#384 Still Time to Get Rob's Goat

Looks like my old pal, Billy.

It's Saturday and a little goat action makes me smile today. I'm in need of a "kid" fix so I may have to wander over to visit my friend, Gwen, who raises these lovable animals.

Click here to find out how goats can help you--GOATS!

And how you can help me--go to www.onewomanmanylakes.org because it is October 31st and the last day Rob will be matching funds.  Let's really get his goat.

And now a little education on the phrase:
Get Your Goat
Basic Definition: To annoy you to the point of getting pissed. 

Sub Definition: Goat: The goat is a metaphor for your state of peacefulness. When your goat is with you, you are calm and collected. When your goat is stolen, you become angry and upset. 

Notes: Getting someone's goat can not be a quick process and must be done by not being directly mean. The best way to get someone's goat is by means of clever annoyance.


Thanks for reading #384 of 7777.

#383 A Blast From the Past

A Fav Friday update reliving the disastrous beginning of the Belize trip.  Ahhh! But it all worked out and we still have the memories and laughter to reflect on a year later.

A very quick update since the pool has my number and is calling.  Our arrival came this close (fingers pinched together) to being delayed because of the over efficient efforts of my husband.  Falling back an hour for Daylight Savings time meant the clock needed to be changed in our hotel room.  Little did the overachiever Rob realize that hotel clocks do this on their own--after all-- this is the 21st century. 

Best seaweed shakes

All I recall from the morning is waking up to a phone call from the desk clerk asking if we were planning on taking the shuttle that was leaving in two minutes.   A mad dash ensued with clothes thrown on our bodies and shoes pulled on while hopping down the stairs.  We made it with no time to spare. Luckily airport security doesn't have a ban on flying with scary bed hair, bad breath and disheveled clothing.  Despite the harried beginning, the vacation has begun with a --"leave it alone Rob"--ban on fiddling with the clocks.


Thanks for reading #383 of 7777.

#382 Madison's Die In Video You Won't Want To Miss

110 people "died" on the State Capitol steps on October 13th.

A trio of metsters

It's been a few weeks since the die in and Rob has been feverishly working on this you tube video to portray the day's events.  Neighbor, Tom, was instrumental in fine tuning the gathering and actually video taped the day and transformed it into a documentary of Madison's first metastatic breast cancer die in.

It is a moving tribute to those of us living with this disease so without further ado, watch it here:

Madison Wisconsin die in

October is nearing the end--just a couple of days left--and Rob is willing to match your donation until the 31st.  Go to www.onewomanmanylakes.org today before it's too late!

Thanks for reading # 382 of 7777.

#381 Keep Breathing

My esophagus taking a selfie.

Life and its adventures never end around the Gooze household.  Case in point...

  Last night I had what I would call an "episode" with eating and breathing and a malfunction of everything that has to do with the upper part of my body. I won't bore you with the details but it involved an ambulance ride--without the siren which translates into--she's still breathing so go slowly; and a procedure at the ER to open my esophagus.  It was painless because they sedated me with a drug that sends you to la la land and the entire scoping and fiddling around down my throat was over in 10 minutes--according to that lovable husband of mine.  He was fretting but the capable medical staff knew what to do to relieve my oxygen situation-- or lack of.

As it turns out I have what is called Schatzki ring which is a narrowing of the lower esophagus that can cause difficulty swallowing.  This ring is named after a German-American physician and saying his name is enough to choke someone in mid sentence.  My delicious piece of tuna from dinner was the culprit blocking the opening and making me feel like I was drowning in ten feet of water.

Presently I am good to go and according to Wikipedia: "The duration of the benefit of dilation varies, but may be from months to years"  before it acts up again.  Rob now feels it is his job to cut up my food and remind me to chew twenty times before swallowing.  Not sure which is worse, struggling to breath or having Rob breathing down my neck as I chomp down on each bite. One, two, three... Don't be surprised if old Schatzki's ring gets wrapped around his head if I hear him tallying my nibbles one more time.

Thanks for reading #381 of 7777.

#380 The Martian Movie

Mars landing--I think I see Matt Damon!

I'm on the fence as far as recommending the movie, The Martian. It's not a bad movie and actually has some fascinating scientific aeronautical feats depicted throughout some of the scenes. At times the story moved along, however, in parts the editors must have fallen asleep--cut cut cut!  But who made me a movie critic?

Here are a few observations:

1.  Why do most of the men look like regular guys--big guts, not terribly handsome, old--like every day people. While the women...

2.  The women--drop down gorgeous, young, sassy (I like that part) but not one looked like she would walk into the Firefly to hang out with me.  They were all stunning looking actresses and not necessarily reflecting the serious astronauts they portrayed. Disclaimer--astronauts can be good looking, too.  There must be some ratio that has a percentage going to looks or not.  I will stop writing before the foot gets completely lodged in my mouth.

3.  I know this is fiction and in the future since we haven't had anyone land on Mars yet, but bungee cords and tarps to reconfigure a major flight into space didn't seem quite realistic.  I was waiting for a Subaru to drive across the terrain and rescue poor Mark.

4.  The ending.  I won't go there, but holy cow is all I will say.

Would I recommend it?  Yes, no, maybe.  Does that help?  I took the time to write about it so go see for yourself if I missed something.

Thanks for reading #380 of 7777.

#379 No Time For Complacency

It keeps us going

Mets Monday and good news with the advances of research for the metster community.  There is a glimmer of optimism out there and time is critical.  We can not stop.  Research is our best hope.

Go to No time for complacency--advanced breast cancer research.

It's still October so head over to Donate today.

Thanks for reading # 379 of 7777.

#378 Time to Hang Up the Suit

The beautiful Neuse River

This should be my last swim for 2015 but who knows.  If that phone rings and someone living in a nice warm climate asks, I might have to dust off the wetsuit and head south.  Throw her in the water and watch her scream and raise money for metastatic breast cancer--that's my purpose now and I won't stop...you know the rest...until there is a cure and no more cancer.

The local television station covered the event along with a picture in the morning paper.  Again I will give a huge shout out to New Bern, Beth Fairchild and the South's generous hospitality.  That town really "gets it"when it comes to cancer awareness and how to treat a guest--even one from the North.

Click here to see Channel 12 news--Breast Cancer Patient Swims the Neuse.

Remember, October is closing in and Rob is still matching donations so go to He's really paying now!

Thanks for reading # 378 of 7777.

#377 The New Bern Swim!

The festivities the night before the swim.

Beth and I in our activist/lifer hat

What a day.  The sun was shining the temperature was a warm 77 degrees and the water was in the mid sixties. As I plunged into the water to do my 22nd swim and probably the last of this year I thought of how far this crazy venture has taken us--from Washington to North Carolina--coast to coast.  It has been quite the year.

Today as I rounded the bend, the crowd cheered me on as I managed to do my "reach and pull to impress the people" stroke.   While the mayor gave me a proclamation on swimming the Neuse River and praising me for raising awareness for metastatic breast cancer, I thought this is why we made coming here a priority.  Again, all I can say is, what a day.

 New Bern is now my new favorite city with the kindest people around and a setting that is out of this world. I hate to brag too much about it and create a massive influx of people here but it truly is a unique place and one I've never experienced anywhere else.  I feel that I have just made a dozen best friends who have my back.  They all are passionate about finding a cure and embraced both of us as if we were family.

Thank you New Bern for your hospitality and support.  You may be nominated for the best city award of all my swimming holes.

Thanks for reading # 377 of 7777.

The proud mayor of his city

#376 It's FAV FRIDAY!

"As I Lay Dying..."

Fav Friday today and since we are still awash in the Pinktober month, I will resurrect this pink rant from a year ago.

Blog #19   Please Don't Color Me Pink

Pink.  I will open a can of worms on this one but remember, honesty was my goal in writing this blog. 

 I hate the color.  There I said it.  Prior to having breast cancer once and now again, I did not have a particular aversion to the color.  Actually, I never thought about it.  Now I am fed up to here ( finger pointing at my flesh colored pink neck) with it.  Pepto Bismo ( an unpleasant reminder of an upset tummy) or a giant wad of chewed bubble gum stuck on the bottom of my shoe comes to mind when I see this pink phenomenon--especially in October.

Do we need a color to tell us about our breasts and what may happen to them?  If we did need a color, couldn't we agree on, let's say, one with more punch to it?  We are in the fight of our lives and the color pink sails around us like a pretty little tutu or a sweet smelling flower or even a sweet baby's bottom.  Ugh!  Give me a mean machine kind of color like Rip it out Red or Go Get 'em Green or Blast it away Blue.  Anything but pink.

 And don't get me started on the NFL teams wearing it.  Thank you for the support but show us the money.  Wear your old uniforms, donate the extra cash to the cause and leave the pink at home.  It doesn't look any better on you than it does on me. If you think I am alone on this, check out a number of breast cancer blogs--the color stinks.

Rants are good for the soul.  I feel sooooo much better now and I apologize if you are of the pink persuasion or an NFL player that actually does look good in pink.  Now go donate to a cause that actually supports the research institutes that are making a difference and not a corporation lining their own pockets.

To counter the pink attack, go to www.onewomanmanylakes.org and donate to the causes who donate 100% to metastatic research.

Thanks for listening and reading #376 of 7777.

#375 Watch Out New Bern, Here We Come!

Today we are heading to New Bern, North Carolina for a "call to action" speech followed by a--can't believe it's October and I am in the water--swim on Friday in the Neuse River.  The weather, always the weather, is a factor --but looking ahead I may have a beautiful day to paddle downstream.  Rumor has it there may be a bagpiper play his pipes(is that what they are called?) as I move from one shore to the other.

The event, Get Your Pink On, is organized by Beth Fairchild, a prominent citizen in the community and a real go getter in the mets world.  She is definitely a mover and a shaker. We met Beth last April in Hillsdale State Park when we joined the Metavivor van that was crossing the country rallying troops and visiting researchers.  Beth and CJ came out on a chilly day to watch me being battered by the waves going in the opposite direction of my swim.

Not sure if she was impressed with that attempt but she invited me out to her part of the country to swim and spread the word.  I'm excited and looking forward to meeting the NC crew and discover a new city.
Click here to see New Bern, NC

Pictures and details will follow.

Thanks for reading # 375 of 7777.

#374 Stop That Thief!

Cancer--a robber and a thief.

This may be a bit of a downer but I am venting so pass on reading this blog today if you'd rather hear a bit of cheery news.

Cancer is a thief and a plunderer.  I will count down the ways this disease has deprived me since entering my life four years ago.

Cancer deprives me...

10. From running and sweating hard and going all out in a workout while the sweat drips off my nose and I can hardly breathe.  Doesn't and can't happen anymore.
9.  Getting up in the morning and having a whole day of not thinking about it.  I may have an hour or two of cancer free thoughts but never ever a whole day.
8.  Future trips on places to go and see.  Will I be healthy enough to travel?  Will it interfere with my appointments or treatments?
7.  Drinking my favorite martini.
6.  Maintaining my weight as I watch the scales go up due to the medication.
5. A morning free from downing a half a dozen pills.
4.  My kids living a normal worry free life while their mom struggles with a terminal illness.
3.  Triathlons.
2.  A stress free husband.
1.  Of possibly growing old with that husband of mine.

Yep, that's where I am today.  Guaranteed tomorrow will be better but I will never write a blog or anything else on how cancer has given me a gift.  Will never happen. Cancer only takes--never gives.

You can help by going to www.onewomanmanylakes.org and give.

Thanks for reading #374 of 7777.

#373 A Little Bit of Fall Craziness

Yep, he's that crazy!

We are closing in on the end of October and Rob, the dear man that he is, continues to match any donation going to METAvivor or American Cancer Society.  All you need to do is go to the website, www.onewomanmanylakes.org and click on the giant donate button.  That will take you to two sites to choose--Metavivor or ACS.  It is that simple and the rewards are endless.

If you have already made your donation, here is another thought I had a two in the morning when the sleep fairies were obviously preoccupied with Rob.   Go on your email list and send this letter (or write your own) to ten, twenty, a hundred friends who don't know me.  Get them to donate and let's watch the dollars flow in.  Poor Rob will be sweating buckets when he hears about this!

Sample letter:
Dear _______________,
Hey there, just checking in with a request for money, but not for me. My dear sweet lovable friend (okay, maybe you don't need that much sap) has metastatic breast cancer and her husband, an upbeat and crazy kind of character, has actually agreed to match any donations for the month of October.  Do you believe it?  He must be getting some kind of return--if you know what I mean (wink, wink).

Anyway, I have already donated but am asking my good friends out there to do the same. Let's make this guy pay...and pay big.  It's easy.  Go to www.onewomanmanylakes.org and donate to either group--METAvivor or ACS--both have designated all monies to go directly to metastatic research.  Pretty cool and it could save my friend's life or at least keep her around a little longer to hang out with her husband and with me.

I know Mary and she will thank you from the very bottom of her heart because it means that much to her and to all of our friends.  Just a slight disclaimer--she can be a pain in the a$$ at times but she's worth every penny that's donated.

Your good buddy,


Thanks for reading # 373 of 7777.

#372 Camille Scheel--Author--a Must Read

Met's Monday today and this blog resonated with me about the whole month of October and the ubiquitous pink washing.  Thanks for being open to reading and learning more about this disease.

When Pink Fades to Black

There’s a big pink party and I’m not invited. For so long, I just sat and pouted. Then I felt angry, like Maleficent being left out of Sleeping Beauty’s party. 

At first I thought the celebration was for me. When my breast cancer was stage III, I walked a race and felt the love radiating from a crowd of pink tutus, t-shirts and feather boas. Then my breast cancer became metastatic, also know as terminal, incurable, advanced or stage IV. The pink world no longer made sense.

As a community, breast cancer survivors are struggling to decide if we should banish the pink or reclaim it. Created as a symbol of hope, it continues to build community for millions, including many with metastatic breast cancer. For me, pink is complicated. The narrative of cancer treatment, then cure, then party seems dangerous. It excludes the very people who are going to die from this disease. It misguides others to believe breast cancer is already cured, making them less likely to understand friends with metastatic breast cancer. Plus, if you think it’s cured, you aren’t likely to advocate for research to truly end breast cancer. 

This year, I’m ignoring social graces, and crashing the party. I published a book, Camp Chemo: Postcards Home from Metastatic Breast Cancer to promote understanding. I insisted our local breast cancer conference include a session on living with metastasis. After speaking along side a palliative care doctor and a psychologist, women in the room made connections with each other, telling their stories. Many said they’ve never really felt welcome at breast cancer events, but they found community at this conference. One conference, one book, one story at a time our voices are being heard. 

For 30% of those with breast cancer, eventually, the pink fades to black. Even if we have to crash the big pink party, we’re communicating that we deserve a place at the table. In more and more cases, we are being embraced for our wisdom. And that helps everyone at the table. 

It’s important to remember individuals with conditions that don’t fit neatly into their specific disease box. Often, those on the fringes teach important lessons that ultimately help everyone. 

Camille Scheel was 38 when diagnosed with stage III breast cancer. It metastasized to her bones in 2012. She is author of Camp Chemo: Postcards Home from Metastatic Breast Cancer, available at book sellers and CampChemo.com.

Remember October is matchmaker month for Rob and his money so go donate www.onewomanmanylakes.org

Thanks for reading # 372 of 7777.

#371 I'm Talking To YOU

Awwwwww!

Rob and I will soon be heading south on quite the adventure for a couple of weeks. When I say south, I mean the most southern continent in the world--yep, you guessed it--Antarctica.  I believe I can say that we probably will not have access to Wifi to write a blog without gloves on or even post one so here's a big request for you.

Go to your computers and start typing.  Since having cancer (no, I'm not pulling the cancer card...okay, maybe a little one) celebrating every day is important so I'd like YOU to write about the best day you've ever had or would like to have.  Make it short and sweet (or not),  prose or poetry--wherever that keyboard takes you and I will publish it during our chilly escapade.  Do it NOW because departure time is near. Send it to me via email--info@onewomanmanylakes.org or private message me on Facebook.

Thanks and enjoy this preview of what we will be seeing--lucky for you videos don't smell (we have heard their poo is rather rank)--while we are waaaaay down under.


Click one here: Cool penguins

Thanks for reading #371 of 7777.

#370 A Pig and a Cat--Go Figure

Yep, a pig and a cat

Belly laughing has always been my relief for stress and last Sunday I was with one of my favorite gigglers, my eldest son.  We were at that magnificent Packer game (by the way, it ended in a victory for all of us devoted fans) when Aaron and I shared one of those --tears rolling down the cheeks and if I laugh any more tears will be running down my legs--moments.  Unfortunately what happened can't be described here--one of those "you had to be there" kind of silliness.  A maximum stress reliever at its best as it felt so good to be hunched over together in blissful agony reaching beyond the limits of hysteria.  Love love love laughing that hard and guffawing with someone I cherish.

With that said, today's video will not necessarily be a burst out laughing experience but one that made me chuckle and had to be shared.

Click here for a giggle and a half--A Pig and a Cat

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading # 370 of 7777.

#369 The First Fav Friday

This is what I looked like in October, 2014

I made an executive decision that Fridays would be a new tradition and have named it-- Favorite Fridays.  I looked back and felt this one generated much discussion. Unfortunately I could add a few more to the--put your foot in your mouth--comments but will refrain and have you read my thoughts near the beginning of my cancer saga (it seems like centuries ago) on blog # 7.  Happy Reading.

#7 Things NOT to say to someone with cancer

A warning before you read this.  It may sound like an ungrateful blog but when I began this 7777+ Day gig, honesty and not holding back would be part of my writing. I promise tomorrow's blog will be a more pleasant take on life.  (The parentheses are my reactions to the actual comments)  So here it goes...

My aunt had the same thing and died a horrible death (Obviously inappropriate).

A positive attitude is everything (Yes, this is true, but it can be wearing at times and will any negative thoughts doom me?).

Let me tell you about my ______surgery/procedure/etc. (Suddenly everyone wants to share their medical history with me--I'm semi listening).

Were you a smoker? (What????  It is breast cancer and not in my lungs and besides, you can get lung cancer without smoking).

If you eat this it will cure your cancer (Sorry it doesn't happen that way).

You look fabulous (this is a tough one because I'm sure it is a genuine and kind remark but I am wondering how bad I looked before).

You are such an inspiration (Another difficult one to criticize and you shouldn't feel badly if you had said this to me but I would rather inspire people to work out, eat right, read books-- anything but be an inspiration on how to live with cancer--so this one is really about me and not you).

Have you lost/gained weight ( I'll admit that I am a tad sensitive because the scales keep going up or down depending on the week...and really, someone did ask).

Have you tried this pill/treatment/whatever (No, but I am following my doctor's orders and he will decide if the "whatever" will work for me, but thanks for the information).

I had a close encounter with cancer but luckily I'm okay (I'm thrilled you dodged this bullet and I don't mean to be unsympathetic, but, as my kids would say, "too soon" for me to hear this now--I'll admit, jealousy reared its ugly head).

NOTHING (This one speaks volumes and it bothers me more than any of the above).  

You may be thinking about how to avoid me because anything said might end up in the blog? Fear not, tomorrow I will have advice on what to say so you are prepared when I approach you at the next cocktail party with notepad in hand.  Kidding, just kidding. 

Thanks for reading # 369 of 7777.

#368 I Know That Face

Do you recognize that mug? It is yours truly on the billboard in Times Square in NY on October 13th!  I love what my sister-in-law wrote: "Only the super stars make it to the Times Square billboard.  You go girl."

Not sure if I qualify as a super star but if this gets the message out you can call me anything you want. Wish I could have been there to witness this but the die in was a top priority for me on Tuesday.  
There also is an article written about me but can't figure how to get it on this page--where are those tech savvy kids when you need them?  Stay tuned--a small miracle could happen and it will suddenly appear.

A quick added note with a video.  This was from the die in from Channel 15.  A huge thank you to Kate Pabich for getting the word out. NBC video

Remember, October is Rob's month to match all donations.  One more reason he wants me hanging around for many more years (Awww, sweet).  Go to I'll make it up to him if he has to pay.

Thanks for reading #368 of 7777..

#367 Enough! More for Stage IV

A portion of the 110 people who "died".

I'm not sure why I doubted 110 people wouldn't show up at the die in.  Support for Maggie, Heather and the 175,000 of us living with this disease has been a constant and we were not disappointed yesterday when over 120 people lined up to join our voices saying, "Enough"!

Heather, Maggie and me

It was a moving event with heartfelt speeches given by these two fabulous women; and then witnessing the "deaths" of our supporters as they laid down for us was beyond what I imagined for the day.

Pictures have been flooding Facebook so will share a few here to try and show the magnitude of what we witnessed for the day.  We were included in last night's newscast on all three channels--and were not bumped by another story that usually upstages us.  Now it is our time to be heard and we will not stop until the public and the lawmakers also say, "Enough".

Click here to see Bagpiper from the die in

Don't ignore Stage IV!

It is still October and Rob is willing to match your donations so go to Make Rob pay   and find out how you can help.

Thanks for reading # 367 of 7777.

#366 I'm Baaaaack!

Brochures from SprintPrint--Thanks Liz!

Yesterday was the first year of blogging and now on to year number two.  It will be a brief entry because it is "die in" day and busy is my middle name right now.

 It is our hope that the lawmakers will get a visual of what it looks like to have 110 people who represent those who will die today from this disease lying on the Capitol steps. Profound and moving is what we are trying to achieve.

Please join us at noon today on the steps of the Capitol building on the State Street side and be a part of the solution as we raise our voices to correct the injustices of the research resources.

Go to Find out more and donate today.

Thanks for reading # 366 of 7777.

  

#365 ONE YEAR!

Click here and read this article about doing something for 365 days.

I did it!  365 days of writing and ranting and coming up with something--anything-- every single day.   Should I continue?  Surprisingly enough it has become somewhat of a habit, although there are days when this habit feels like a nasty one that could or should be broken.  Many days finding exactly what to say that hasn't already been said or ranting again without causing everyone to fall asleep became a huge problem.

However, revealing what it is like to be living with cancer has taught me more things than not.  The kindness of others responding to something I've written or the chuckles I've had from relaying one of Rob's quirky antics has been a side benefit I had not anticipated.

Will I continue daily?  I'm not sure...probably...undecided--depends on the day I ask myself that question.  I know I stated that I will do this for 7777+ days--a pretty lofty goal now that I think about it.  Since I write the rules this second year of writing may take on a different look.  A couple of ideas I had were Favorite Fridays--a look back on some of my fav blogs or more guest bloggers (hint hint).  Of course my Mets Mondays will continue along with sharing the witty episodes of living with that charming husband of mine. 

Educating the public about this disease was by far the most important aspect of writing and I could easily accomplish this by searching the all knowing internet to find a wealth of information.

But when I dig down a little deeper and truly think about why I do this every day,  I want to believe it is a way for me to be remembered by my children, my friends and my extended family.  I have often thundered about not wanting to be forgotten and maybe this is one more way to make sure that does not happen.

Now raise your glass high and make a toast to one whole year under my belt and (gulp) twenty more to go.

Of course I must conclude with a request for donations--One Whole Year

Thanks and I really mean thanks for reading # 365!!!! of 7777.

#364 Go Pack Go (Without the Pink, Please)

GO PACKERS! 

Off to the big game against the Rams today with the men in our family.  I will be cheering them on but will educate those sitting near me about the "pink" paraphernalia on their uniforms.  Click and read this informative article and you will see why I turn red when I think about the research dollars wasted--A small amount of money from pink NFL merchandise goes to breast cancer research.

Don't forget October 13th at noon on the Capitol steps in Madison for the die-in.  Let's collectively make our voices heard.

Thanks for reading # 364 of 7777.

#363 Voices of Metastatic Breast Cancer

If you haven't seen this already, this was an interview with Voices of MBC.  They have been highlighting women living with the disease while humanizing it to a degree that you won't forget who we are.

Thanks to Leslie who is orchestrating this social media blitz. Go to Voices of MBC

I will be giving shout outs about the die-in scheduled for October 13th at noon on the steps of the State Capitol in Madison from now until Tuesday.  Please join us because I don't like to rant and scream alone.  I need 110 people alongside me to show lawmakers and the public that we, the metastatic community, demand more research dollars for this disease.

Go to Join us now! to donate, find more information and to help in the fight against MBC.

Thanks for reading #363 of 7777.

#362 La Lingerie

As I was biking a few days ago, I received a phone call from La Lingerie--a bra shop in Madison who specializes in fitting you with the most amazing looking bras around.  They are brought in from all over the world but most seem to be from France--the experts on undergarments and a country who knows their stuff on breasts.

If you want to feel like a million dollars, go go go to this store get fitted, pampered and spoiled with a one on one session with their trained staff.  I was extremely impressed with the service and with my purchases last month.

As I left the store, I handed the clerk my One Woman Many Lakes card and chatted briefly on my mission of educating about MBC.  The recent phone call was a result of that encounter informing me that her store would donate a percentage of their profits to METAvivor or ACS--both are giving 100% of the donations to metastatic research.

Wow!  Is all I can say and thank you.  Now it is up to you to go to your chest of drawers, throw out those ratty looking bras and head down to La Lingerie. Treat yourself to an hour of the divine pleasure of trying on bra after bra until you get the exact right fit.  Buy it or two or three and with those uplifting purchases you will be giving a donation to a cause that is near and dear to my heart.

Trust me on this one.  You won't regret it and will be walking around perkier and prettier than ever before. Go to La Lingerie Shop to find out what they are all about.  You will be impressed.

Thanks for reading #362 of 7777.

#361 The Speech From a Lifer

Whew!  A big WHEW!  I had my speech today in front of lawmakers, aides, donors, friends, oncologists and anyone else wandering around who poked their heads in the door.  I have been sweating bullets about this speech for months and was not sure if I could do it.

Well, pleased to say that after a shaky first minute when my heart was in my throat and my little bitty breakfast was rolling around, I calmed down and nailed--if I do say so myself.  Putting a face and a story on the life of a stage iv person had meaning and if I educate this roomful of people today, I have been successful.

A huge thank you to my pack of friends sitting front and center cheering me on.  Love them to pieces.

I've included the conclusion of my speech so you can also be my messenger and educate others.

My official first One woman many lakes swim was in Lake Patagonia in AZ.  In March we arrived with our homemade sign on a sunny day with the water temperature registering a chilly 58 degrees.  With my husband and our dog following me in a rowboat I dove in and quickly swam the frigid 2 miles.  When I came to shore a man who had been watching me questioned me on what the heck was I doing in the middle of this cold lake.  After I showed him my sign and explained my campaign, he said, I’ll write a check…and that’s when it all began.  

Since then I have swum a total of 21 lakes, talked to scores of people about metastatic breast cancer and have raised money — but not enough.  I can not do this alone . This breakfast , and thank goodness I don’t have to wear my wet suit today, provides me with another outlet for educating the public and lawmakers about this disease. This is now my purpose—making sure we are not forgotten. Please, help me make a difference to others with metastatic breast cancer and make research priority.  Research is our best hope.

Thanks for reading #361 of 7777.

#360 One Week to Go

Maggie hopes to see you at the die-in--and me too!

Less than one week until the powerful-- look at us, hear us roar--die-in.  Will you be there?  People have asked if we have enough people.  Not sure since not everyone has responded but I keep blasting it away in the airways and won't stop until the day is over.

If you can't come, send friends--male or female--we need bodies to make this count.  110.  That's the magic number of people who will "die" on the State Capitol steps in Madison on October 13th at noon.  It will be quite the statement we will be making to the public, lawmakers and cancer organizations to make them accountable for providing more money to metastatic research.  Two percent is all that is given for the drugs and treatments for those of us living with the disease.  It is not enough.

Please consider standing(and "dying") with us on Tuesday.  Your vote of support will send a message to everyone--the metastatic community included--that we will be heard.

Also, don't forget October we are matching donations--go to Make Rob Pay.  The house is still in our name but I won't be shopping for anything new for a while (it's a-okay with me).

Thanks for reading # 360 of 7777.

#359 Oops! But It Wasn't a Disaster

“It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” 

― Mahatma Gandhi

A little bitty mistake

Sometimes when we make mistakes and we wish there was an immediate do over button.  If not a do over, than the ability to divvy up the blame to lessen the "duh" hit on the head, what was I thinking--kind of reaction.  Rob and I "shared" one of those moments last week and are still banging our heads against the wall wondering how it all happened.

The story goes that I was to attend an event in another city using the friendly skies to get there.  After Rob read the email and reported to me that it would take place on Sunday; he booked the flight to leave on Friday and return the following Monday (remember his over efficient self? It proved to be a little too quick on the draw--more on that later).

Perfect, I thought, as I had read over the email about time and place.  All was set for me to leave, arrangements had been made to reconfigure the home front weekend's activities I would be missing and everything was good to go.

Until...

A telephone call and a mention of "see you on Friday" stopped us in our tracks. No! No! No!  The event will be taking place not this Sunday but in FOUR WEEKS. A big gigantic Oops!  Definitely a senior moment on both our parts, however, I do think Rob needs to take a teensy bit more of the blame since he read it first and mentally put the incorrect date in my head.  

Fortunately all's well that ends well and we were able to cancel the airline tickets without a penalty,  realign our canceled weekend events and not be completely embarrassed by showing up on the wrong date.

Mini life mistakes happen and there was no harm done except allowing us a good laugh at our blunder. I do wish our children would think the same instead of giving us that look with the thought of a nursing home in our near future.

Thanks for reading #359 of 7777.

#358 365 Days of the Year

While I appreciate the hardy souls who lobbied for October 13th to be Metastatic Breast Cancer day, why in the world would they choose the number 13? I may be a tad superstitious but this number does not instill the feel of being terribly lucky.  Actually it has the opposite effect--was this why no one else wanted it?  HISTORY_OF_METASTATIC_BREAST_CANCER_AWARENESS_DAY.


We live with this *&^*%^ disease 365 days of the year.  I want everyone to think about MBC every single day--like we do--until there is a cure.  One single day of the year when the media may highlight us, people will give their sympathetic looks, nod their heads about the lack of funding; and then October 14th rolls around.  Phew, done with that business now move on past those poor metsters on "their" day--let's find the survivors--they are a whole lot more fun.

Is that how it works?  I hope not.  If you follow Facebook, there is a rumble starting to brew and we will not sit by and let this day pass without finding a place in your back pocket (or your heart) for the next year.  Our time is short. We can not wait until October 13, 2016 for another day of recognition.  Right now. Right now hear us roar...and do something about it.

Go to DONATE NOW! and then pass this on.  My dear friends and family have been beyond generous; and now we need to let others join in on our cause.  I am matching the donations contributed for the month of October.  The house is still in tact so keep the money rolling in.

Thanks for reading #358 of 7777.

#357 Save the Sand Castle

My dear husband is the guest blogger today. It was written after learning about a friend's relapse with this disease.  This says it all.  Love, love love this man of mine.

"People ask me what it is like to have a loved one deal with a terminal disease like metastatic breast cancer. One image is building a sand castle. You build this beautiful castle with towers and a moat around it. Then you build this giant outer wall to keep the waves from washing it away. But you know the tide is coming in and no matter how often you rebuild the wall from the water washing it away there is nothing you can do to keep the waves from eventually wrecking the castle."

Please stop the tide from coming in, go to Stop The Tide and donate.  Remember, your dollars will be matched for the month of October.

Thanks for reading # 357 of 7777.

#356 Not the Sounds of Silence

Thinkstock

The Fat Lady Singing

Listen to that sound. Do you hear it?  It is the sound of our collective voices asking to be heard.  We are still educating and pleading and shouting about metastatic breast cancer because it's not over until the fat lady sings and when there are 110 of us dying today...TODAY...we can not celebrate the survivorship of breast cancer.  It simply is not there for any singing to begin.

Click here for an interesting read--Let's do something different this year.

Remember the $10 matching drive from blog # 355?  It is still October and it continues so go to donate today and click that button that will save lives.



Thanks for reading # 356 of 7777.

#338 October 13th--a Date to Remember--Forgot to publish this one!

METAvivor

A big whoops and I have no idea how I missed it. This post--#338 was to be posted way back when and it was missed.  How did that happen?  It's your lucky day--you get a twofer today.

I am on a mission to get 110 people out on the Capitol steps in Madison on October 13th.  The first ever "die in" for metastatic breast cancer will be held to send the word to our legislators in Wisconsin and in Washington that we need more funding from NIH.  Please shout out to your friends to join us on the State Street side at noon.  Below is an itinerary of the event.

We will be meeting on the steps beginning at 11:30 to get instructions.  If you can’t get there until closer to noon, no problem.  We just need you.  The agenda will go as follows:

1.  Congregate at the Capitol steps by State Street.  Bring a towel or blanket if the ground is wet.

2  Line up 10 people in a row facing the capitol

3.  A welcome address will be given and then the signal to begin the die-in.

4. The first person will lie down when the bell chimes, then the person standing next to them and so on until all 110 are lying down.  You may want to link arms with the person next to you. Silence is important.

5.  After the last person lies down, a eulogy will be read followed by 110 seconds of silence.

6. A signal will be given to get up, embrace and the die-in will be done.

Hopefully the press will be out—we are working on it—and bystanders will be educated. 

Email, phone or holler at me if you are coming.

Thank you for your support.  It is critical that we show the public what has NOT been happening and what SHOULD happen in the metastatic community.  MORE MONEY and MORE AWARENESS.

Thanks for reading # 338 of 7777.

#355 Do You Love a Challenge?

wikipedia

I have a new challenge for you and we (the metster community) are going to love it.

 The month of pink is upon us and is all about breast cancer awareness--you see it EVERYWHERE, can't escape it and it comes yearly (like Halloween only scarier for metsters).  You know the facts and figures of early diagnosis because we have been bombarded for years--yet there still is no cure to what kills us.

 Metastatic breast cancer--the only breast cancer that leaves us with no options, none, there is no cure---yet.  All those grim details on the awful next step after an initial breast cancer diagnosis do not add up to a pink smiley face and a happy ending for the 155,000+ of us living every day with this illness.  Not your fault that you haven't heard--it's been a dark hidden secret-- that's why I EDUCATE and RANT and now CHALLENGE  you!

Back to the challenge I mentioned--it is a simple one.  You donate $10.00 (or more) and I will match it.   Ten bucks--that's a latte and a sweet treat at Starbucks--and you would be donating to a cause that will save lives. Plus, I'm matching it so let's do a little calculation--10+10 = $20--easy math and an easy way to get us one step closer to a cure.  This challenge will take place right now--for this whole month--for finding a cure.

Spread the word and pass this on.  Make me sweat on how much money will come pouring in.  I'll sell the house if I have to--it is that critical.

Go to Make a difference today and donate ( and to find out more about MBC). Make a comment on this One Woman Many Lakes Facebook post on how much you donated and I will write out my check.  It takes a click of your finger on the donate button and you and I will be best buds forever because you cared.

Thanks a gazillion and more for donating and reading #355 of 7777.

#354 Mythbusters

I can't remember who posted this on Facebook but thought I'd share it on October 1st--the first day of OCTOBER AND THE PINK TSUNAMI!

From a metster Facebook friend: "So I'm giving a talk on the 8th of October. I just rehearsed it and it is a tiny bit short on time. I'm calling it Mythbusters and have 8 myths that I have addressed. They are:
1. Early detection = cure
2. Breast cancer is more survivable than ever.
3. Early detection is always possible with regular mammograms.
4. Late stage diagnosis= neglect by the patient to spot indications of disease or to be screened in a timely manner.
5. Breast cancer is an older women's disease. young women do not get breast cancer,
6. Annual mammograms protect women from dying of breast cancer.
7. Buying pink products and race registrations help the cause of ending breast cancer.
8. That there is such a thing as breast cancer prevention."

Remember-- these are all myths surrounding breast cancer.  Help our cause by educating others and donate to an organization that will send 100% of its donations directly to research. Click here to go to METAvivor saves lives.

Thanks for reading # 354 of 7777.