Soliciting prayers...

I had debated on whether or not to post about this, but since no one (except KatieJ)who reads this knows my mom, I decided that extra prayers are welcomed. And, I thought this information is worth sharing.

My Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago and goes in for her surgery this Friday. Needless to say, we are worried. Hearing my mom say "I have breast cancer" was hard. Really hard. Hard because of selfish reasons, and hard because I could feel her trying to be strong and positive as she told me - she was trying to break the news gently. I have a lump in my throat just replaying that in my mind. So, if you are a person of faith, and wouldn't mind including my Mom in your prayers, I would appreciate it. Her name is Marian.

The other reason for posting this is to share how my mother's breast cancer was found. For over 20 years my mom has had fibroid cystic breast disease (non-cancerous fibroid cysts), and has had many procedures over the years - aspirations, cysts removed etc. For all of those years she traveled into the city, to a large university hospital, for all of procedures - getting mammograms and breast ultrasounds faithfully every year and at times more frequently if necessary.

Anyway, last year she found another lump and decided to go to a local surgeon, recommended by my sister, who also has fibroids, to have a cyst removed. After this new doctor did her surgery and her next mammogram came back clean, she recommended that my mom have a breast MRI, because my mom sister had breast cancer (a 25 year survivor, thank God). So, a few months ago my mom had the MRI done and there was a shadow. Her doctor then sent her for an ultrasound to confirm what was seen. She had the ultrasound done and it came back clean - the report stated that the MRI must have been a false positive, a shadow of sort. My mom's Dr. sent her for another ultrasound, this time with a radiologist instead of a technician, feeling that it would be more thorough. Again, the ultrasound came back clean. Her Dr. still not satisfied, sent her to a different hospital, an hour away, to have another MRI, but this time with a biopsy of any shadowed areas. Well, the MRI showed a the shadow, a biopsy was done, and she has cancer.

What is keeping us optimistic is that early detection is what saves lives, and this breast MRI procedure found my mom's breast cancer at least 3-4 years sooner than a mammogram would have. Partly because of size, and partly because of location. And needless to say, we are extremely grateful for her doctor's resolve to not let her patients slip through the cracks.

My sisters and I will now be getting breast MRIs in addition to yearly mammograms. We are also awaiting my mom's blood test for the breast cancer gene, to see if we also need to be tested for the gene.

So many of us have friends and/or family members who have, or will, be diagnosed with breast cancer - if you know of anyone with a family history of breast cancer, encourage them to seek out a breast MRI. This test isn't available everywhere, but worth pursuing. And if your doctor thinks it's not necessary, tell them you know someone personally who has benefited from having one.

Thanks.

You're invited

Stephanie (Forks and Chopsticks had an idea for fellow bloggers to list 8 bloggers you would like to have over to your house and why. Hmmmm. You're making me think Stephanie.

(BTW, I'm too lazy to hyperlink on the names - they're listed under my blogroll)

First I would reciprocate the invite to Stephanie (Forks and Chopsticks) because she's super nice & we've met in person. (And she could help me spruce up my blog. ;) Just kidding.)

Katie (Maylee Beezir) would absolutely get an invite - she's a good friend outside of blogville, and she rocks (a real free-spirited momma). Besides I'd have her and Stephanie show me how to knit while they were here. ;0)

I would also invite Kim (One More Makes Four). She seems like such a nice person & we've exchanged emails about getting together already.

Wendy (Buttercup) lives on the opposite coast, but she'd be invited too. We've emailed back & forth several times & she seems like a real cool momma.

I'd invite Joannah (Just for Jillian) because she seems really sweet and she can sing. Very cool and impressive.

Johnny (Down to This) would be on the invite list. For one, he can cook. Secondly, he seems like he would always keep the conversation flowing & I dig his cutting humor. And although she doesn't blog, I'd include his wife as another blogging guest. I'm sure she's cool & it would be nice to take the mystery out of the lady behind the curtain (Ha! Ha!).

Since I love Mexican food, I'd have to invite Mary-Mia (Salsa in China) cause she's not only a cool chickie, but she'd probably bring some kickin' salsa to compliment the margaritas.

Last, but NOT least, Joely's mom (Family Blend). She's a reader, a coffee drinker and she cares about the environment - I can relate.

Could I have some cheese with that whine?

Warning: A bitchy post.

Let me start off by saying that I love my kids. They are awesome, but sometimes they can drive me up the wall. My son can be extremely stubborn (can't imagine where he gets that from, ahem), but that's a whole other post. This bitchfest is about my daughter's ability to make my ears bleed with her whining.

Allison is a sweet, jovial, loving girl. She cracks me up 95% of the day. But then there's the other 5% when she can whiiiiine like no one's business. Good Lord, it can drive me crazy (and that isn't a far drive either). She whines when she's tired, bored or when I'm preparing meals (and won't pick her up when I'm working at the stove). And did I mention the drama that accompanies the whining? Oh, what a marvelous combination. A recipe that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention - like nails on a chalkboard.

I try not to give into the whine-fest, but sometimes I do (like when I'm PMS-ing, and it's for everyone's benefit just to turn off the whining). Is there a pill for this? For me? UGH.

People have told me that girls just whine. I grew up in a female household - no men, just me, my two sisters and my mom. I don't remember the whining. But maybe the whiner doesn't remember whining. OMG, my poor Mom. Note to self: apologize to Mom.

So, is this true? Are girls just whiners? Lord help me if it's true. I think I'm putting ear plugs on my Santa list.

*A funny side story related to the whining: When the kids whine I will tell say to them "I can't understand you, I don't speak Whinese." Well, this weekend I had the kids in the car & we were leaving Target's parking lot and the guy behind me felt the need to honk his horn, 8 bazillion times, as if the traffic would part for me like the Red Sea. Anyhoo, Brent yells out, thinking the guy could hear him, "Hey mister, we don't speak Hornese." I don't know what cracked me up more, my son trying to defend his mom, or him saying the word Horney so innocently.