T23 weeks and Counting

Apparently having 14 screws and 2 plates removed from your ankle is not as easy or painless as some (me) would think. This week has had a lot of down time and although we wish for it during our day to day, crazy, busy schedules when it is forced upon me it makes me crazy. Not a little antsy I mean all out emotional with tears, snapping at people kind of crazy. As a single Mom all things have always fallen on me and I belive it is my job to tend to them. When the truth be told my kids are pretty grown at 21 and 15 they really don't need me for the day to day. Which is why I decided to finally do the 3day walk but that is for another post.

My kids have been great and my boyfriend has been amazing this week driving me to and from work...now keep in mind I work over 40 miles away from where we live so that has been an extra 4 hours a day for him just driving.

So last night after we got home and my daughter was making us dinner I thought to myself.....Self why have you been acting like such a baby this week? The kids have been just fine with Mom not at full speed, the house didn't fall apart and noone missed a meal. It got me to really thinking about how lucky I am to have just honored my 4 year cancer survior date and why I really am doing the 3day.

And if my own thoughts didn't get me a little choked up my wonderful daughter came in the living room and we had some very special Mom and Daughter time. I gave her free will to paint my toes and fingers. Now to some that may not seem like a big deal but my daughter is very colorful. I have pink zebra finger nails and orange and green toes. Lovely aren't they???

Since she just finished her freshman year in high school I am very aware of how fast time goes and how in the blink of an eye she will be doing her own thing. So these are special moments anyway but add to that the already emotional week this Mom has had it really was special. I posted it on my Facebook and knew the Moms would all comment or "like" it but what I didn't know was that some of the other teenagers would "like" it. So after she went back to doing her own thing I laid on the couch and thought about the Moms who have lost their battle to cancer, the ones that are fighting with everything they have and no matter how much they would love to have orange and green toes they just can't muster the energy to sit up in bed and let their sweet daughter paint them. It made me realize its just not the Moms that miss and enjoy this time but the kids do to....we (I) tell myself that my kids are getting big and they don't need me but the truth is just as I will always need them they will always need me.

I can honestly tell you that the pitty pot I have been on this week was put AWAY and I will honor not just my 4 year surviour date but I will honor all of those ladies past, present and future that cancer effects. I will focus on the goal and give my foot the proper time to heal without fuss, so come Nov 5-7 I can stand with thousands of other men and women to show that honor.

On the funraising note I got a $300 donation this week which makes me $237.00 away from goal so things are moving along pretty nicely there. We have a carwash planned in June and hope to meet or exceed my goal then.


Standing Firm
Tanya

Ps. If you haven't donated to a 3day walker yet please click on the pretty pink button on their blog or facebook page or even go to http://www.the3day.org/ and look them up by name. Either way please just help us reach a world without cancer.

3DAY FAIRY

Earlier today I blogged about pushing thru, doing things because they are the right thing. This afternoon I just have to share because the must be a 3 day fairy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


As of this morning I had $1253.00 in my SGK account. I am holding a $45.00 cash donation that needs to be sent in. Plus we had our team garage sale this weekend and I raised $465.00 cash that will be mailed in this week. Which brought me to $1763.00 only $537.00 away from my goal of $2300.00.

Yippie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo-hoooo!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I have another fundraiser planned for June 12th, I will make my goal. Which with the being my first walk I have worried alot meeting my goal. Then in 3day magic just when I wasn't sure I could make it to the end of this day. I got a phone call that my grandmothers company is donating $300.00. That means that as of right now I am only $237.00 away from my fundraising goal.

Woo-hooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I then got a phone call from my boyfriends mother who ownes another local company asking if I was still doing tshirts with company names and I told her yes...most certainly yes. She asked if I still had room for them and that she will be donating in the very near future.


WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOO looks like this newbie will make goal and still have time to raise extra

Week 24 and Counting

Thursday morning dawned and without coffee I made my way to the day surgery facility. I was prepared to draw on my full reserve of patients since Dr. Medlock worked me in on such short notice. To my pleasant surprise I was set for 12:30 and by 12:45 I was being given the "happy juice". The surgery went as planned and I was back home by dinner time.

Friday morning while playing with the remote and realizing there is nothing on during the day my lovely little smart phone buzzed and it was an email from Susan G. Komen "Your virtual Personal Trainer". Now this shouldn't be a big deal as I knew that Friday was the start of the official training for the DFW event, I also knew that just out of surgery I wouldn't be walking over the weekend or for a couple of weeks most likely. But nonetheless it made me a little sad actually I think it is what has started the "poor pitful me ball" to rolling.

Now let me back up and just say that the Dr. said I should be able to walk on my foot later the night of surgery.  Which I didn't even try but Friday morning when I couldn't I was bumbed.

Saturday was our team garage sale which I have been collecting things for weeks now and had no intention of cancelling. Thanks to my one of my wonderful sisters and my boyfriends mother who were my legs we made $465.00.  Which if I do say so myself that is not to shabby!!!!!!!!! This should have made me fell great since I was still doing something to raise awareness and funds to kick breast cancer booty BUT it didn't. I got home and my foot was huge and hurt even though I had really stayed off of it. So even though we still had a ton we could have sold on Sunday I decided that my teammate and all my helpers had done so much already I couldn't ask them to give up the only remaining day of their weekend, so we took the leftovers to Goodwill.

Sunday I stayed home, kept the foot iced, propped and rested. It is amazing to me that during our day to day crazy lives we would give anything to have a lazy Sunday a day to just watch movies and eat but when we are told we have to have one of those days it makes ME crazy.........lol

It is now noon on Monday and kicking and whinning I came to work today. After all I had been off 2 days and needed to get stuff done. I needed to get back to being me. Easier said than done. Although I am walking on my foot today it is not the most pleasant feeling. My boyfriend had a flat on my car on the way back home after bringing me to work (since I still can't drive myself). I have spent way more money on Dr's in the last two weeks than I really had or certainly planned on.

I want my blanky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But this is T minus 24 weeks until the Susan G. Komen 3day walk for the Cure DFW event. So I started thinking....Why?....Why?.....Why?

Why I am I walking.... because I have heard those words "you have cancer" and this is MY way of doing something so no other mother has to hear those words.
Why am I feeling so sorry for myself.... because I am human and usually for me it is because I am not leaning on God like I should be, sounds like a little prayer time is in order.
Why did my boyfriend have a flat today.... because that is just life and things happen. But what it really means is that we are blessed to have a car that will need repairs.

So although I would love to be planning my routes to meet my 12 miles worth of training this week, I will limit the use of my foot and allow it to heal properly. I will be grateful for the $465.00 we raised during our funraiser and keep working on the next one. I will as my pastor says spend this alone time as God time, and keep heading on this journey that I am learning to call the 3day.


Standing Firm,
Tanya

Ps. If you haven't donated yet to a 3day walker click on the pretty pink buttons we all have them on our blogs or on our facebook. There is still money to raise and lifes to change.

Hurry Up and Wait

Instant satisfaction...That's me!!!! I don't mind working my rear-end off to get IT but when I am done I want the pay-off right then and there no questions asked just give me the pay-off.

Thanks to all the wonderful 3day bloggers I am learning that the pay-off is not instant. Kristen of Kristen Walks writes about the 3day is a Journey not the Destination which you can read here. Thank goodness she did otherwise I may have had a total break down yesterday. As I have mentioned before I was in a serious car wreck almost 3 years ago and had to have my right ankle rebuilt. Lots of metal and therapy later I was good as new. Most of my family was worried when I signed up for the 3day, saying things like are you sure you can walk that far with your ankle. I am not sure you should do it remember your ankle.

Well I am pretty stubborn and once my mind is made up I go for IT. In this case that meant hitting the pavement. I have however kept an eye on my ankle after all I can't walk in a 3day, 60 mile event not to mention the hundreds of miles of training if my ankle doesn't work....right?

A week ago Saturday I went for my first 5 mile walk only to get home and noticed that there was a large cyst on my ankle. I watched it for a couple of days but it didn't go away so I made the scary phone call to the doctor. I say scary because if the news wasn't good it could de-rail my whole plan.

Yesterday was the Dr. visit and sure enough I have to have surgery to remove the hardware because the natural fluid that is in your joints is leaking thru one of the wholes causing the cyst. He says he could just drain it but it will just come back so the only way to make sure I make it to my pay-off is by having the surgery.

Like I said I want the instant satisfaction.....I DON"T like hearing the words "hurry up and wait". Dr. Medlock and his tech Travis are super guys they know how much this walk means to me and literally squeezed me in for Thursday so I could get this over with as fast as possible and back to training.

The official 24 week training for DFW starts this Friday the day after my surgery. Dr. Medlock says I won't be starting that one but says I will be good to go before the 16 week training starts.

So I just want to thank all the 3day-ers that share they wisdom, love and guidance to us newbies. Without each of you yesterday could have been just awful instead it was just another speed bump in the road. Which by the way you can read Margie's Magenta Miles here where she too talks about delays.


Standing Firm
Tanya

Ps. Have you donated to a 3day walker today? If not click on the pretty pink button and get to donating.

T-7 AND COUNTING

This past Friday after getting home from the hospital with my daughter late I threw in laundry so I would have something pink to wear for the Kick-Off walk Saturday morning. I went thru the mental check list...pink shirt, backpack, shoes and fluid. I knew where it all was and was ready for my walk. YIPPIE!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday morning shined all to soon but I was up and ready to go. I picked up my sister (my un-offical team mate) and off we headed. We got to New Balance with pink everywhere and butterflies started. For a breif second I thought "what in the world am I doing"? I don't talk to strangers. I am not a fit/exercise junky. I am just an average person what makes me think I can take on this HUGE,BOLD, CRAZY  challenge?

Then I realized I do talk to strangers... they have helped get over 50% of my fundraising already meet. They have given me help with fundraising letters. They have given me cyber high fives. I am an exercise junky...I walk 3-4 times a week and have even made one 5 mile walk, with a week until the "offical" training season starts for DFW. I am not just an average person... I am a Mom, Daughter, Grandaughter, Sister, Girlfriend, Cousin. I am a women that has been told the words " you have cancer" and have promised myself I would someday to my part in making sure that word no longer carried any weight.

So out of my car I climbed and what do you know I no sooner signed in then a lovely lady started talking to us just like we had been friends forever. No stranger there! My sister and I talked and I realized that during that check list I went thru I realized I didn't bring a camera....I have to remember my camera...I tell my son all the time take pictures you are going to want them later...HAHA.

We started our walk and I told my sister lets just walk our normal pace no matter where we end up in the crowd. This is our first walk with a group of walkers and I really want to know how I am fairing. What do you know we were in the front of the middle pack. Not bad for a girl that doesn't like to exercise.

The rest of the weekend was spent working on our team garage sale and today I printed out my 24 week training schedule. I felt just like a kid at Christmas time counting down the days until training starts.

Here we are at T-7 and counting. This time next week I will be mapping out and TRACKING my walks. Which up to this point I have not been keeping up with, I have just walked to get ready.


Standing Firm,

Tanya

Ps. If you haven't donated click today that pretty pink button there is a person out there waiting on you.

Leason Learned

Over the years my Dad has told me "kids are like sponges...they soak up everything around them". He has several of these little tidbits but when it comes to the 3day this one seems to fit the best. At least in my case, I have read, and read and did I say I have read all things 3day. Blogs, facebook, twitter, anything 3day that I can get my hands on. Since this will be my first walk I want make sure I am prepared I don't like going into things blind so to speak.

I haven't just been reading all this to fill my day I have taken it to heart. I bought (really I was gifted, thanks Grandma) a good pair of shoes that I only wear while training. I have bought me a couple of pair of socks again that I only wear while training. I bought me a nice little back pack from the 3day shop complete with phone & id holder. I even broke down a couple of weeks ago and got me two nice re-useable water bottles after reading what else but a blog about hydration and have been forcing myself to drink water not just while training but all day everyday. I have even been trying different types of drinks with electrolytes since these type drinks are not on my favorite drinks list.

Which brings me to my point Saturday I walked my first 5 mile walk and was pretty proud of myself until I got home and noticed that my ankle was more swollen than normal and has some kind of knot on it. So I took a couple of days off from walking trying to listen to my body as we are so often told thinking this would help the problem. But last night I just couldn't sit any longer I had to get out and move around so I thought I will go for a small walk...just 3 miles. Since this wasn't really a planned walk all I had was water straight from the tap. You know the kind your Dad use to tell you to drink cuz it was good for you, not the high priced pretty bottle kind. I had no Gatorade, no smart water, nothing just tap water. I thought to myself...Self you are just walking a few miles water will do the trick. So I filled up my cute little re-useable bottle with some ice and tap water and out the door I headed.

Have I mentioned before that I live in Dallas, Texas?!? Which means we have four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, still Summer and Christmas. Right now we are in the almost summer season which means it was 87 degrees at 6:30 in the evening with about 80% humidity.

Let's just say I have learned my lesson there is a reason all the wonderful and smart people of the 3day say drink something with electrolytes in it. In just 3 short miles I gave myself a lovely little headache and felt yucky when I got home.


Standing Firm
Tanya

Ps. remember to donate I am still working on meeting my $2300 goal.
www.the3day.org/goto/miccroft

I THINK I CAN

So last week I was felling a little overwhelmed to say the least.....but that was then and this is now!!!!!!!!!!! Monday is the start of a new week with new challenges and new surprises.

But before we get started with this week, I have to give myself a great BIG hi-five. Saturday morning I rolled myself out of bed not super early but my household was still snoozing taking adventage of the day off. First I remembered to charge my ipod (and for me that is no small task), showered and headed out the door. I was determined to walk 5 miles. Now for a few of you that may not sounds like a big deal but for this girl that was a big milestone. And as my fellow walker Cat of the FatGirl Walking blog says in her post today, this is worthy of a reward. Not sure what that might be yet but I am sure I can surf around the 3day site and find something I need....lol

I spent the rest of Saturday working on ragtop flip flops that I am selling to raise funds toward my goal. If I could get my silly Blackberry to work I would post a picture because if I do say so myself they are super cute. Anyway later that evening my kiddos walk in with my Mother's day gift and yes I asked them if they knew Mother's day was the next day?!? After a chuckle and the eyes stopped rolling at me they handed me my gift and told me there was a reason I was getting it Saturday.  So now with some eager intrest I went to opening. There was a whole new outfit of course in pink. A new shirt, a new pair of shorts, a pair of flip flops I was told for when I didn't want to wear tennis shoes, a pair of socks that were pink with American hearts. I must say my daughter was the most proud of that find. Since I love the American theme and my kitchen and living room display that love.

I woke up Sunday and was ordered to stay in my room. Now there use to be a time that if my kids said stay in my room I would have come flying thru the door because that meant there was fixing to be a problem....lol
This time though I gladly stayed, enjoyed a cup of coffee (that was brought to me by my boyfriend) and just smiled listening to the noise being made in the kitchen. My daughter was fixing me breakfast and after sending my honey to the store NOT ONCE BUT TWICE FOR THINGS SHE NEEDED.  It looks like her cooking skills are coming along great even if her planning is still in the planning stages. Larry was a great sport about it and just laughed each time she called him. He said it was all worth it when he was ordered back to our room so that she could serve both of us breakfast in bed!

I sported my new outfit and enjoyed the rest of the day taking care of car issues which could have really bummed me out on anyother day but today was Mother's day and I wasn't going to let life get the best of me. We ended our great weekend with My Mom and siblings for dinner and lots of laughter.

So here we are at Monday with 26 weeks til the DFW event . A little over half way to my fundraising goal with two great events planned or should I say being planned and a few smaller fundraiser going on. I am felling like the little train..I think I can...I think I can....I think I can.


Standing Firm,

Tanya

Ps. Don't forget to donate, or mark your calendars for May 22nd (garage sale) or June 12th (topless car wash and Texas Hold "em Tournament

OVERWHELMED.....UGH!!!!!!!!!!

Many times in my life I can recall my family laughing and saying..." O Tanya can do it",call Tanya she knows just where to get that",or Tanya can help you with throwing that party. I have even joked and said I may not have a PHD but I sure can throw a party. LOL

I am ususally doing all this while doing 50 other things. If my plate is not overflowing I am not happy. You know you have seen me...the lady that has a kid on the hip while cooking dinner and helping another kid with a school project and still reaching out to help the neighbor get to the store because their car is broke down but telling them we have to stop on the way because so and so needs me to drop of something. Yeah, that crazy person is me!
I always have a bag or two full of stuff incase I need something and yes I usually never even get in them. (I think I got that from my Grandmother)

However, the last few days I have just felt so overwhelmed. My sister has even told me several times "Stop and Breathe". We have our team garage sale coming up on May 22nd and I have been collecting like crazy. Thanks to all that have donated. I still have to price all of it.BUT..I will get it done. We have been blessed by Best Days a local bar that is allowing us to do a charity day on June 12th. Which we will have a Topless Car Wash, Texas Hold "em tournament and a Dart tournament. We are hoping to have some local vendors as well. This all sounds like a blast but the getting there is throwing me for a loop. Plus we have a large July 4th weekend planned that is totally not related to the 3day but alot is on my shoulders for this.

Shew!!!

There is a lot going on and did I mention that all of this is over and above my regular job, my part time job, and the Avon, candles, braclets and flip flops that I am also selling to help raise funds to meet my goal of $2300.

Heck, I have all this going on and have not even trained this week...I guess it is a good thing the offical training doesn't start for DFW until May 21st.

Have you ever felt like a bright Pink yo-yo on the end of a little girl's finger and her favorite game is around the world?

Thank you to all my cheerleaders that keep reminding me I can do this... I can walk 60 miles...I can raise $2300...I can throw a great event..I am a great mom.

I couldn't get thru Novemember 7th without each of you.

As always Standing Firm,
Tanya

ps. help me get to my goal by donating at www.the3day.org/goto/miccroft