I guess pink IS my new color!

The ER had a surprise Pink Out for me last Friday night!

Everybody wore pink, or a pink something-bandana, scarf, whatever!!  It was such a nice surprise and honor!  It made me tear up when I walked in the lounge and saw all of this:

One of the Docs who planned all of this said some very nice things about me, about how I handled my cancer and worked and always had a smile on my face and made this fight look easy.  Little do they know it was all the support from my family and friends that made it easier!  Going to work on treatment was a nice break to being 'sick', and made me feel productive!  Thanks NKCH ER for all your support and this awesome night!

Last week our hospital's Pink Glove Dance video was published on Medline's site too.  I had been asked to participate, but had no idea I would be featured as much as I was!  Mind you-I had just had knee surgery 2 days prior to this video, so as you notice I'm not dancing around as much as some people-note the bum knee!
  Please go to www.pinkglovedance.com  to watch and vote for North Kansas City Hospital's video.  If we win, our donation will be given to the Jennifer Ireland Foundation.  A foundation honoring a young woman who lost her battle to colon cancer, and now the foundation in her name helps other families in financial difficulties due to cancer.

I know October is Breast Cancer awareness month, and in all the support and PINK  I have seen all over the city, the internet, everywhere this month, I have also seen the negativity about devoting a month and a color to just one form of cancer.  I get it. 
I had a second mother lose her battle to Appendical Cancer-it has no special month and color.
I have a step sister who fought Hodgkin's Lymphoma-no special month and color.
My Mother-in-Law lost her battle to Liver Cancer-no special month or color.
My brother had Thyroid Cancer-again, no special month or color.
An uncle with Testicular Cancer-again, no special month or color.
I could, unfortunately, go on and on.
And prior to my diagnosis-even having a beloved Grandmother lose her battle to breast cancer-I know I didn't own this much pink!
I wish each form of cancer had a month and a color-but more than anything I really wish we didn't have any special cancer months or colors because that ugly disease had been eradicated! 
I think all anyone hopes for is awareness about this terrible illness that takes 40,000 lives a year, not wanting to take away from anyone else's type of cancer.   Awareness that simple things like a self exam or a mammogram could save a woman's life.  It saved mine.

As you know, my cancer was found by my annual mammogram.  But many of you don't know the story behind it.
I had my annual well-woman appointment with my Ob/Gyn Dr Morgan.  Now Dr Morgan has delivered all of my children, did my D&C for one of my miscarriages and helped me through 2 others.  We're pretty close as you can imagine.  We are joking about this, that and what not-who doesn't when your feet are in the stirrups???  He then reminds me I am still 40-but almost 41, and haven't had another mammogram since my baseline at age 35.  Yep, I know.  Go see Donna-Dr Morgan's nurse for forever-and a fellow copper wife-she will make your appointment.  Idle chit chat with Donna while she is on hold with Imaging for Women.  I'm thinking about when on earth I will squeeze (pun intended) a mammo in with the way my schedule is looking for the next few months.
Brian is due to have surgery on his shoulder, I'm working for the next 6 days, Hailey has volleyball, etc. etc. etc.  In the back of my mind I've already put it off til about May.

They can get you in today-in about an hour
Sure, why not?  I drive right by there on my way home and if not today-not gonna happen for several months.

Everything happens for a reason, and we all know the results of that mammogram.
Had they not gotten me in that day, and left it to me to schedule, would I be where I am right now?  I shudder to think. 
AWARENESS.  That's all any of this pink means. 
I can't tell you since my diagnosis how many other survivors I have run into-support groups, work, in public.  And how many of those women say they found a lump-but waited months, one even a year, before getting a mammo.  I'm guessing their lives would be different now too had they been more aware.
And maybe once all these crazy pink ladies-and men-wipe Breast cancer off the face of this planet, they can go to work on another one! 

So, as you can see, Pink is my new color, and probably will be forever.  And though it's not a sisterhood I ever wanted to be a part of, I am, and will fight for a cure for it as long as I'm alive, whether it be October or pink.

Now for some kiddo updates:

Hailey went to Wichita to go to Homecoming with her new beau Jonny, looking gorgeous as ever:

 

 

Parker has been taking golf lessons and is getting very good!

 

 

 

Ethan is finally WELL (knock on wood) and went back to school this week.  He  received a Special Olympics medal AND his new CD 'RED' by the one and only Taylor Swift came in the mail. 

 He's all smiles listening to it as you can see....

 

 

 

 

And the newest baby....well, he's still pretty darn sweet that Frankie...

 

check out his tongue while sleeping on Brian's lap!!