The cancer rose.....

Three years ago I planted a Zephririne Drouhn climbing rose that I ordered from a mail order catalog.  It came in the mail right after I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  You might remember my initial "silly rose story" that I posted in 2012, you can read it here.  I am not sure why I called it the cancer rose, it just popped into my head at that moment when Galen and I were planting the bare root in the ground, and I felt that if the rose survived, I would too.  Yes, I know, that's silly. 

Well, I am happy to say the rose survived and is thriving!  It has climbed up the post and over the pergola, just as I planned. 

It turned out to be a beautiful rose and it has a spicy clove scent.  It smells heavenly! 

I guess I knew all along the rose would survive.  And, of course, I knew that I would too! 

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Gardening and an update

As I upload these photos today I am wishing the weather was as nice as yesterday.  A beautiful day in the high 70's, Galen and Otis and I spent the day in the garden.  

As we turned the warm soil in the beds, Otis took a nap in the sunshine, in the strawberry patch, of course.  Silly dog.  

We planted onions, potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.  And I always plant marigolds around the beds.  I put in some chives, too.  

The peach tree is in bloom.  I took this photo this morning, a gray morning, but I think the pink flowers are lovely and so cheery!     

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And an update:

For those of you who have been following my journey these past few years with breast cancer, I want you to know I am doing well.  My appointment on Thursday left me feeling very happy.  A good report ~ no cancer.  I am feeling strong, energetic and glad to have my life back.  Finally, normalcy!  I feel great.

Just wanted to let you know and to thank you for being with me and giving me encouragement when I needed it the most.  xoxo

This and that.....

Hello, my friends.  Early this morning I took a walk in the garden.  With the sun we had yesterday and the heavy rain last night, things are growing like crazy!  I picked a gardenia and brought it inside.  My neighbor gave me the small gardenia bush last year and this year it is full of blooms.  I planted it by the back screened in porch where we can enjoy it's fragrance.  

I realized I left you hanging as to how I made out at the doctor a few weeks ago.  All is fine, however I am not out of the woods for at least another four years.  Appointments have been scheduled in advance and I will have to have a scan for osteoporosis since the one drug I am taking for my being hormone receptor positive is not a big help to my bones.  So I am doing resistance exercises and walking and moving and keeping busy, and enjoying life, since I have been feeling great.  Also staying positive and looking to the future.  

Yesterday I hung new drapes in the study.  I'll take photos later to show you the room.  

Galen and I will be heading to the beach on Tuesday to enjoy the day with my sister and her husband.  Can't wait to walk on the beach, stick my feet in the ocean, and eat lots of fresh sea food!  

Enjoy your week!  

A silly rose story

About a year and a half ago I ordered a rose bush from a catalog.... a Zephririne Drouhn rose, a climber, for our pergola over the patio.  Catalog places usually mail the plant when it's time to put them in the ground, so last year, the end of February, my rose came in the mail.  It was right after the time I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  

Galen dug the hole and we planted the rose.  I said to him, this is my cancer rose.  We will watch it grow and survive.....ah, unless it dies, which we don't want to think about, and we snickered and said, no it's going to live and grow to be beautiful.)    

One year later ~ 

the rose has grown almost four feet tall, and, yes, it has survived.  Yesterday it bloomed.  What a beautiful pink bloom and so fragrant.  I can't wait until it covers the pergola.  

I know this is a silly story, but it's just something that came about on it's own.  Some things are meant to happen that way, I think.  I believe in small miracles and this, to me, is kind of a small miracle.  

Yay!  It survived and I survived the first year.  

  

Welcome spring

finally...

spring has sprung and we've been basking in the warm sunshine here in the south, temps have reached into the mid 80's this week.  I am hoping the gray days of winter are now over and gone.  

My new red Jolly Clogs came in the mail last week just in time for some spring gardening.  I am loving these new clogs.  The last pair of Jollys I had lasted over ten years.  

So I've been digging in the dirt.  It's always great therapy being in the garden, something I've really been needing lately, since the last few weeks I've been feeling out of sorts...thinking post breast cancer thoughts, I guess, and not very happy, trying to stay positive and letting go of last year.  Maybe it was just the bad weather.  

Things seem better now and sunny days ahead.  Otis and Riley are loving this warm weather too!  

Sunshine, flowers and warm weather 

can do absolute wonders for the soul.  

A year ago today.....remembering

A year ago today...  

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on February 10, 2012.  A very long year I would like to forget, but will always remember.  

It's hard to say what gets a person through something like this, maybe faith, determination, love of family and friends, hope.  I would have to say all of these, for me anyway.  It's a good feeling to know the ordeal is over and life is looking brighter.  

Happy times are ahead and I intend to enjoy every minute.  Not being able to enjoy spring and summer last year, I am looking forward to planting the garden this year and putting in lots of flowers everywhere.  I have so many plans.

Galen and I would like to take some trips this year, too, which we put off.  It seems like everything was put on hold.    

So I want to say thank you again to my dear family, Galen, especially, and to my daughters that were always there for me.  
And thank you to all of my blogging friends for your love, concern, kindness, and understanding.  You kept me going.    

I now move forward with a happy heart.  

I know I still have a few more years before I am in the clear but I am staying positive and I know I will make it and be just fine.  

I am a survivor.  

Hello sunshine! I did it!

Yes, I did it!  

It's been a long journey.  
Now I plan to get on with my life   
finally....
My last day of radiation was Friday.  Jen, my daughter and my granddaughter, Maddie, came along.  Galen was with me too, as always.  By the way, I got to hit that gong behind us!  Then I was officially discharged.  

My family has been with me and supported me through all of this and I know I couldn't have made it without them.  

We had a nice celebration afterward at a nearby restaurant with more family (that's my sister and me and Galen in the photo).  Check out that piece of chocolate cake!  

After a few days and time to settle in, 

I have found that little things mean more to me than ever before....like my old routine.  

I have a new appreciation for life.  

I'll have more time to spend with these guys.  

And to all my dear blogging friends that followed me during these last ten months of this long journey, I want to say thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers that kept me going.  I appreciate and love you all.   

Three weeks down, three to go....

I'm halfway through!  

Tomorrow I will start my fourth week of radiation.  It seems to be moving along pretty fast.  The radiation itself only takes about ten minutes.  I started getting a little bit of a burn on my skin and some swelling under my arms but everything is normal so far.  

Galen and I are trying to make the best of the long trip to and from the hospital.  We usually stop at Starbucks in the morning for coffee and occasionally a breakfast sandwich, and after my radiation we might visit my sister in Chapel Hill, or we might stop somewhere for lunch.  We occasionally will go to the mall bookstore and relax with a good book and a cup of coffee.  

Soon this will be over and I will look back and realize what a really long journey this has been, 

and I might even be amazed how I ever got through it.  

Autumn chill and rain

Hello everyone!    

Today is a cold and rainy day here in North Carolina and I am soooo yearning for some warm sunshine.  

We just returned home from radiation treatment # 6 at UNC hospital.  Driving for an hour and a half each way in the rain is not a lot of fun in my book, but we are safely home, happy, warm and dry.  

Radiation is going well, 6 down, 24 to go.  Am I counting?....Yes!  This should be the last big hurdle that I have to go through and I can hardly wait until it's over.  

As I sit here and type this I can hear the pitter patter of rain drops outside.  

The garden will be happy.  

Hope you are enjoying this Autumn day wherever you are.  

Talk to you later!  

Time for Radiation

Monday I start radiation.  It's been several weeks now since surgery and my body is slowly healing.  I still  have some pain and tingly numbness but evidently that's normal.  

The radiation treatment will be every day, Monday through Friday, for the next 6 or 7 weeks.  That means this treatment plan will take me into mid November.  Ugh... 

The side effects from radiation are fatigue and some burning, like sunburn.  Not too bad.  There are others, but I choose not to think about them.  

After this I should be nearing the end of my long journey.  

Thank heavens!  

In the meantime, I am looking forward to enjoying this wonderful fall weather!  

Crisp chilly mornings, coffee on the porch, puttering in the garden, and taking walks with Otis and Riley.  

Be back soon,