December A Holiday in Transition

Two Precious words


For those of you that read October’s Blog titled 6 Months Ago I am very happy to report that at my 6th month follow up appointment I received a clean bill of health and two very precious words… no cancer! I just wanted to say to all of my family members and friend’s thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement during that time.

http://www.morebirthdays.com/



December A Holiday in Transition…

I would like to apologize for the absent November Blog, my focus at that time was getting our house on the market before November thirtieth. And thank God we finally did on November 15th, which brings me into December or as I have dubbed it “A holiday in transition” month. From the first day that our home was listed we had two home showings with 12 more to follow. Our first offer came after only 26 days on the market! Yeah, Wow especially in today’s housing market. The negotiations have begun and this part of the process of selling a home can have its ups and downs before there is a “smooth landing”, so put your congratulations on hold for now.

After one of our December showings the desire to incorporate some Christmas decorations into my staged home hit me. I pulled out the decorations and added a few complimentary holiday pieces. But it didn’t feel like our holiday home it still felt staged. Our home had an eerie holiday sterile feeling about it. My normal holiday list of things to do had been replaced with Mrs. Nicholas an agent would like to show your home today. Don’t get me wrong I counted those calls from our agent’s office as a true blessing.

Shortly after my attempt at adding some holiday decorations to our home, I received a call from my husband Nick telling me that it looks like he will have a break in his work, this news was sheer delight. The thought of having him home the entire week leading up to Christmas really lifted my spirits. After hearing this good news I went back to the Christmas decorations and pulled out the caroler figurines and set them up. Which according to our children we know that it is Christmas in our house when mom brings out those carolers!

If you are having a “holiday in transition” and feel that the Christmas holiday has disappeared from your consciousness I would suggest that you look through your Christmas decorations and find that one personal item that has always made you and your family feel and know the Christmas spirit. Once that spirit has been rekindled, turn your mind away from your holiday in transition situation and give to those in need of help. So volunteer your time, check with agencies in your community and find out where there is a need and bring some holiday cheer to another family. Trust me you will sail through your holiday in transition and find yourself saying this was one of the best holidays for me and my family. And please continue the act of giving and helping others in need all year long.

http://www.littledressesforafrica.org/   http://www.pcacares.org/   http://www.delawareyfc.org/

In my case the month of December became my holiday in transition due to the selling of our home. Those Christmas caroler figurines have been a stable item and a special part of our Christmas for many years and that small act of displaying them reminded me of Christmases past and Christmases to come. So put on some Christmas music, and if you are not putting up a tree as is the case with me then string some colored lights somewhere and bask in the thought of the greatest gift this world has ever know … And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.  St. Luke 2:12-14 

Trish

Ribbon Photo: Photographer Unknown

Photo of Elijah under the Christmas tree: Courtesty of LJN

Photos by Trish
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When we look back and contemplate what we've been through this year, we'll praise you, Lord, for all you've done- Your faithfulness is clear. -Sper
Taken from Our Daily Bread. http://www.rbc.org/


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

6 Months Ago…

It was six months ago on the morning of Thursday April 15th that I discovered a lump in my left breast.  It wasn’t the usual sounds of my husband rattling around in the bathroom getting ready for work, which woke me up that morning.  It was an awful throbbing pain that directed me to my left breast.  As soon as I touched my breast I could feel that it was swollen and very warm.  I quickly discovered the source of my discomfort it was a lump on the side of my breast.  As I examined the lump I began to wince from touching it.  I sat up in bed and said in a loud astonished voice “you got to be kidding me”! Nick heard me cry out and came into the bedroom, “what’s the matter”, he said. I guided his hand to the lump that I had discovered, does this feel like a lump to you? As I waited for his input I looked into his eyes to see if they would shed some light on what his thoughts might be at this moment, in a soft voice he replied, “yes it does and I think the first thing we need to do is to call the doctor and schedule and appointment”.


I got out of bed and tried to reassure myself and my husband that it was probably nothing more than an out of control pimple under my skin in the wrong place and at the wrong time.  As I stood in the doorway saying good-bye to my husband who was spending the weekend in Chicago on business, I promised him that I would call my Ob/Gyn today.  I called the office to schedule the appointment and the receptionist stated that their earliest availability would be on Monday… mentally I knew that this was going to be a long weekend.

Later in the day Nick called from Chicago to see how I was feeling.  I managed to tell him that I had been given an appointment for Monday before he had to jet off to a meeting.  I felt helpless and in despair, I couldn’t believe that this was happening to me.  The timing of this discovery in my mind could not have come at a worst time.  Nick’s promotion is in full force, hence the business trip to Chicago, we are spending practically every weekend getting the house ready to be put on the market, and looking for a new home in a different state.

On Monday as we were driving to the appointment I explained to my husband that my doctor would do a breast exam and depending on what he finds during the exam he would give me a script to have a mamogram and an ultra sound of my left breast.  I left the office with the script and immediately upon arriving home I placed the called to the diagnostic imaging center to schedule the appointment, they were kind enough to fit me in the next morning.  That evening as Nick and I lay in bed still wondering what was to come, I shared with him my state of mind.  I thought that since I was dealing with the whole MS thing it some how served as an automatic guaranteed against any other major illnesses coming my way.  I began to cry for being so stupid to think such a thing.  Nick said I am sure that everything is going to be ok.  He held me close until I finally drifted off to sleep.

On Thursday April 22nd I received a call from my doctor informing me that they found what they call a simple cyst ½ centimeter in size and my doctor stated they usually are not cancerous, however I would like for you to also see a surgeon.  After I hung up the phone I kept hearing the doctors words usually they are not cancerous… usually! That’s good… right? Do I really need to see the surgeon as he had suggested? I am in the clear… right? Well, I ended up contacting the American Cancer Society and I spoke with a woman who was very understanding and helpful.  I explained to her that the doctor’s usually not cancerous words struck a funny cord inside of me.  She advised me to call the surgeons office and schedule the appointment… hopefully the appointment will close this medical chapter in my life.  I picked up the phone and scheduled the appointment with the surgeon.

The surgeon looked at my reports and examined the breast in question.  He also agreed with my doctor that it was a simple cyst ½ centimeter in size.  He explained to me that in six months I should have another mamogram and ultra sound done to make sure that there were not any “other” abnormalities.  I left that office realizing that this chapter was over for now… I knew that I had to live in the now and I could not worry myself about other abnormalities that may or may not be there six months from now.  When the lump was discovered I immediately scheduled an appointment with my doctor and I did not drag my feet.

Ladies October is breast Cancer Awareness Month and breast cancer can and will happen to anyone at any given time.  Let’s make sure that we remind our Mothers, sisters, sister-in-laws, nieces and girlfriends to have an annual breast check-up! And guy's breast cancer can also happen to you, so spread the word!

On October 15th it will be time for me to schedule that six month check-up and I am now ready to open up that new chapter in my life.

Trish

The Dial Corporation will donate $100,000 to benefit the Breast Cancer Network of Strength in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
http://www.networkofstrength.org/


In October 2010, Perdue Farms will donate$1.00 for every chicken recipe uploaded to http://www.perdue.com/ , with a maximum donation of $10,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. For complete details with terms and conditions, visit www.perdue.com/recipededication.

READ FOR THE CURE - Benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
www.myreadforthecure.com/falloffer

*Click on the link to purchase a Survivor Mug

Pink Ribbon Photo – Photographer Unknown

Breast Exam Photo – The National Breast Cancer.org

All other Photos by Trish
www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography


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To Follow My Photography Journey:
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