The world has changed

since my last post.  We lost a sister, Krista Schlenker on June 7, 2013 after having been on chemos for 3 years that never stopped her breast cancer.  She was just 36.  Here is the kicker.  She went to the doctors told them of her pain but they didn't test her for breast cancer because they thought she was too young.  By the time she was seen by a smart doctor the cancer has spread throughout her body.  

I didn't have much time with Krista, but the time I had was enough.  Enough to know how special she was.  Enough to know that I had to do something really special in her name.  I have created a non-profit organization called Krista's Gift.  It came about after Krista finally allowed us to help her.  She timidly said she could use some help cleaning.  We donated funds to a cleaning service for her.  That is what Krista's Gift is.  I am setting up a legacy for Krista.

Last month I was mowing the lawn.  This month putting together a Non-profit organization.  At least my world has changed.  I have worked for 38 years in business so many of these processes are familiar to me, some are completely new.  Challenging? Yes.  But it is good work.  It is good to use my skills again.

The Chicken Challenge is alive again.  I used to refer to it as the Chicken Wars but that really puts a negative spin on it.  It is simply a challenge to change our covenants.  I am circulating a Petition to change our covenants bypassing the HOA as they were a hindrance in the last attempt.  Our community is largely for the change but we also have a lot of apathetic members. Our challenge lies in getting those to sign.  My garden is being attacked by grasshoppers.  Chickens would do wonders for it.  Much better than I do for sure.  I am not of fan of catching the little buggers and would gladly leave it to a small flock of hens.  The bonus being fresh eggs and a place for food scraps.  It just makes sense.  Double sense as we live in the country on 5 acre lots.  Need I say more?  I think not.

Breast cancer.  It is with me, will always be with me.  This month I am 2 years out of treatment.  That's a big deal!  Yet it actually makes me more fearful than safe.  My first recurrence came within 18 months so I am past that.  It is said among sisters that we never do feel completely safe, we just learn to live with the uncertainty.  I have close friends that are Stage IV that know their prognosis, but even at Stage IV some live decades.  For our young sisters that isn't good to hear.  For our older sisters it means the world to them.

For all of us we are left with the remnants of chemo.  The aches and pains, osteopenia  osteoporosis  neuropathies, heart problems and a host of issues we may have had before our cancer aggravated by the chemo.  Reconstruction issues to be done or completed, repaired.  We often are asked "Are you done with treatment?" In response they are usually faced with a blank stare as I try to process all the information to explain to them what it is like when "the treatment is done", but in the end the blank stare ends and I simply say, yes.  I try to get to the "yes" more quickly but I can't.  It seems my mind wants everyone to understand even though I know they never will unless they have walked the same path.

But we are the lucky ones.  Krista was not so lucky.  She had a montra.  "Push through".  No matter how sick she was, if there was an activity that she wanted to do she would push through and do it.  I think that is true most of the time for many of us going through chemo, we don't have a choice. I admit there were times I opted out of an activity because I was worn down.  Krista never did. She pushed through.  I will remember this and do my best to do the same through life when it gets hard.  Push through the pain, the fatigue and fear.  Live our lives to the fullest.  She was an amazing lady.  I will push through to make Krista's Gift amazing!

Kristasgift.org