Anecdotes, Antidotes, and Anodes

Miles for Mammograms 5K Run

 

Miles for Mammograms Run  - 2021

 

 

For several weeks, I have posted about Breast Cancer Awareness . . . that EARLY DETECTION saves lives. 

For several years, over THIRTY, I have shared my story. Over the course of those years, many women have contacted me to let me know that they followed my advice and went for a mammogram and breast exam. And, that cancer was detected early. 

It is the best feeling in the world to receive notes that say something like this:  "Thank you. You probably helped save my life."

On October 1, the Miles for Mammograms 5K Run and 2K Walk will be held in downtown Bartlesville, Oklahoma, starting at the Price Tower. 

I will be running/walking my first 5K as a 70 year old, 30 year Breast Cancer survivor warrior. My goal is to just finish it. I'm hoping to finish it in less than 55 minutes. I have been training since April, and my best time has been 47 minutes. That was on a good day. A very good day. 

On another day, I ran 1.5 miles without stopping. That was on a good day, too. 

The following is a link to donate to my run.  Many of you have already donated. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  Because of your donations, I have already reached my goal of $2,000 !
Now, I'm hoping to add another $500 with your help. 

Donate to Miles for Mammograms

 

Your money goes to the Family HealthCare Clinic in Bartlesville which has provided 37 mammogram coupons to patients this year.

This represents over $30,000 in free breast cancer screening services to people in Washington, Osage, and Nowata counties.

Miles for Mammograms supports the clinic's ability to provide those coupons. 

Click on the links above to read more about the clinic and the 5K run. 

Many other services are provided. Please help us keep our doors open for people without insurance to have access to quality, affordable health care appointments and labs. 

 

 

 

The Voice Still Trembles

 

As you can see, the words traveled down my arm, through my fingers, and onto the keyboard. Capitals, punctuation, grammar, etc., were not important.  Every cell in my body was involved remembering and writing this.

09-04-01
the end of a memorable week at the us open in NYC
on a plane back to colorado
my daughter on a plane back to oklahoma
little did I know the photos still in my camera with the stately towers providing the backdrop would become cherished ones  the very last ones of the two giants providing the outline for that famous skyline
gone forever but forever an image in my mind

 

 

09-11-01

 

the beginning of a usual day sunrise wrestling with the dogs coffee
then the news
standing in the exact place in my kitchen when the news of the oklahoma city bombing flashed across the screen

a pendulum of emotions and thoughts fear hope disbelief hope confusion hope pain hope panic hope horror hope hope hope

a snapshot in time...j.f.kennedy, space shuttle, first images of desert storm, oklahoma city and now such vivid detail all my senses engage

first plane maybe an accident

second plane

who is osama bin laden

pentagon
attacked on our own soil

flight 93 how many more planes

find the phone fingers shake uncontrollably dialing a staten island number

all circuits busy

fingers dial every staten island number i have for all those friends living there

finally a trembling voice

hello

where are they

they being four of our new york city firefighter/policemen friends
we don't know we can see the smoke from here

not wanting to hang up for fear of losing contact with the voice at the other end of the connection clinging to every word

please call back
this is a nightmare please wake up

each minute is an eternity

waiting for the call about our friends
hours pass

then the call comes the ring of the phone fills the air with sheer panic my hand is frozen then moves in slow motion

the news comes all four friends are safe but so many of their brothers, sisters, friends are unaccounted for
now they are our friends too

days pass stories range from sheer horror to miracles

our nation rallies together

why does it take a tragedy

?

*****************************************************************************

Every year since September 11 of that year, I have re-posted this message. 

09-11-02
09-11-03
09-11-04
09-11-05
09-11-06
09-11-07
09-11-08
09-11-09
09-11-10
09-11-11 (05-02-11 Osama bin Laden buried at sea thrown overboard the USS Carl Vinson.)
09-11-12
09-11-13
09-11-14
09-11-15
09-11-16
09-11-17
09-11-18
09-11-19
09-11-20
09-11-21
09-11-22
09-11-23

I will call Staten Island today.

The voice will still tremble, at first, but then it becomes strong.

Very strong ! 

 

Where were you when the World stood still?

 

 

*****************************************************************

Today, we reflect on the moment we became one.

Differences cast aside, we stood together.

In memory, we stand unified.

 

 

It's a Hat Party - Breast Cancer Awareness

 

We celebrated the last of my six chemotherapy treatments and forty-seven radiation treatments with a hat party. Actually, it was a surprise hat party for me as my neighbor broke into my house and everyone was waiting there after I returned from Tulsa for my last radiation. 

Bartlesville readers will probably recognize some of these special people who were part of my support system.  A point for each one you identify. 

Hats and scarves were integral accoutrements of my wardrobe. I became quite adept at tying and attaching things onto my head. Wigs were not my favorite unless it was a clown wig or a metallic wig or a purple Alice Cooper wig. 

But, my very favorite head accessories were my students' caps. As we know, it's frowned upon to let kiddos wear them to school, but for almost an entire school year my students were allowed to bring them to my class.  There was a sign-up sheet for me to wear each student's favorite cap.  I wore everything from, of course, OSU and OU caps to every business in town, to vacation spots, rock groups, festivals, and every sports team known to man. I advertised products and had no idea what they were for. Signs and symbols that I probably don't want to know what they meant. 

The main thing was, we had fun with my baldness. My students were a huge support system. They may not have learned a whole lot from the curriculum in my class that year, but they watched their teacher fight and survive. They learned to never give up. There were days I could hardly get out of my chair, and they understood. They learned compassion. There was not one discipline problem ever. They learned what empathy was. 

What did I learn? I learned those sixth graders had hearts of gold. I knew that anyway, but it was especially apparent this year. 

 

 

 

...

 

Miles for Mammograms - Links and Suggestions

 

 

 

 

The Family HealthCare Clinic in Bartlesville has provided 37 mammogram coupons to patients this year.

This represents over $30,000 in free breast cancer screening services to people in Washington, Osage, and Nowata counties.

Miles for Mammograms supports the clinic's ability to provide those coupons and to keep our doors open for people without insurance to have access to quality, affordable health care appointments and labs. 

Click on the links above to read more about the clinic and the 5K run. 

***********

If you have someone in your life who is traveling the road of beating cancer, it's better to offer what you are going to do rather than ask, "What can I do to help?"

When I was walking this walk, there were days I didn't know which end was up and had no idea what I needed or what my girls needed.

When family and friends told me what they were going to do, it was such a relief that they made the decision for me. 

Try some of these:

"I am bringing dinner to you tomorrow night.  Are you allergic to anything?"

OR

"I'll run your car pool for Brooke's gymnastic group this week."

OR

"There will be a gallon of milk on your doorstep every Sunday afternoon"

OR

"I'll be at your house Monday morning to clean, and I'm bringing lunch."

OR

"I'll drive you to your doctor's appointment, or chemo treatment, or radiation treatment, etc. this week"

OR

"I have tickets to ___________ movie. I'll pick you up at 6:00."

 

If you want to make sure there is dinner on the table every night for a family, organize by using  MEAL TRAIN. 

I had 47 radiation treatments in Tulsa after school and was not able to drive myself. A friend organized a calendar with drivers every day M-F for 9 weeks and 2 days. 
But, whose counting ? 
Someone was sitting in my driveway every day to drive me 45 minutes to my appointments.

There were snacks in the car for my daughter who usually went with me and myself. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Is Why We Run - Miles For Mammograms

 

Our Miles for Mammograms co-chairs this year are sisters, Rosemary Whitson and Laurie Marshall.

Read Rosemary and Laurie's story HERE. 

 

 

Breast Cancer Awareness

 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, but we need to be aware of Breast Cancer EVERY month.

One of my goals is to post several times about Breast Cancer Awareness during September...leading up to our Miles for Mammograms 5K on October 1. 

Another goal is to run/walk that 5K on October 1 as a 70 year old 30 year Breast Cancer Survivor Warrior. 

EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES !

If you are due having a mammogram, go get 'er done along with a breast exam. 

If you aren't sure at what age you should have one, call your doctor or a Family HealthCare Clinic for advice. Click Here for Information

Do monthly self-exams. Click Here for Instructions

Personal story:

During a visit to my oncologist in Tulsa, I mentioned to him I had read that putting ice packs on one's head would keep one's hair from falling out.

His reply to me, "Kathy, you could sit in a freezer for 24/7. Your hair is going to fall out."

He was 100% correct because 100% of my hair fell out. 

I got tired of vacuuming hair off the carpet, brushing it off my pillow, cleaning it out of the shower, etc.

So, I asked a friend to come over and shave it all off. 

That gave me a sense of control.

The above photo proves that the chemo-cocktail of Adriamycin and Cytoxin will cause one's hair to fall out. 

P.S. And yes, I did try those ice packs. They didn't work. B-r-r-r-r !