: About Me

I was a former smoker, and at age 43, I had to have my left lung removed to save my life. Try that one on for size? You are told you have stage 3 B carcinoma, and most doctors wouldn't even try to operate on me with these odds. A one percent chance of survival, not good odds at all. But, the fortunate person that I am, I was sent an angel. His first name only, was George. The Doctor George in fact! He was a quiet man, but I tell everyone he is the surgeon with the golden scalpel. And we have a connection like no other people on earth. He went into my body, and cut away my lung, and I was then 4 days later at home wondering what the heck just happened to me?

As if lung cancer wasn't enough, I then was found to be a woman with breast cancer in 1997 and had two surgeries to get all of it. Then in 2000 I went to see my brand new granddaughter in Georgia and when we returned I was hospitalized with MG (myasthenia gravis). It means grave weakness of the muscles. And I was hospitalized with complications, and between three hospitals, was stabalized and had to learn how to talk, eat and breath on my own all over again. Now, I stroll in a wheelchair and had to forget about dancing in the moonlight due to a breathing deficit and not being able to recover my walking ability. Then BAM! Breast cancer hit me again, in the other breast, and I had the newest treatment, the "mammosite", and had one week of a special radiation, and not the typical five to seven weeks of radiation and chemo. I will update, after I see my new films in about three weeks. Sure would appreciate your prayers. I guess you could say someone up there in Heaven, loves me. I am still here and smiling, just to make people curious, LOL. As long as I am vertical I guess.

So, I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother, of six great grandkids and they are all not going to be smokers. I know, because I have set them down and shared with them the ugly side of lung cancer. Helium wants me to explain who I am,... and I am doing this now. When you go through what I have, it is who you are, from that day forward....and more! Or if you put a spin on it...less depending how you read it. I am also an avid softball and baseball fan. Now, when it comes to football, the Steelers, all the way baby! Just llike I said, " All the way and they did it! Congratulations Steelers nice going.

I have been with Helium.com since February now, and it really allows me to place my words where they are supposed to be and I have enjoyed this process! In doing so it makes me feel as though I can make a real difference from my experiences in life, and sharing my good and not so good times with all of you. Hope you enjoy reading my entries and I look forward to reading yours, enjoy the moment, it is all we really have.

My passion is ...

People and any sense of life I can gleen in a day.

I know too much about ...

Lung cancer, breast cancer and illness. Mysasthenia Gravis too, that holds me hostage in a wheelchair

My parents always told me ...

Set an example, I have two little sisters that would follow me.

My childhood ambition ...

To be a nun, to help feed the world's hungry, and to just be happy!

My favorite memory ...

Was the day I met my husband, there go the idea's above.

Why I write ...

I write, because I used to perform dancing to express myself. I do not have the lung capacity now to do so. This is a creative way for me to be an artist again.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

The evening news! Must stay current you know. I am reading currently Creative Visualization...by Shakti Gawain, as suggested by my instructor/mentor..

My first job ...

A waitress, in a hot dog shop and a pizza shop.

My best moment ...

When I gave birth to our daughter and handed her to her daddy.

My inspiration ...

Without pause.....My husband! He is my heartbeat.

Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory People should not be dependent on welfare

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Years ago welfare was coined relief. It was meant to help a family or person until they got back on their own feet. If one member of a family was on relief it was kept quiet as it was looked down on, and not looked to as anything to be very proud of and mum was the word. There are times when all of us could use a hand up, a stark difference from a hand out. But then you hear things such as "the generations of welfare families" and I ask: "Why can't one member of this generational family find a way to climb out of the welfare role and into society as a contributing member?" It is unfortunat...

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