased pain. Pain, pain, pain. "Oh pain, pain is good he said, you are too young to have breast cancer." Each year went by and I begged my doctors to give me a mammogram. Finally when I hit 40 they did and said it was just a density and to quit fretting. Being only in my twenties they just didn't take me seriously.

Finally whe I moved to Maryland I found a doctor who would take me seriously. He did an ultrasound, a baseline mammagram, then the needle biopsy and ultimately a lumpectomy. I was put on oral chemotherapy and the fun began. Not. Nausea and pain were my best friends now, and a huge scar to show for it. Yet this paled to having my radical hysterectomy when only 32.

Sleepless nights turned into exhaustingly long days. My world was a living nightmare. A broken marraige, domestic violenece, broken bones, financial woes, and my children's father dying at the age of 48 from non-Hodgkin's Lymphona. There was only one decision to make. I stopped treatment and turned it over to God.
My children needed and deserved one functional parent. Jthenni and Joey needed me, so it was up to me to have faith and prevail over my ttribulations.

I have had many trials and turblent events in my life, none as traumatic as the thought of losing my children's daddy and possibly following all to soon in his footsteps. The breast cancer pin became a part of wardrobe. I grew to love the color pink!  Not only I, but my sister-in-law became infected with this deadly disease that robs us of our youth and golden years. In the last 2 years she fought against it and conquered it! During this time her daughter marrried and Mary attended the wedding in full regalia. She was beautiful and we are all so proud of her brave battle that she won. Just this summer, my sweetheart's mother was diagnosed with seriouys breast cancer. Two weeks ago she had 3 lymph nodes removed, several rounds of chemotherapy and now will have an agressive run of radiation. When asked how is  everything going? Mom would reply "I'm fine," and  would move on to next. The tenacity with which she attacks every day is admirable. At the age of 77 her determination and inner drive are amazing.

 I have grown to love the color pink due to Mary Kay and  the pink breast cancer ribbons.The Mary Kay Breast Cancer Researach is one of  the leading foundations to which I donate 10% of  my proceeds to help further assist cancer research. My goal is to write enough short stories or vignettes to ahieve recognition from my followers and future sales directors of the woman I recruit and will recruit. We are only as strong as out weakest link.Be strong, be brave, be supportive, be caring and loving in all that you do.

Please visit my other 2 blogs any time this weekend and enter the giveways. Lovely mementos for sharing
part of the day today with me, and giveaways. Have you joined forces with Cans for Cookies US Troops!
Last weekend's Pink Saturday bakeoff was very successful. Thanks to all of you who have committed to getting it don't. Just leave your name, a link back to your blog or email, and toy may wind

Be sure to say hi to Bev!    Thanks for stopping by today.

 Big PINK  Hugs!

Valrie


Have a wonderful Day!

PINK HUGS!!!

19 comments:

  1. Thanks for your story!
    greetings from Holland,
    Ineke

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  2. Happy Pink Saturday. Beautiful post. Grace xoxo

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  3. Hi Valrie,.
    Happy Pink Saturday. Thank you for your beautiful and inspirational post about your journey with breast cancer. Your cookies For Troops project is so awsome and I will sign up to bake cookies.
    Have a lovely week.
    Blessings,
    Erin

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  4. I am so thankful to have met another breast cancer survivor. I've met quite a few thru the years and always admire you so.
    No breast cancer in my family but I have several friends that have survived it.
    hugs to you,
    bj

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  5. Oh Valrie thank you for sharing your story. You are a beautiful strong woman. Have a wonderful pink day sweetie!
    xo Tami

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  6. Happy Pink Saturday and bless you that you are a survivor and spreading the word! I don't know how you keep up with 3 blogs, that is amazing in itself. Thank you for sharing your story, Blessings to you. You are truly blessed to be able to carry on and will be a gift to others! XOXO marilou

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  7. Happy Pink Saturday Valrie! My you have had some tribulations but you sound like a very strong person. Stop by my blog if you get a sec., I have some original artwork for everyone especially for the month of Oct, Have a wonderful weekend, Nan

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  8. Happy Featured Pink Saturday, Valrie!!! I'm somewhat at a loss for words, and that doesn't happen very often to me, but as I read your post today the word 'Braveheart' comes to my mind as a way of describing YOU! What a fighter and brave person you are, and an inspiration to others. My Brother Stacy joined the Heavenly Angels who fought the brave battle against cancer last Friday, Sept. 24th. He was 48 years old.

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  9. Hello Valrie, I loved reading about you on Beverly's featured bloggers. You are an inspiration to cancer survivors. I have joined the fight for breast cancer awareness because life is so precious.

    Blessings and love, Jeanne

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  10. I can empathize with how hard it was to get someone to listen. I had Bladder cancer 2 years ago and it took 6 months before a doctor would even order a CT scan. We must take charge of our own and our loved ones health. A physician has to put his pants on one leg at a time too, according to my 86 year old mother, before she passed away in 2006.

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  11. Haw tragic that one person like you has had so much put on them. It seems to happen that way. I often ask myself, why? Only the good Lord has that answer. Trust from this day forward you will have a healthy, blessed life and family.

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  12. Valrie...what a story. I have to say I love love love the dynamic picture of you ON THE GO!!! You really took lemons & made lemonade!! Stay strong & spunky!
    Licks & Wags,
    Niki

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  13. Oh Valrie, you are a survivor of one of the most dreaded diseases ever. My grandmother and mother have had this, my mother in law also. Sadly, my grandmother lost her fight, but my mother and mother in law are both here today. We all pray for a cure. Happy Pink Saturday and remain healthy and happy, Char

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  14. Happy Pink Saturday from a first timer!
    thank you for sharing your story!
    faith , hope & cherrytea anytime you'd like to visit FHC! be blessed :)

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  15. Happy Pink Saturday, dear Valrie. I hope you enjoyed being one of the featured participants.

    Your journey has been filled with many trials and tribulations, but you have endured. I admire you. And, many can and will learn from your shining light.

    I love the butterfly graphic, too. Unfortunately, I can not find where to credit it. I found it on the web, but my track ended there. I agree that it is gorgeous.

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  16. Happy belated pink day. Lovely post. Have a great day.

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  17. Valrie,
    As I read your post today I thought of these words from a song: "I am woman, hear me roar". The MK cancer research foundation is very lucky to have you on board. I knew you had gone through some hard times but had no idea how hard. I am proud of you both for realizing the encouragement your children can give to you and for speaking out so that others will be encouraged to never give up. I'm so glad you won your fight. I hope you sent a letter to the other doctor about what you went through under the knew doctors care. He/she needs to know that we as women know our bodies better than anyone else. When we say something is not right the doctors should take swift action. I had a partial hysterectomy at age 35 and a lump removed from my breast a few years before that. I was lucky, it was not cancerous. I have a mammo every year and have encouraged all of my family memebers to do the same. I'll be visiting your other sights. Stay strong and stay healthy. You are one beautiful lady inside and out.
    Hugs, Tess

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  18. Praise God that you are doing ok. Prayers for your MIL and SIL.
    Come over for a visit and enter my give-a-way
    Gail - Decorating My Tin Shack

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  19. What a brave lady you are, your story is so inspiring....love you picture of you "on the go", you are beautiful, stay strong because your story is so touching, my grandmother died of breast cancer so my family knows your struggles....thanks for having the courage to share your story! Happy pink Saturday!

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