My Mom's Journey with Cancer.

May 2013- Gerson Clinic

Mama's love for people

This has been long time waiting for me to sit down and be able to share more about my sweet mama.  There is much to catch up with because I just couldn't bare to sit and face typing through the tears that stream down my face, as I miss her so much.  You see, cancer got the best of this sweet lady.  She fought hard and she was making such progress.  I have so much of her story that has yet to be told.... in due time. 

My mom lost her battle on April 6, 2014.

I was cleaning in my office and came across my camera.  I pulled the card and transferred all my pictures to my computer and cried like a baby! There is so much still yet to be told. Today, I want to share what a humongous heart my mom had.  She had such a love for people.  She loved EVERYONE!  She would help anyone and give you all she had if she thought you needed it more than she did. 

The people at the Gerson Clinic were amazing! I think they loved her too! They really want to see people be healthy and LIVE... they don't fill you with false hope, but they never told you there was "nothing more they could do for you". If something wasn't working, they figured it out...if you didn't understand something, they explained it to you fully in a way you understood.  They were wonderful, wonderful people.

She had several doctors who checked with her daily.  They also gave classes so you could comprehend the science behind their therapies.  

The kitchen staff made sure her juices were delivered on time with a smile.  They also cooked the most amazing vegan meals.  I remember the first day I was there with her, we went into lunch.  I KNEW that I better load up my plate because there was no way a little veggie plate was going to be enough food to hold me over to dinner...but I wanted to do this for mom, so away I went...loaded up my plate.  HOLY COW!!! I was SO embarrassed!!! I took way too much food... I filled up and almost couldn't finish, actually I didn't finish, but I did the best I could.  There were a few that giggled as many people do that exact same thing.  The food was plenty, and I was never hungry the whole time I was there with her.  You really can enjoy eating healthy food...I promise!

The cleaning staff kept everything in her room just perfect.  They were always greeting mom with a smile and made sure she had whatever she needed.

This was a "gated community" :0)

There was a security guard at the gate 24x7

And they were all so friendly and always looking out for the safety of the residents.

Now - you may be asking...what does this have to do with how big my mama's heart was?  Well, let me tell you.  While my mom was there for two weeks, she remained very busy sharing herself with others, learning about others and building lasting relationships with other patients and staff, helping when she saw a need, and every moment she had to herself between meals, classes, "coffee breaks"(coffee enemas), etc...she was crocheting beautiful scarves...one for every single female doctor and staff member.  She was crocheting her little heart out.  She made sure I brought more thread down with me because she was running out! She let them pick out what color they wanted and made them to order.  She was SO excited to give them their scarf with a hug, and they were equally excited to receive it.  She gave and gave and loved and loved.

My mama IS an exceptional woman and I love and miss her very much! 

I have been blessed in my life to be able to call her mom.

The pictures below show how much my mama loved and smiled. 

I am so glad I captured those moments.

A new beginning to a past story - our mama's journey continues....

May 2013
Every day we are learning something new about how we can battle this thing called cancer and win.  We are constantly hearing success stories from around the world of people who can, who have, and who ARE winning their fight against cancer.  I know it can be beat - I know we can create an environment within our bodies to not allow the cancer to survive...but if it is to happen.. we need to be pro-active about getting our bodies as healthy as we possibly can.  Mom is working hard to do that to get rid of the cancer she has, and I am starting to do what I can to prevent it from ever being a problem.
 
It takes a lot for our bodies to heal...there is a lot of rest recommended in the first 6-8 weeks especially.  Your body goes through healing reactions that can manifest in a variety of ways.  Different for each person.  Mom has been experiencing some of these healing reactions through her journey, prior to arriving at Gerson and in the last few days.  She has had cold like symptoms that they have been assisting her with by giving her chamomile tea, goldenseal, Echinacea, peppermint...and a humidifier.  She is responding well and doing much better.

The yoga class was great! Lot's of stretching and moves that really help with strength, balance, and breathing.  All very important to your health with you mind, body, and soul.



Lunch is the largest meal of the day.  No meat - all plant based dishes that are deliciously prepared.  Fruits and veggies with a potato, carrot juice, and hippocrates soup.  This is so much more filling than you would think! Breakfast is oatmeal, orange juice, and fruit.  It is very satisfying... and again - it was delicious as well! Dinner is much the same as lunch, but on a smaller scale. Believe me, you want to go smaller scale...otherwise, it is just way too much food! It is amazing how little is a lot.... and is so much better for you!

Magda demonstrated how to make and apply the clay packs and the castor oil packs.  They are so good for so many things.  I will be listing some of the many uses these are good for in my health and wellness page.  I just can't help myself...I need to share this kind of information when I get it.

Dr. Si and Magna demonstrated the application and wrapping of the clay pack.  The castor oil pack is very similar, but can be applied with a little bit of heat...the warmth is what helps it to work better to draw out the toxins from you body.

Now mom isn't one to sit around and just "rest" - as we all know! She is always having to be doing something...

 



Mama is very busy making scarves to give to the ladies who work here - and some of the patients and companions.  They are turning out so beautiful and she loves making them and giving them away...
Her down time is UPtime for her :0)




   
 

March 2013 
Well, it appears that cancer has re-introduced itself to our mama.  We were surprised and disappointed it decided to rear it's ugly head once again. However, since it did, we are even more determined than ever to not let it have any control.  
This time around - Mom has decided to try out the Gerson idea.  We have all purchased the book to study up and learn everything we can to support her in this continued journey to win the victory over these altered cells within her body.
Pam came up from Oceanside to be with mom and help out with doctor appointments for first week we were in the middle of finding out what was what...she was here for a week and I know she enjoyed every minute she was here.  She was struggling with feelings of going back to California and not being able to be more active in mom's care.  Luckily with the wonderful world of technology, we have set up weekly (or daily when needed) conference calls to help us all stay on the same page with mom's care.  We are all taking on different assignments for reading and learning, etc.  We are all taking an active role in what we can to be a part of helping mom to get better.
  

 Sheila has been taking on daily activities with mom staying active with conversations with the Gerson clinic and doctors, appointments, and creative cooking!  We also like to have a little fun while we are preparing such dang awesome meals!!!
 
I came to SLC to be with her this weekend.  We browsed through recipes in the back of the book and decided on a menu and a grocery list.  I took her to Calli's for some of the organic ingredients.  I will be adding link information to this amazing store soon.  They were very accommodating to our needs and are so willing to help us in any way they can.  It was a great experience looking for all the best ingredients for her new lifestyle on eating and diet.  We picked up some little mini squashes for individual servings, as well as a butternut squash for some yummy soup.  There are also dried apricots that will have to be soaked and some organic oats.

We also ventured downtown to Trolley Square to the Whole Foods Market there.  It is a very large store with a great selection of just about everything we needed.  And as an added bonus - they get an A+ for customer service.  This nice gentleman helped us out to the car with our many bags of groceries.  They were very well staffed and very helpful to assist us in finding everything on our list.  

We got home and we are on our way to healthy eating the Gerson idea way!  I have posted the first three dishes I personally helped and learned with on my recipe page.  Try them out! I hope you can enjoy them as much as we did!
Now - we continue to study and learn... we will find a way to keep that cancer at bay, and although it may be a part of our lives today, we are going to do what we can to control IT so it never controls US! We are going to be participating in the Relay for Life this year as "Team Aleen" - This cancer walk will take place in August....
I love you mama and we will beat this!!!!



 











(from the beginning - newest posts at the bottom)

Mom's Battle of the Beast - Cancer
November 2, 2011

Today was mom's first chemotherapy appointment.  Sheila and I were both there with her for today, and Pam was there on the phone and with her heart.  She will be coming up to spend time with mama next week. 

She did so well today.  They had a little trouble getting her IV hooked up and told her it may be a good idea for her to really consider getting the port put in before her next chemotherapy appointment so it won't be so hard on her every time.  

As she settled in, I glanced around the room seeing where we are at this point and how familiar this was to the people who were already there.  A young man, with a little wife and two little children and colin cancer.  An older gentleman who said this was his 25th treatment.  A young mother with four children under the age of 10.  Cancer doesn't discriminate against anyone.  It is a wicked disease that does it's best to rob a person of hope.  Although everyone in this room has a different history, comes from a different place, are different ages...they all have one thing in common - they all have cancer.  It may come in different forms and require specially designed treatments, but they are all battling the same beast.  What I noticed was this.  The cancer did not control them.  I was privileged enough to be in a room with people who had much to live for.  Individuals who were not going to be worn down by this beast of cancer.  Moms, Dads, brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas - who had the greatest attitudes.  "It is what it is" from the gentleman across from me.  Amazing people who shared their stories, offered their support, and were squashing their fears.  How lucky was I today? Very lucky.  My mom said, "I am going to consider this the first day of the rest of my life." I was able to share that with her.  We joined a family of love, care, and support... it was a wonderful experience.

Part way through the day,  as mom lay back in her recliner chair finally able to get some sleep, a scary thing happened.  I am glad mom slept through most of it.  The seasoned gentleman across from me who was on his 25th treatment had a terrible allergic reaction to one of the medicines in his treatment.  He has had this same treatment every time, but this time was different.  Directly after receiving this through his IV, he experienced severe pain in his stomach area and felt his throat begin to close up. He was rushed to the hospital and was unable to complete his treatment for the day. The doctor re-assured mom that although she does have that same drug in her treatment, she should not ever experience that as it usually happens after MANY doses - she is only getting six.  I felt much better after talking to the doctor about it.

Mama is a strong woman with many reasons to live.  I am confident that she will take this by the reins and tame this wild thing gone crazy and beat it.  She has such an incredible team to back her up with family and friends who love her.  This will be her story to tell, and I will share it with you.  

I have so much to write - and time will allow it.  I want to document her success so she can look back and see things she may not necessarily remember.  She will see her accomplishment and live out her success.  

Thanks for sharing in this journey with us.  Good night for now.

November 6, 2011

It is day 5 since mom had her first chemo treatment.  She is extremely tired, had a few sharp pains randomly, and has had some nausea.  I asked her today if it was as bad as she thought it would be or if it was better than she thought it would be.  She was actually pleased to feel like it was better than she thought it would be.  That made me think back to our night before the treatment.  Dr. Beck, her chemotherapist, asked us to attend a chemo class for information.  Although the information was very helpful, it was something else that impressed me.  I have decided that there are people you will meet, even if it is for a very short time, that could completely change the way you think about some things.  That Tuesday afternoon, a really bad storm came through Fillmore.  I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to make it up to the class.  I was frustrated by the weather, road conditions, construction and time running short.  As the afternoon started to dwindle away, the sun would peak through the clouds...long enough for me to think I could maybe just make it if I left right then.  I hurried out to the car and let my mom know I was on my way.  I was a half an hour late to the class.  As I walked in, a woman with long beautiful hair saw I was with the two women sitting to her left and she was kind enough to move to the seat on her right so I could sit by my mom.  I thought that was so nice.  As more information was given, questions were asked, answers were shared...you could feel the emotions throughout the room.  Once the class was over, they offered a tour of the treatment room.  Mom was going to be getting her treatment in another hospital, so we didn't go.  However, as we started to gather our things to leave, the young woman who was sitting next to me offered some kind words.  She had been doing so much research since she found out she had cancer.  She brought a friend for support not realizing her friend would also be putting my moms mind at ease as well.  The one thing that stuck in her mind was this.  The friend had been through cancer once before. It will never go away completely and she will need chemo again.  She said before she had chemo, her fears took over her.  She didn't know what to expect.  She was extremely fearful of the unknown.  However, now that she has been through it once, she is prepared for what will come in the event she needs it again.  She knows she can get through chemo and she is no longer afraid of it.  Those words gave mom strength.  We left there feeling so much more at ease with what we were about to embark upon.

It was a cold and bitter night as we walked out of the building and we all had missed dinner, so what better way to end the evening than to have a girls night at Applebees??? LOL We enjoyed a wonderful late dinner together before heading back to my sisters.  It was nice to just have a quiet little visit, just the three of us.  Mom ate better than she had in days.  She hasn't eaten too much since her surgery a month ago.

Time to go WIG shopping!!!

Mama was ready for it!  The girl we met last night told us of a place called Head Toppers by Joni in SLC.  So before leaving on Thursday, I took mom to check them out.  As we walked in, the ladies greeted us with smiles and a hug when they found out mom was shopping for hair because chemo would be taking hers in about 17 days.  They were so wonderful.  People just always seem to delight me in their caring ways.  They matched her color and showed her all kinds of great ways she can were her new hair...scarfs, hats, headbands.  They tried several on and mom felt so re-assured that she will actually be able to have hair while she has no hair!  She loved several of the wigs they tried on and they looked incredible on her!  This is one.  It is a little lighter than mom's will be when it gets in.  Mom has a little more black in her hair, so they wanted to match it.  I thought this style matched a lot to what she presently has.  I think she looks FANTASTIC!!!

She tried several styles and has shortlisted three.  I have a picture of two of them.  She looks great in all of them.  Once her hair begins to fall out, the ladies there at the shop told her to come in and they would go ahead and shave it off for her and fit her with her wig so she didn't have to go through the trauma of doing that herself.  I had actually thought of shaving my head along with her, but I have no guts!!! So what I AM going to do, or what I actually have guts to do...is wear a wig right along with her!  So, once she gets her wigs...we are going to have some pics done with us both wearing our new hair!  She liked this second wig cause it was a little sassy!!! I think she is going to have fun picking her hair to match her moods!!! She tried on a few that were definate NO's! So we threw those aside - There was gentle care put into face shape, hair length, color, fullness, personality...they told her that they would not let her walk out of their store feeling anything but beautiful - and I believe what they say.

I am happy she was able to come into contact with such wonderful people to help her through her journey with cancer.  We knew friends and family would be there for her, but had no idea the great people we would meet along the way.

November 10, 2011

Today was the day for mom to get her port put in so life wouldn't be so difficult everytime she went in to get chemotherapy.  Sheila couldn't be here this time as she is in Houston for a Girl Scout trip with her daughter.  Pam came up for the week to be with mom.  I left early this morning so I could be here through tomorrow. 

You know, it is a nervous day for mom, but guess what? Once again, we met some incredible people to help her through her day.  I am not kidding! Blessings just keep falling upon us. 

The morning was a little rocky at check-in time with some weird guy waiting for his friend..he was being a bit disruptive to say the least.  However, once mom had all the paperwork done, she was called into register, security was called on the nut-job in the waiting room, and we were on our way to the 2nd floor where the most amazing team of people met us, greeted us, and offered tremendous care to our mama - and to be quite honest, they treated her like she was their mom! They were wonderful with her! 

We had a few minutes before the nurses came in to get things ready. So Mom, Pam and I decided we needed to snap a pic for the blog :0) We just climbed onto the bed and started the photo shoot.  Just then, Shauna, one of our AWESOME nurses came in and caught us hammin' it up.  She joined in the fun and offered to take a few pics for us. 

Mom of course had to get an IV, which was painful and she didn't like it much. However, Kapali, her nurse, did his best to be gentle.  Kapali is a young man from Hawaii who is still in school to become a physician.  He works as a tech while going through school.  He is very nice.  She was a trooper and got through it with the one thought of knowing this would be the last IV she would need for a while. 

 I think it also helped to have Shauna distract her with a detailed demonstration of the port and how they are going to put it in.  LOL, it kind of reminded me a little like the demonstration by flight attendents just before take off in the plane :0) So much information to cover!  Shauna was so patient with us..we of course couldn't shut up and be quiet through the whole thing.  She was a sport, cause we had questions or funny comments or mom would forget to breathe for a minute, and she would kindly remind her to take a deep breath or two! LOL  We LOVE Shauna!!!  We were all a bit of a handful.  I think they maybe could have thought we were all nervous talkers...they don't know that we just act like that all the time! hehehehe  I am actually a little worried for how this portion of the blog is going to read..I am so tired I can't hardly think straight.  I just figured I would re-read it tomorrow and if it is too crazy messed up, well..I will just re-write a few things!

Trent was the PA who was going to conduct the surgery.  He had shared his story with us as well.  He is 7 yrs in remission of his bone cancer.  Now, he is helping mom get through a step of hers.  What a great thing he has accomplished in helping other people get through a miserable cancer which he was at one point able to overcome.  He let her know that he strongly believes that attitude makes a tremendous difference in the way someone gets through cancer.  Remaining positive and surrounding yourself with positive people is what made the biggest difference for him in his personal battle with the beast.

Robert was another nurse who came in to take good care of mom.  He was so kind and attentive to her explaining things, answering questions, telling her how to care for the port and keep it clean.  He also told her to not be afraid of being offensive to others if they are being careless or lazy with prep, etc. as she received chemotherapy later.  He did say that for the most part, those involved with the preparation and administration of chemo are fairly careful because they know the risks...but sometimes, there is someone who can be lazy and careless or in a hurry and forget the important things.  He just wants her to remember that while she is under chemo treatments, she is at higher risk of infection due to lower white blood cells to help her ammune system protect her from viruses and bacteria that gets spread around...especially during this time of year. He was so good to be throrough and make sure mom understood. 

Kapali was the one who would be taking her down, however, we had to wait a few minutes for Shelly. (ANOTHER fantastic nurse who we found out enjoys knitting - which OBVIOUSLY made points with mama!!! LOL) Anyway, mom complained of something maybe poking her arm.  Kapali was very attentive and checked out the situation..."Does it still hurt?" he asked...Mom said, "Oh no....not now since you were rubbing it." We told him if she started complaining of her feet hurting, he may want to be a little suspicious!!! Her antibiotic was given - Mom went down to surgery, and of course, Pam and I headed for the cafeteria! Lunch was a little bit of a disappointment, but that is ok...just kept us on our diets! (Well, except for the chocolate cake and cookie!) So, we came back up to the room to wait for mom.  We didn't have to wait very long before they brought her back up.  She did SO WELL!!! No complications, everything went just like it was supposed to.  She now has a port that will be her mighty sword against the demon every 21 days.  She will now be able to sit through her 5 hour treatments and multi-task like she is used to doing.  She has lots of needle work to get done!!!

This was a good move for mom and she expressed that she feels at peace with the road she is taking with chemotherapy.  She is on the road to recovery and has the most amazing attitude.  Staying positive is critical and she is keeping a smile on her face.  Today's experience in the hospital was so great.  We couldn't have asked for a better group of people to be a part of our journey today.  We hope we left there today leaving them with the knowledge of our gratitude for the kindness and caring.  Just a few more people we can add to our blessing list in mom's journey.  It has been a good day :0)

11-11-11 - Our Girls Day Field Trip :0)

Mom has been looking forward to picking her wig up for DAYS...so today, we decided we should go pick up her new hair.  We took the morning as it came, got ready for the day, and off we went to Head Covers by Joni on 3300 South in SLC.  Ronda was so excited to help mom fit her wig.  We tried all three of her favorites on her, did a little styling and fluffing, turned from side to side holding the mirror up for visibility at every angle, and she picked her favorite to take home first.  She wanted to wear her new doo for the day.  It was very exciting for her to see how beautiful she will be even as the chemo robs her of her her own "head cover".  She now has a fill in that looks just like she was born with it.  Before we could leave the store though, she had one more peice of business to take care of.  She wanted Pammy to pick out a new doo too!  She wants us all to wear wigs with her while she has to wear one.  That was easier to agree to then to shave our heads!! None of her loyal and loving daughters have any guts to do that!!!  As she knows how we love her with all of our hearts, she doesn't expect us to go bald to show it.  Thank goodness!!! I was going to bring my new doo to wear home with them, but as per usual, when I left home to come up here...I was pushing the envelope with time and forgot my hair!!!  As soon as Sheila gets hers, we will do a group picture with our new head covers :0)

Now that we had mom looking like she just went to the stylist, we were off to the hospital.  Pam lost her phone there yesterday and we thought we should take one more look around the place to see if we could find it.  I feel so bad for her.  We searched the grounds over, re-traced our steps from the day before and once again found ourselves on the second floor.  We went in to ask them if they had seen the phone yet.  Unfortunately, they had not, however...we got to enjoy visiting with Shauna, Shelly and Robert again before heading home.  They LOVED moms new look, but really did think she had just been to the beauty parlor! It was AWESOME!!! Mom also wanted to show them what she works on in her spare time.  Her beautiful crocheted dresses.  They adored her talent, and let her know they adored her.  Shelly also told mom that she had inspired her.  After work yesterday, Shelly went to the store and picked up her yarn and other supplies to make a scarf like the one she had made Pam.  Mom left the hospital feeling WONDERFUL! 

Her port area has been a little painful today, but tolerable.  A little ice, a little pain med, a little rest, and a LOT of love from her girls :0) she is making her way.  She is less tired and able to pretty much stay up the whole day.  She is eating better too.  We had lunch at the hospital.  She decided the panini sandwiches there are pretty dang good...Pam and I agree.

Life is good.  I am going to try to remember that things happen in life.  I want to remember that even when bad things happen, there are good things that can come from that challenge.  I am so grateful to be with my mom as she takes this fight and wins her battle with the cancer beast.  It is a gift to us as well, to share in the stories of others who have been on a similar journey.  It has certainly made things easier for my mom to face, and easier for us to face it with her. 

January 12, 2012

 It has been a while since I last updated and my mom just finished her 4th treatment on January 4th.  She has hit a few tough spots, but seems to overcome them with courage and strength every time something new presents itself.  Some things we have learned is that although the treatment is the same each time she goes in, the affects she feels can be different, or intensify a little bit more with time tables that change.  One of the things that surprised me the most was the help that Claritin offers for PAIN! She was beginning to experience "bone crushing" pain in her bones within an hour or two after finishing with her chemo.  The doctor suggested Claritin, which just didn't make sense to me...it is an allergy medicine, right? Well, the pain she feels could most likely be like an allergic reaction to the chemo...so then it made more sense.

 Mom's hair began to fall out before the 17th day after chemo.  She went in with my sister Sheila and had it shaved off.  Although traumatic to shave her head, it seemed so much less difficult than to slowly see clumps of her hair coming out onto her pillow or in her hands in the shower or when combing through it.  She had her wig properly fitted, and wore it home.  She has discovered however, that her wig and most caps are uncomfortable, itch, and irritate her cute little bald head...so I decided to see if I could figure out how to make a little hat for her that would keep her warm and cozy without experiencing that which she was complaining of.  I completed her hat and she LOVED it!  She said it is more comfortable than any other she had tried to wear.  This made me extremely happy that I could provide her with some level of comfort during this part of her journey.  As we were sitting in her last chemo treatment, one of the ladies there noticed I wasn't crocheting this time.  She asked why, and I let her know I had brought the wrong size needle for the thread I had.  I also make hat/scarf sets that I sell.  She had mentioned how much she loved my moms hat and would love to have one...my sister had brought her thread, so as we visited through their appointment, I made her a hat and gave it to her. 
Another patient, asked the details of why these hats were so comfortable, my mom explained, and I offered to make her a hat as well.  I was so excited to have been able to complete the hat that night and deliver it to her before I left town the next day.  It has now become a goal of mine to make and gift these hats every time we go to mom's chemo treatments, and offer them to the clinic or to whoever I can get them to from now on.  I also have a friend who asked to be taught how to make them so she can help! Friends are offering to donate yarn and I am so excited every time I complete a hat so I can give it away!

Christmas week was a great celebration for us.  Although she couldn't be here for Christmas day, I enjoyed spending time with her the days before.  We visited as we made presents together.  This year the family wanted a "homemade" Christmas, and so that is what we did.  Mom worked diligently on her cowls which she knitted for each of the girls and women in the family.  This is what she would work on during chemo treatments as she felt like it.  For the most part though, DURING treatment, she generally sleeps.  They give her Benedryl at the beginning, so she becomes very drowsy.  She actually says she feels pretty rested after treatments because she gets to sleep a little.  So Sheila and I just visit with those around us and crochet our little hearts out!
I feel so lucky and so blessed to be able to go through this with my mom...and to have the opportunity of meeting so many wonderful people, hearing their stories, and getting to know them a little more each treatment.  My mom goes every 21 days, and you generally see the same people come and go on the same 21 day routine.  I really like that - it allows you to build relationships with those experiencing the same kind of journey and offers an extended "family" support.  I am feeling grateful today.

May 25, 2012
So many things have happened since my last post.  I feel bad that I haven't kept it up as I knew in my heart I had wanted to.  Sorry Mama :0(
On the UPside of things - Mom finished her last chemo treatment a few months ago.  Dr. Beck felt she had enough and would be ok to stop treatments and just monitor her condition.  She was experiencing some things she didn't like much as far as the chemo goes.  Her attitude, although remained pretty positive for the most part, was even better after her treatments were halted.  She started to feel like her old self again and seemed to have a feeling of relief now that they were over.

Look at her NOW!!! My mom is the most beautiful woman I know!!!! Doesn't she look amazing??? Her hair is now about an inch long and she is stylin' the spunky look.  She has been able to get out and about and loves life.  She is looking to the future and excited about all the plans she has.  She is planning on doing some traveling to Washington and Mexico....gonna see a little bit of the world! 
I am so grateful for my mom and all she contributes to my life through the biggest heart ever in the world!  She has given much and continues to give of herself all the time. 

In August - the Relay for Cancer will be held in Fillmore.  I am proud to say that I am on the committee this year and feel privilaged to be helping with something that could change so many lives as raising money to find a cure for cancer.  But more importantly, the Relay for Cancer helps individual patients...not just scientifically.  They provide rides through volunteers for patients to get to and from their chemo appointments.  They have volunteers to assist patients during times of need while they are sick.  They have support groups and volunteer circles for so many things that help to benefit those who are stuck with that terrible thing called cancer. SO - I am going to sponsor a team for my mom.  It will be called "Team Aleen".  I am allowed to have up to 15 people on a team... I am hoping to have a great show of support for mom...I am doing this for her.  I want her to be able to share her story and show that she is a true survivor and that now that she has been through the rough and the rugged times with this disease...she can now show her support in helping others achieve the survivor goal too.  If you are interested in helping us make this years Relay for Cancer a success for mom and so many others who could use a little help, please let me know.  I am learning more about accepting donations - so I will pass that information along as I get it. And of course, I will keep everyone posted about the Relay Event as I get the information.

Good things are happening - this year is going to be amazing! Love you Mom!!!