I have been living a Fairy Tale life.  Sure, there have been bumps along the way but I have mostly been blessed with happiness, love, and success.  My Fairy Tale began in 1961, when I became the baby in a loving family.  Fifty three years later I am still considered the baby!  Growing up in a small community surrounded by friends, and family was filled with happy times.[...]

Mom’s principal, Dorothy, dropped off a basket of goodies for her today. The basket and gift bag were OVERFLOWING with gifts and cards. Mom and I spent time opening and loving each and every thoughtful thing. I could see the appreciation in her face as she read each card with a tear in her eye. The real water works came for both of us when I opened an envelope addressed to me that was a card signed by each of my Kindergarteners from last year. I have missed them this year and wish I was able to see them continue to grow throughout first grade! It was such a thoughtful gesture that I will truly treasure. The assorted gifts are sure to keep her warm, keep her occupied, and keep her mind busy reading, and keep a smile on her face for days to come. They will also be sure to satisfy my Dad’s sweet tooth. As I’m sure it won’t surprise most of you, he broke into a few of the treats only minutes after they hit the counter.[...]

Week one of radiation is complete! Mom did very well this week with very few side affects. We had a great weekend spending time together in what we call "Best friend time". We ran errands together, spent lots of time on the couch, made Sunday dinner, and took our baby Tucker for a walk. Mom has been so positive through this process and it continues! Week two of radiation begins on Monday. Mom and Dad will meet with the radiation oncologist on Thursday as she finishes up her treatment on Friday. As always, I will continue to thank all of you for your support. We can't thank you enough for your kind words and encouragement. We are truly blessed to have so many people behind us to fight this. (She isn't happy about my choice of pictures but oh well...who is writing this blog anyway?!)[...]

Mom completed her second day of radiation today. She is so strong! Her colleagues sent her a video today that shows how much she is truly loved. She works at such an amazing school with the most supportive and caring people. To see the video, "All you need is love", click the link below.[...]

Mom enjoyed a wonderful visit from her amazing Pre-K team from Victor. They are not only her colleagues but more importantly her friends! The afternoon was filled with lots of school stories and laughs! Tomorrow is the start of her fight...please continue to send prayers and encouragement her way![...]

Mom, Dad, Beth and Randy spent the day at the hospital today as they met with her radiation oncologist. They prepared her to begin her radiation treatment which starts Monday.  Radiation treatments will run Monday through Friday for two weeks.  Chemotherapy cannot begin until radiation is complete.  Mom plans to spend the weekend with family and a much needed visit from some school friends. We are all ready to help support her as this fight begins. [...]

Our house continues to overflow with people sharing their love, hugs, and encouraging words. Mom met with her oncologist today. Dad, Beth, and Randy were there with her while Chad and Marisa were there listening in on the phone. The doctor was wonderful and answered the hundreds of questions that we had compiled. She will meet with her radiation oncologist on Friday morning. They were given a course of treatment that includes targeted chemotherapy and radiation. We are unsure at this time when each of these treatments will begin. As always, we will keep you informed when we find out more information. The support has been so overwhelming for my mom. She has been showered in love and feels it each and every day.  [...]

Each day as you log onto Facebook  you can see post after post about bad news, trauma, war, etc. These are often posted matched with the words like, “What is this world coming to?” or “Humans are horrible”. About a week ago, I would have felt the same way about my Mom’s illness. I would have said LIFE SUCKS! Actually, I still believe that her illness is wrong and that she doesn’t deserve this, however, over the weekend I have also seen goodness. Flowers came to the house, cards poured in through the mail, and the door opened and closed as loved one’s came to visit and brighten my mom’s days. We were sitting on the couch snuggled with the computer in our laps and mom said, “There is so much goodness in this world.” It is so typical of her to see the positive in this situation and always be the one to try to make me a better person with her encouragement and love. Through a horrible illness, so many unanswered questions, and so much doubt, she is able to see the goodness that YOU have all brought to her in only four days.[...]

Today was filled with hugs and visits from friends and family. We are so blessed to have an amazing support system who will be by our side through this tough journey. We are trying to live each day as normal as possible and spending time with the people who matter most in life.[...]

As you already know, my mom is a fighter. She is a strong willed, loving, caring, and generous person who is beautiful inside and out. This August, she was diagnosed with Bronchitis after several weeks with a cough. Bronchitis eventually led to Pneumonia which just wasn't going away. After an odd ankle swelling, more tests showed that there might be more to the story. After over a week of waiting, we found out that she has been diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma. In our terms, lung cancer. In the next week she will undergo a PET scan and an MRI to look for possible spreading. The results of these tests will determine the course of treatment which will be given to us on Wednesday.[...]