This Is My Cancer

On February 5 was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer.

Because there was some Lymph node involvement I had to undergo a full body CAT scan and a Bone scan to rule out any metastatic cancer. Diagnosis: No Metastasis. But because of the Tumor size and its growth habit, It was necessary to take the strongest Chemo and more often to try and shrink it for better results pre-surgery and radiation.

The drugs kill not only the bad cells in the body but the good cells and wreak havoc in the organs in your body.I had to have a MUGA Scan to determine if my heart was strong enough to withstand the drug that can damage my heart down the road or even during therapy - which is why the test as well as the others will be repeated during my days with Cancer.

The Chemo also wreaks havoc on the physical body that can be seen with the naked eye. Hair Loss...fingernail loss...the way you walk because of the bone pain...

I did  not cry when I heard the Dr.say "You have Cancer. We'll have to wait for the biopsy results to determine what kind it is and then we'll start Chemo." I did not cry when I knew would lose my hair but I knew I had a long road ahead of me.

I am working on My Cancer Blog.I may not get online everyday because I may feel worse on some days than others. But I do keep a journal with me so I can keep track of my trials and the oh so many blessings I have received and continue receive everyday  - and my thoughts for that day.

I will be getting Up Close and Personal. Why I am here with Cancer and why I should not be here with  Cancer. At Least not this way...

Yesterday- Monday... I did break down and cry right after my Chemo. My Team Nurse said my Hair would be coming out on Thursday! THAT MAKES MY CANCER SO VERY REAL!!!

The Price of Freedom

I was reading an article on the atrocities taking place in Syria. How horrible that small children were pulled from the arms of their mothers - then raped, beaten with rifles, shot at point blank range, and in some cases burned alive.

And under the article some poster commented - “We don’t care about these people - they brought it on themselves.”

Absolutely unbelievable!

The Syrian people have been oppressed for over forty years under the al-Assad regime. Hafez al-Assad isolated his people from the rest of the world. His son, Bashar al-Assad, the current dictator, is responsible for the atrocities going on today.

When Bashar became President and his ability to rule was questioned - he thought he could win his people over by allowing the Internet and satellite TV into the country.

His plan backfired.

When the people of Syria educated themselves and began demanding civil rights and economic reform - the regime retaliated and the atrocities began.

It is heart-wrenching knowing so many Syrians are waking up every morning having to hear fighting in their streets and the screams of innocent men, women and children being tortured and brutally murdered.

These people just wanted to be treated fairly, to be regarded as citizens worthy of respect. So when I hear that some a$$hole says ‘Who cares’ it makes my blood boil.

Is he saying that they deserve to be tortured and brutally murdered for wanting freedom from oppression? Is he saying that it is okay for innocent children to be murdered because one day they will grow up demanding the same rights?

For those who feel the same way - I can tell you that they take their freedoms for granted. You know why? Because they did not fight for them; they did not shed one single drop of blood! Our forefathers did it for them!

So…Why don’t you get up from your computer - go find your big girl panties, put them on because you’re going to need them - then go get your passport and buy a one-way ticket to Damascus - and see what it’s like for people to have to fight for the freedoms you have in this country!

If you are lucky enough not to get caught in the crossfire - please don't make plans to come back here. We still don't want you here - because you weren't humane enough to care in the first place.
Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

Matthew 25:41-46

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’

Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

A Dance With The Devil

Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

The Truth of The Matter

I recently heard that a friend of mine has an acquaintance whose son age 18 went to enlist in the military and was denied. The boy at the age of 13, had been having problems with his much younger sibling always getting into his things - and a mother who didn’t seem to see the importance of the privacy for the older brother. This put the older son in a position to protect his own belongings and he began slapping the younger sibling and of course always got in trouble for hitting.

On one day so frustrated, the older son hit his younger sibling harder than he had before and the mother out of her own frustration and without thinking of the repercussions decided to call the police to teach her son a lesson. What this mother did was ruin the rest of her son’s life.

I was bothered by this and contacted an old friend who is in the military who then put me in contact with a recruiter friend of his.

What I was told is:

Guys get in fights with friends, guys get into brawls at bars and get charged with assault. We see this all of the time and we know we can pretty much get them straightened out in boot camp. But when someone assaults a family member - someone they are supposed to care about, to love - then it is our position that they don’t care about anyone or anything - and we do not want these kind of people in our ranks. They’re trouble from the get-go.

Then I asked him about the sealed record. If this kid was 13 when this happened and the record was sealed how did the military get a hold of it?

And he answered:

A sealed record, juvenile or adult - is basically something moved from one drawer to another. Anyone with the knowledge or know-how to access the records i.e. Military-Judges-Lawyers, detectives, etc. can find them.
And if the charges were ever posted on the Internet, they can be found as well.

Additionally, even though the defendant in a case is granted any rights to not acknowledge a criminal charge or where the general public may have difficulty in finding this information - there is still a Victim who cannot be ordered by a court to say he or she was never a victim of the plaintiff’s crime.

The victim can always provide evidence by a show of court documents, summons to appear - and if the crime was posted on the Internet, the defendant most likely will have proof of the crime from that source as well.

The Truth of The Matter is:

You cannot undo the things you have done. You cannot pretend that what you have done never happened. Your actions will follow you all the days of your life.

Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

Criminals Alive and Well In Vegas

Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

How Con Artists Work

I found this great article on Con Artists by Ed Grabianowski

Con artists make money through deception. They lie, cheat and fool people into thinking they've happened onto a great deal or some easy money, when they're the ones who'll be making money.

If that doesn't work, they'll take advantage of our weaknesses -- loneliness, insecurity, poor health or simple ignorance.

The only thing more important to a con artist than perfecting a con is perfecting a total lack of conscience.

What does the average con artist look like? Despite what you may think, he isn't always a shady-looking character. A con artist is an expert at looking however he needs to look. If the con involves banking or investments, the con artist will wear a snappy suit. If it involves home improvement scams, he'll show up wearing well-worn work clothes. Even the basic assumption that the con is a "he" is incorrect: there are plenty of con women too.

You might think you can spot a con artist because he's someone you instinctively "don't trust." But the term con artist is short for confidence artist -- they gain your confidence just long enough to get their hands on your money.

They can be very charming and persuasive. A good con artist can even make you believe he is really an old friend you haven't seen in years.

Con artists do share certain characteristics, however.

Even the best con can only go on for so long before people start getting suspicious.
For that reason, con artists tend to move frequently.

They may have a job that allows this, or they might claim to have such a job. Railroad worker, carnival worker and traveling salesman are all parts con artists play to cover up their constant relocations.

It would be impo­ssible to catalogue every con, because con artists are inventive. While many cons are simply variations on ones that are hundreds of years old, new technologies and laws give con artists the opportunity to create original scams.

Many cons tend to fall into a few general categories, however: street cons, business cons, Internet cons, loan cons and home improvement cons.

Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

Husband Sacrifices Life Jacket For Wife

Reading the article on the Costa Concordia Cruise Disaster from Huffington post what kept coming back at me was…

He did what any husband would have done for his wife.

Again

He did what any husband would have done for his wife.

As the Costa Concordia cruise ship went down off the west coast of Italy Jan. 13, Nicole Servel's husband, Francis, gave her the only life jacket they had. He knew Nicole could not swim.

He did what any husband would have done for his wife.

Then Francis Servel disappeared into the icy waters.

He did what any husband would have done for his wife.

God Bless you Francis Servel. You will be rewarded in Heaven!

Again the words resonated inside of me -

He did what any husband would have done for his wife.

Any husband but mine.

Mine would have donned the lifejacket - laughed as he prepared to swim to shore and would have as he turned to swim - pushed me under the icy waters hoping to speed up the process of my demise.
I envision that he would have turned when he had placed some distance between us just to see if I had risen back to the surface.
And confident because he did not see me swimming that I was gone - would have laughed the rest of the way to shore.

After many years of marriage, my husband out of the blue - walked out on me. He thought I would drown in the sorrow.

No Buddy, I would not die for your leaving.

But what you did after that I guess I could call it a “touch and go.”

However, I was able to get public assistance to keep me afloat.

Damn…she’s not drowning yet!

So next step - He stopped paying the storage bill and I lost everything. Things that can never be replaced!

And for a moment - another touch and go - but…

Damn… she’s not drowning yet!

No "Mr.Whatever Name You Are Hiding Behind Today"…Not Yet!

You see I grabbed on to whatever would keep me afloat or perhaps it was the hand much stronger than your hand which dared to push me under the icy waters - the Hand of God - who lifted me up…

Because as Robert Frost wrote:

I have... "miles to go before I sleep"
Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

X Factor Auditions

On the X Factor Audition Rules they say..."Please tell us a little about who you are!
When it is absolutely necessary to make a profound impression - Taking care of business in Two Minutes certainly requires some creativity.

Happy New Year!

Out of "Breck Waters" Wor

Company 34 at Zazzle

I thought I would put together a video showing some of the art in my Zazzle shop. I love botanical art and collages. And I love smooth jazz so I used "Acoustic Alchemy" for the music.
Out of "Breck Waters" World