12 Years

     12 years...how it that even possible? August 28, 2004 was easily the first worst day of my life. My older brother John was an amazing person; don't get me wrong - he was FAR from perfect but I think the heart that beat in his chest for 24 years heavily outweighed any misstep he may have taken on this Earth. He loved his family, friends, & girlfriend Leslie fiercely. He was the most loyal person you could ever meet. He had such an extremely contagious laugh that even if you didn't want to laugh with him - it didn't matter, you would always ending up doing so. God, how I miss that laugh. I'm not sure what Heaven is like but I do know wherever or whatever it may be, I have no doubt my brother is there telling the other angels that "it's all good". I ask that, in my brother's honor, please check your smoke detectors - it's such a simple task that could easily save your life.

John - I hope you liked the daisies we dropped off yesterday. I will always continue to search for life's answers in song lyrics, just like you told me. I miss you every minute of every day & I love you even more. Rest easy big brother. <3

Oye Vey!

     After putting it off for a good four years, I finally visited the dentist to figure out just what kind of damage chemo has done to mouth, more specially, to my teeth & let's just say it did it's damn thang....five thousand dollars worth to be exact. Oye vey! Thankfully my insurance did cover a dental cleaning & updated X-Rays but beyond that, anything to fix broken, discolored, literally falling apart piece-by-piece teeth is considered "cosmetic" & not covered by insurance....lame-0-rama! So it's look like I will continue to be a closed-mouth smiler for who knows how long. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely know how incredibly blessed I am to be alive, that is something I will NEVER forget & is something I reflect on numerous times every single day. I just like to keep you guys in the post-cancer loop & this is the latest in my cancer survivor story. I'll keep you updated but until then, enjoy the last few weeks of Summer! Talk to you soon

love&lyrics,

- LISA -

Full Circle

     Hi blog! It's been a minute, right? If you frequent these parts you know that every once in a while I take a step back from the writing - for no reason in particular - but just because it's something I need to do. This was the situation for the last few months...I needed to take some time to live my life. Since we last talked I've celebrated my 32nd birthday, my 6 year diagnosis day, my 4 year REMISSION day, & a clear PET scan. Today was another a big day in my story. It's been 3 years since my last colonoscopy (or in my case, a stomaoscopy...?) & it was CLEAR! No polyps - nothing, just a good-lookin', no cancer-showin, colon & intestines. You're totally welcome for those descriptives btw. :) My initial reaction was of course, relief - fast forward 3 hours later when I'm home, experiencing your normal post-scope gut pain, watching a documentary about DJ AM on Showtime, & suddenly I started to experience a whole mix of emotions. Perhaps it's the fact that I'm 7 days Estroven clean (gotta follow those Suprep-rules, ya'll!) or maybe it's the fact that I realized my cancer journey came full circle today. Everything started with a colonoscopy in April 2010 with my incredible surgeon Dr. B; those results were obviously quite different than today. That day is a blur & a repeat slow-motion scene both at the same time. It was a day that changed my life forever & I like to think today will also be one of those days. I'm so lucky...not only to be alive but to be loved by a super-dope family, a handful of friends who stuck by my side during my darkest of days, crazy-hyper puppies, & the chance to rediscover who I am post-cancer. I'm not exactly sure just who that is yet but she's coming around, bit by bit & I love her - I love me, I love this crazy life, & I can't wait to let you know where life takes me next.

love&lyrics,

- LISA -

National Cancer Prevention Month!

     Happy February! Not only is this the official month of "love" & MY BIRTHDAY but it's also NATIONAL CANCER PREVENTION MONTH!!! Obviously I'm a huge advocate of Colorectal Awareness but I've also met some really amazing people who are busy advocating for other types of cancer. My friend from the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center has passed along some flyers in hopes of saving some lives. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos that forms on the lining of the lungs, heart, & abdomen. It's absolutely preventable & the MAA is committed to spreading awareness about asbestos & ways to protect yourself. Take a quick look!

See ya soon!

love&lyrics,

LISA