Michelle DaRin auction Badass piece
Through the auction of this unique piece, I am continuing my high-profile effort to promote awareness and raise funds for the battle against breast cancer. Proceeds will be donated to the Upstate Medical University’s Cancer Center construction project in Syracuse, New York.
If you would like to bid please email me, your name will remain silent but I will update the price (please bid in $5 increments). I am so Proud that Michelle has made this piece inspired by my mission. Bidding will continue until January 2nd at midnight and the high bidder will be announced!
Jules happiest of days
Right before this amazing OPPS baby (you know what I mean the opps I didn’t have my husband fix the plumbing!!) was born my grandmother died, I mean like days before. I held him in so we could bury a grandmother that was more like a mother to us. After the services were over my OB insisted I come in, “How the hell this baby is still in you is beyond me!! GO STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL, do not stop for French fries (I did this with Sam and he knew me all to well).” SO we went there a few hours later this adorable Jules was born. He was truly a gift from Nana something to turn our sadness to joy and make our family see that life continues. Julian was so cute and extremely cuddly, still is we often wonder if Dr. Rick forgot to cut the cord! Thank the gods he is because the kid has a temper like no other and cried like no child before him and never slept, I mean EVER and ate like a pig. I have no idea who this kid takes after, hahaha. But he fit in perfectly. I am not sure if the other boys just wanted to shut him up or if they actually were helping calm the crier either way he still gets his way to this day.
What this little monkey butt did for sure was give Anthony his best friend. Julian leans on Anthony and Anthony holds him up. They talk, share secrets and bitch about how the older boys are jerks. Just what a brother needs a buddy.
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He is a ninja and will do a cartwheel to get to his Ninjago legos faster than you
can say “DUDE!!!!” He is my most violent child so do not touch his TMNT or anything else he has claimed, he will take you down! Do not dare him because he will accept the challenge and take your money no problems. Again I have no idea where he comes from.
Julian will forever be my baby and not just because he is the last kid but because he is completely attached to me.Julian can walk in heels higher than me and with such swag. He understands how important it is to sparkle and that glitter is a color. He will snuggle with me all day if I didn’t have to pee or he had to go to school. And one thing is for sure he not only knows his momma is a princess, he shines my tiara!!
Happy Birthday to my Glittery ninja!!
Going insane got no brain
Ok well the MRI showed I had a brain but whether it is on the fritz remains to be determined. It is hard to say when a cold is just a cold or if something brewing. After DX, whenever you get a headache, toothache, hang nail or backache you think "Mother of all that is evil it must be bad, it must be cancer". It is so difficult to figure out when to call the doc, which doc to call and whether it is really serious. The ache that has been there for more than 4 weeks probably should be address. Guess what, it actually could be just a pulled muscle from lifting all those chips or from stress. The problem is our head starts making us second guess every ache/pain/change in body. I would always tough it out and wait until the last minute now I have ALL my docs on speed dial. The problem is when do you call??? How do you call?? At this point I think Ghost Busters might be able to help me. I really feel like I am losing my mind, yes I may have lost it but now it is going haywire like serious craziness. Yet I know I am not alone, right please tell me I am not alone.
I have had some headaches, watery eye, head pressure and a bunch of other crap since last November they said nerve damage, OK fine. Well guess what it has not gone away and has only increased. Then BAM lost hearing, now its muffled with serious pressure. Some days the pain is horrible and I just want to cry. Add a little stiff neck and I am like WTF I must be dying (don't send flowers just yet!!). MRI says brain is still there and in good condition minus all the pot I smoked when I was young. Some inflammation but no tumors, well hot damn!!! Yet the pain and pressure and ear ringing is still there (or is it, maybe it is just my overacting). I was told by the ENT to take a muscle relaxer and call it a day, basically it was in my head. You get me here right?? You waffle between it is nothing to OMG its cancer which you had so you know it is impossible. The doc looks at you like you are nuts and maybe you are but damn there is no need to make me feel that way. You want it to be nothing and hope it will be but what if it is something! I think docs need to understand this and that you want to be healthy and fit into your before cancer jeans so bad!! Do you ever get pass the fear?? I do not think so ever. I have seen too many friends suffer and have been through enough to not be scared. So I find myself sitting and letting the pain build and feel all the symptoms just to prove to myself I am not making this up. Which it totally not fun, just saying. Going insane is not at all as enjoyable as I thought.
I am off to the neurologist next month and while I really hope he tells me I am ok it is stress or another skittle I am so scared it is something bugger. And what more is all I want is relief from the discomfort. Maybe I need a lobotomy or glasses or a vacation. YES that is it I need a vacation, who has a time share? I am not looking to head to the mountains in a closed up cabin for the winter with Tommy if you get my picture. The Queen must be looking to vacation with a princess!
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| Yes possibly |
I have had some headaches, watery eye, head pressure and a bunch of other crap since last November they said nerve damage, OK fine. Well guess what it has not gone away and has only increased. Then BAM lost hearing, now its muffled with serious pressure. Some days the pain is horrible and I just want to cry. Add a little stiff neck and I am like WTF I must be dying (don't send flowers just yet!!). MRI says brain is still there and in good condition minus all the pot I smoked when I was young. Some inflammation but no tumors, well hot damn!!! Yet the pain and pressure and ear ringing is still there (or is it, maybe it is just my overacting). I was told by the ENT to take a muscle relaxer and call it a day, basically it was in my head. You get me here right?? You waffle between it is nothing to OMG its cancer which you had so you know it is impossible. The doc looks at you like you are nuts and maybe you are but damn there is no need to make me feel that way. You want it to be nothing and hope it will be but what if it is something! I think docs need to understand this and that you want to be healthy and fit into your before cancer jeans so bad!! Do you ever get pass the fear?? I do not think so ever. I have seen too many friends suffer and have been through enough to not be scared. So I find myself sitting and letting the pain build and feel all the symptoms just to prove to myself I am not making this up. Which it totally not fun, just saying. Going insane is not at all as enjoyable as I thought.
I am off to the neurologist next month and while I really hope he tells me I am ok it is stress or another skittle I am so scared it is something bugger. And what more is all I want is relief from the discomfort. Maybe I need a lobotomy or glasses or a vacation. YES that is it I need a vacation, who has a time share? I am not looking to head to the mountains in a closed up cabin for the winter with Tommy if you get my picture. The Queen must be looking to vacation with a princess!
I wasn’t going to but now I am PINK
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| I will have this pink ribbon forever LIVE, HOPE, LOVE |
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| Pink to them makes them smile |
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| YAHOOOO for my girls who will never be anything less than sisters. |
Well here is why because so many companies abuse the hell out of it. When you buy that bag of cotton balls (I hate cotton balss so I never would buy them but maybe you would) that have pink ribbons on it you think “awesome I can clean my face and help those battling”. Not always the case.Check the back, where does the money go? Some no name place that does nothing? how much goes, most cap what they will donate. And how much goes, there is always a percent. I remember a jean company (do not ask me the name cause I can not remember and I do not feel like looking it up, you can though, let me know) sold pink ribbon jeans for the cause. Yeah well only $.008 went out of the $50.00 that cost for the jeans, they capped it at $25,000 and the money went to “a breast cancer research”. Really?? Then there is the products that are just bad for you, KFC greasy ass chicken should not be consumed by anyone much less someone battling cancer. Use your head here people or not if it makes you happy then buy the damn chicken I am not your mother. I am just here to guide you.
I will tell you what gets me more is when dumb ass products are the ads have smiling, beautiful woman who look so happy to have cancer. There is always an African-American, an elderly and a middle aged Caucasian, I swear they think this covers everyone, they are hugging and smiling like they just went to see “Magic Mike”. I was never happy ever, I laughed cause it got me through but happy no friggin way. I know laughing my way through cancer was the only way I could deal so I sure did. How about using this image if you want a smile…
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| what is behind that pink ribbon, my reality |
I know you are reading this think WTF is she nuts and totally all over the place, well we know I am but I just want you dumbasses to see all the points here and make your own choices. There are some awesome places to donate. Of course there is always SDBC and my mission for Bravery Bags, I want to help those in this community and make them smile just a little. It may not change the world but it changes one persons world and that is fabu for me. Cancer Connects is a local group that provides complimentary therapy, mentors and aide to my peeps in my community!! Check Army of Woman who are doing amazing research in the cancer world by using real breast cancer warriors. I am proud to be a part of any study I can fit into. Metavivor is a new organization committed to change the world of Mets which as of now only gets 2% of funding to the 30% who have mets. Maybe giving to Personal P.ink so that survivors can covers those scars and get their self back just a little. So do not tell me there are not important organizations out there that are doing great things, you can also not tell me that they do not rock the pink just a little. The difference is they do it responsibly, try that!
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| Pink OUT where wearing pink made you a queen, drag style |
Anthony Jude the way cool dude
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All of this almost negates the fact you pick on your brothers and taunt them while walking through the house in muddy cleats! But the fact that you out of all the kids treats me like a princess makes you my favorite (just don’t tell the others).
Personal P.ink
I do not normally do this but this is a project I really believe in, like completely! Check it please!! I was even part of their inspirations, awesome right?
am not a breast cancer expert, but I do know that breast cancer takes the control away from each individual. My name is Jillian, and I am here on behalf of P.INK because we have launched a day where we can give women the opportunity to take backsome of the control they lost. Our first annual P.INK Day is being held on October 21, 2013 in New York City and we are linking 10 very talented female tattoo artists with 10 survivors who have undergone mastectomies to cover their scars, and/or adorn them.
I know that tattoos cannot erase that time in these survivors lives, but my hope is that they do provide a sense of healing for moving on and give them something to be excited about when looking at their own bodies.
Our hope for P.INK Day, is that this becomes an annual event to not only give women the chance to get a free tattoo, but to raise awareness of this healing option, so that in the future, all survivors, anywhere, can seek skilled, experienced artists who can help.
Our plan is to make these ladies feel as comfortable as possible and embrace this time they have to take back control of their lives and move on with something as beautiful as a tattoo.
So, I ask you today, to please help us make our first P.INK Day possible, so we can continue to change the post breast cancer lives of many women across the world.
Please make your donation here.
And if you happen to be interested in getting a tattoo in future P.INK Days, please send us an email at help@p-ink.org.
Also, help us spread the word:
www.facebook.com/PersonalInk
www.twitter.com/personal_ink
www.p-ink.org
am not a breast cancer expert, but I do know that breast cancer takes the control away from each individual. My name is Jillian, and I am here on behalf of P.INK because we have launched a day where we can give women the opportunity to take backsome of the control they lost. Our first annual P.INK Day is being held on October 21, 2013 in New York City and we are linking 10 very talented female tattoo artists with 10 survivors who have undergone mastectomies to cover their scars, and/or adorn them.
I know that tattoos cannot erase that time in these survivors lives, but my hope is that they do provide a sense of healing for moving on and give them something to be excited about when looking at their own bodies.
Our hope for P.INK Day, is that this becomes an annual event to not only give women the chance to get a free tattoo, but to raise awareness of this healing option, so that in the future, all survivors, anywhere, can seek skilled, experienced artists who can help.
Our plan is to make these ladies feel as comfortable as possible and embrace this time they have to take back control of their lives and move on with something as beautiful as a tattoo.
So, I ask you today, to please help us make our first P.INK Day possible, so we can continue to change the post breast cancer lives of many women across the world.
Please make your donation here.
And if you happen to be interested in getting a tattoo in future P.INK Days, please send us an email at help@p-ink.org.
Also, help us spread the word:
www.facebook.com/PersonalInk
www.twitter.com/personal_ink
www.p-ink.org
Boob job my ass
“Oh so you get a free tummy tuck too” WTF seriously FREE!! I
had cancer that is where this all started not because I am obsessed with
friggin Nip N’ Tuck. I never once asked for these foobs nor did I want
them. No offense what so ever to those
with tucks and nips, none that was your choice and you should have at it. I
have not yet met at cancer badass that has said “Phew I really enjoyed this
whole process, I am sooooo happy I got cancer cause this is just what I wanted”.
NO A SINGLE ONE!
I was going along fine with my floppy, breast feed out boobs
just fine. Sure they sagged but they were mine oh mine. Then BAM got cancer and it all unfolded. I
needed to decided then whether it was lumpectomy or mastectomy, reconstruction
or flat and fabulous. There was no one telling me to slow down and really think
this through, what it is you want in the end. It happened so fast I made
decisions based on what I thought people did. I had never wanted implants but
it seemed my only option. Honestly I may seem all brave and together but I am
not any of that when the idea of going flat was brought up. Call me vain but I needed to have
something there. So I got expanders that they pumped up then had the implants
put in. That may seem so cut and dry but until you are in it the feeling is surreal, especially with cancer looming over head. Which from the get go I hated, no I will not go on again about how fake
they are but that is how I feel like an alien. I have plenty of friends that feel great in
the implants and are ok with them, but again they did not ask for them.
For me they are not working, not physically, mentally or
anything in between. So it is the DIEP
and the real me. At the cost of a long mother fucking surgery, major recovery
and whatever else is thrown at me but I did not ask for this. I need this for
my recovery for my healing from CANCER. That is the difference. I did not call
the plastic surgeon to ask for a tummy tuck/boob job, I went in for my follow
up from this lumpy ass journey and that is what we decided. I do not olok forward to a flat stomach (ok a little but that isn't what the big picture is about), I look forward to feeling like ME just a little.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE if you are reading this blog I hope
you get the message I am trying to say. If not let me clarify that saying “Oh you are so
lucky to get a free boob job” or “Oh boy a free tummy tuck” or “Aren’t you
happy to have free perky boobs?” should never be said, ever! Add the
neuropathy, lymphedema, nerve damage, weight gain and all the other crap that
we get on top of the CANCER and it is not free, the price we pay is beyond what
anyone can afford.
This princess loves to ask for free shoes, a sparkly tiara
on sale or a great price on a dress because those are fabulous! Getting cancer
for a Nip N’ Tuck not so fabulous, just saying.
Perfect marriage, blahahahahaah
16 ever loving years of marriage 21 years together are we friggin crazy???? Yes a little. I hate those people that say they have the “perfect marriage” “we never fight”, its bullshit total BS. I could give you the whole “a marriage is built on….. “ (fill in the blanks) but every marriage needs something different. We are so far from perfect we boarder insanity, but we don't give up on each other, top that suckas. Tom and I are total opposites and sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. We fight, have our challenges but at the end of the day we lay next to each other in loving comfort. Does that make the fact he doesn’t shut the lights off when he leaves a room ok, oh hell no but I still love him. When he silently corrects my grammar I know he just can’t help it and he loves me, it’s when he vocally corrects it I wanna smack him. We drive each other crazy and that is all part of this wacky marriage.
Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer changed me, him and our marriage. I have met so many who had their marriage destroyed because of the beast. I am proud to say it made us stronger. We have learned that we each are hurting through this and we respect that. We both decided that we would not let cancer consume our marriage and we fought like hell to understand each other. Tom learned that he can’t save me from cancer and all I needed was for him to hold my hand, I love that part just love it. Cancer exhausted us both of us, ok me more but I will give him that he suffered from sleep too. Tom doesn’t care what my scars look like, how much weight I gain or how insane this has made me, he really doesn’t. I guess you can say I am lucky, pretty damn lucky.For a man that doesn’t like to be public he stands by my big mouth and small foobs as my mission against cancer grows, I am so proud of him! Doesn’t that mean he always says the right thing or that I don’t fly off the handle no way just means we get the reasons why cancer has altered us forever.
The damn kids never help a marriage I am sorry kids but it’s true. They add an insane amount of stress no doubt but when the morning comes and you have these 4 amazing monkeys snuggling with you in a full size bed it all makes sense. When we got married a couple that we love and respect said to me, “When you have kids do not put them before your marriage. Your marriage comes first”. I remember thinking that is cray cray, your kids should be your priority. But the reality is that if the marriage isn’t working the kids are suffering too. I get that statement more than I ever thought and this past year has amplified that. So as we celebrate our anniversary I can say that this week I sure do love Tom a lot, next week that may change but I am going for it. How many grammatical errors were in this blog post, ask Tom he will tell you?? I can say for certain through it all he does an amazing job of shining my tiara!!
Bravery Bags
The bags have been a major success. Not only making those battling feel like they have support but making Jill and I feel like we are making strides in our own recovery. We even have Kathy in CA doing her own Bravery Bags for Kathy's Komforts, it makes me so proud of this little bag. The fund raisers have been so amazing and really helpful in keeping the bags going but the reality is we can not keep up with the demand. So through another survivor "Get the Pink Out" she told me about Amazon wish list. Jill and I have started a wish list with the title Bravery Bags. http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/ref=wish_list Just search stupiddumbbreastcancer@gmail.com and it will pop up! We are so excited to start this. You can donate the items we list or have a party yourself were your friends could get the items. The fleece blankets will still be made by the Caring Kids, the shirts by Ward Sales and the bags themselves by Wear Yours, donations can be made through them as well.
Shipping, ahhhh shipping!! It costs to ship these bags and while we want to keep it up we need a little help so if you are interested in donating the shipping email us at stupiddumbbreastcancer@gmail.com and we can send you a PayPal invoice (button coming soon). Thanks so much for your on going support, we are all making a difference by utting a smile on so many badass cancer terminator faces,
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| Rebecca rocking her Brave shirt |
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| Jeri getting her bag |
The best thing that happened to me during this dumb battle was my cancer connection group. I have met the most amazing men and women. We have all formed a bond on various social media sites and consider our friendship more like a family. Most of these people I have never had any contact with except on these sites, I won’t meet more than half of them. Yet I cannot imagine my day without being in contact with them. Some rock Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer shirts even though they didn’t have breast cancer just to show support!
I met one lady named Heather Owens, Fighting Fancy we call her. She sent me a bag filled with things to lift a cancer patient’s spirits. Heather has a great thing going because I know so many that have received this bag just when they needed it, mine came the day before my hysterectomy and made me feel like I was not alone, like someone was actually thinking about me that I have never met. It made me feel stronger. Please check all the great things this inspiring young woman has done! http://fightingfancy.com/
Then came an email from Jill in Massachusetts. “I have an idea” it said. Well you know me and ideas, I told her to call me a.s.a.p. She thought the bags were inspiring, too. We talked and talked and talked some more and came up with lots of ideas. In talking, we found our lives, stories, and values to be very similar and knew this was the making a beautiful relationship. After listening and talking it over with her with excitement she asked if I was in. I said “OH HELL YES I AM”.
We have joined forces to create “BRAVERY BAGS”. We will be making bags filled with water bottles, pillows, a tee shirt, and little things to lift spirits of those fighting the battle in our own communities! To start off they will be delivered by Jill and I in our communites, but who knows where this will lead.
We have chosen to not just sit by and wait as women and men are still BATTLING breast cancer. Neither one of us is a scientist or has any desire to get into research. We want to help people in our own community, to show them that some random person not only gets it, but is thinking of them.
We are both having a fundraiser in April 11th to raise money for these bags and will continue to have other fundraising events at the same time. We are planning to take “My Journey Through the Lumps” to the Boston area in July. We’ll have community events where children help make the bags and paint rocks with words like COURAGE on them. We will to deliver these bags to our local cancer centers by June. We are planning on taking donations, 501 is in effect. We are PLANNING so much!
I could not be happier to be working with Jill. She is fabulous! Here is her story…..
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| Jill rocking the shirts that will be in the "Bravery Bags" My name is Jill Greblick and in June of 2012 I learned I carry the Breast Cancer gene (BRCA2) which means I am at high risk (87%) for getting breast cancer and (30%) for getting ovarian cancer. Folks in my position have 3 choices....1.) do nothing, 2.) get screened every 6 months or 3) have prophylactic surgeries to get rid of "at risk" tissue. I am not a person to wait and see so I decided to move forward with the surgeries. As a preoperative screening I had a mammogram which showed "something". I had a biopsy and it was all clear. In July, I had a breast MRI which was all clear. On September 24 I had my ovaries removed and the pathology showed atypical cells so the surgeon was glad I had them out. On October 18, I had a bilateral mastectomy directly into reconstruction. Yes, I have implants. I went back to my breast surgeon on November 1 and she walked in the room as white as a ghost (holding my pathology report). The next words out of her mouth were, "Jill, you have cancer." Wow...we didn't expect that...My husband didn't even come with me to the appt. The rest of that appointment was a blur because unless you have heard those 4 words you can't imagine the feeling. Anyway, when you have cancer written in your chart you go to another place medically. Off to my oncologist (Dr. Morganstern) I go. Both he and Dr. Duggan agreed, that we needed to see if the cancer has spread to my lymph nodes (BTW the cancer was a very aggressive form (HER2+).....the fact that in July the MRI was clear and in October I had an invasive form of cancer speaks for itself). On November 26, I head back to the Operating Room for a lymph dissection. 9 nodes were taken out and they were all clear. Dr. Morganstern states several times in our visits that I was very lucky I did the surgeries when I did because in a couple of months later and we could be in a very different place. While I was going through my surgeries, I took comfort in some items my friends gave me. I loved the fuzzy socks, the pretty necklace, the functional water bottle that all my friends gave me. I also, loved a small pillow (that was made for me by my girlfriends mother) that I could place anywhere to give relief from body parts rubbing against each other. I was using it at 3:00 AM and thought everyone should have some items that bring them a bit of relief while they go through this, and Bravery Bags were born. After going through the hardest thing I have ever been through I realized that I didn't want to go back to my old life....I knew I wanted to give back to others coming after me. I read, Ann Marie's Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer Blog and realized she had the same feelings I did. I emailed and asked her if she wanted to become partners and Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer Bravery Bags were born! The SDBC Bravery Bags will contain items that will bring comfort: fuzzy socks, "chick flick" DVD, a blanket, note cards, a water bottle, a "small pillow" etc. No woman who receives our bags will ever feel alone.... |
