What a difference a year makes...

This past weekend I was in the fourth of July parade. I was part of the Relay for Life float. It is the second time I was a part of the parade. Last year I was still going through treatment and I was so tired I couldn't even walk the parade route. I rode on the float with another survivor, an 8 year old girl. Its not that I was embarrased or anything that I was riding on the float. I was pissed off that cancer wouldn't allow me to walk.

Actually it wasn't cancer, it was hypothyroidism, which was probably a side effect of radiation, so it was because of cancer, indirectly, not directly. I was so tired that I tried to take a nap before the fireworks that night. It was hard to nap in the car. Parking sucks during the holidays we didn't want to lose our parking spot so we relaxed in the car until it was time for the show.

But back to this year. I started the day off at 10am in at the Dog look a like contest in Harbor Springs. Vic was the emcee of the event. After that I walked around with a friend at the art fair there. I stayed in Harbor Springs for about 4 hours until the parade started then I jetted out of there to go home to relax before the Petoskey parade.

I relaxed and watched some bad movie on cable then went to the location where the float was lined up for the parade. The day was beautiful and I was reminded of how I felt last year, how tired I was, and how bound and determined I was to walk in the parade, not ride in the float.

So yes I walked proudly in the parade. I actually walked a lot that day. Once the parade was over Doug and I walked around town until it was time for the fireworks, stopping of course to eat
and enjoy some ice cream on a nice hot summer evening.

The fireworks were awesome and they were the perfect ending to the weekend, which was also Doug's birthday weekend.

What a difference a year makes.

Relay for Life

This past week I have had writers block. I try to blog at least once a week if I can, but I just couldn't find anything to write about. Ideas and thoughts were there, but they were not able to go from my head to black and white. This past weekend I went to the Grand Traverse Relay for Life. I am the vice chair of the Emmet County Relay. I was just the media rep, but some people dropped out and I decided to step up to the plate and help out (sure I mean what else do I have to do except for 2 jobs, go to doctor's appointments, find time to exercise, and find time to see my fiance?)

So Sherri, the Chair of the Emmet County Relay and I got up early, well early for me on a weekend anyway and drove to Traverse City for the Relay. We got there a little late, well lets say we rolled up just barely in time for the opening ceremony, of which I said a little speech, I wasn't really prepared for that, I walked up on stage and was handed the microphone by Josh, one of my co-workers at the radio station. I really don't remember what I said, but I am sure it was worthwhile (HAHA) I am pretty good at coming up with stuff off the top of my head, that is what I do for a living right? It is a little different though, being in a room by yourself with just a microphone and a room full of about 100 people.

Sherri and I stayed for a while and then we left, planning to come back for the luminaria ceremony later on in the day, hey we drove all the way to Traverse City, so we had to get some shopping in right?

After a feverish search for certain items of clothing in several different stores we were ready to go back to the Relay, and luckily for us we were able to get there in time for the survivor dinner, a delicious spaghetti dinner and chocolate cake for dessert.

We had about 2 hours to kill before the luminaria ceremony, so I got a massage (another one, I love massages) and was able to watch game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. Leave it to me to be able to watch a hockey game at a cancer event, thanks to the Best Buy team for having a sweet HD tv available for viewing.

The luminaria ceremony was very emotional. In case you have never been to one a speech is given, and the names of survivors and those we have lost to cancer are read. It was both inspirational and sad. One person had 80 luminaria bags bought in memory of him. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house, mine included. When the name of my friend Lisa was read by her son, I almost lost it. She is a 9 year survivor of colon cancer.

All I can say is this. If you have been touched by cancer, even in a periphery sense, you should attend a Relay. Yes you can say I am biased because I am a vice chair of the Relay, but also I saw how the day touched the lives of everyone who attended.

So if you have a chance come to the Emmet County Relay for Life on July 18th. If you can't attend that one then find one near you. You wont regret it and it will change your life.


Mel is the producer of The Vic McCarty show on wmktthetalkstation.com Listen live 10am-noon weekdays.

The only constant is change

It has been an exciting few weeks. I just started a new job. I am still producing the Vic McCarty Show. I am also producing a new show for a new internet radio network empoweradio.com. The Maria Shaw show is the new show I am producing. I finally feel like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. I obviously felt that during The Vic McCarty show, but now that I am solely producing radio I am very happy. I am not on air during Maria's show, which is just fine with me, I love being Vic's comic foil on the Vic McCarty show and championing the causes that I believe in.

I am slowly feeling like myself again. The vitamin D deficiency put a dent in my plans to get back to the "new normal." I am still having problems with what is referred to as "Chemo brain." This is very hard for me. Before cancer I was always on top of my game, I could remember peoples names and faces, and now sometimes I still struggle to get words out. I know that when I get tired it aggrivates my lack of focus, and I was pretty tired today. I was ready for a nap at 11:30 in the morning, and of course since I work full time I don't think my employer would appreciate me taking a snooze in the middle of a radio show, it wouldn't make for a good program that is for sure.

It gets frustrating to take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back. Sometimes I feel like I am playing some game of monopoly. Some days I own all the hotels and I am winning the game, some days I do not pass go, do not collect $200.00.

Listen to me on The Vic McCarty Show weekdays 10am-noon eastern time on wmktthetalkstation.com

Listen to the show I produce The Maria Shaw Shows weekdays noon-three eastern time on empoweradio.com

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my Dad's birthday. He would have been 76 today.

I am a your typical Daddy's girl. Most girls played with Barbie Dolls. I was a tomboy, big surprise if you know me. I played with Tonka Trucks and watched football with my Dad. He is a big part of who I am today. He passed away on June 12, 2003, after a brief battle with diabetes. He also had a couple of heart attacks and a stroke. I remember one of the last times I saw him he was overweight, still smoking (even after his first heart attack he still picked up the cigarettes) and probably not checking his blood sugar. He was eating a HUGE piece of chocolate cake and when I asked him about eating that he said he wanted to live life the way he wanted to. In some ways I agree, but living the way he wanted actually shortened his life, in my opinion.

Most people don't like to go to the doctor, and especially in these times, with no health insurance that is still true, but what are the two most important things in your life? Your health and your family. I can't tell you how much you take your health for granted until you have a disease like cancer invade your body. Cancer is an overproduction of cells, I always knew I was an over achiever, but seriously do I have to be that much of one??!!

Now that I am in remission I don't take my health for granted at all. I try to eat right, although in the last week I haven't been as good as I should be. I should not be eating at fast food restaurants, but it is a quick and cheap way to get your meal, especially if you are hungry. I should be at the gym more, but I just started this cool new job and I have been busy helping get a studio set up and getting audio clips ready, in addition to all the other stuff I do in my life. I REALLY should be back on the Metagenics First Line Therapy plan. Writing down the food that I eat and really really watching what I eat (but those Buffalo Wild Wing deliveries to the station are so hard to resist.) and going to the gym at least 3 times a week should be what I am doing, but I am not. I realize that it is difficult for everyone to do the important things like these, eat right, exercise and live healthy, but if you don't what are your options? You could be like my Dad, who only got to see his first grandchild one time.

I think about my Dad almost every day. He is the most important man in my life, even before Doug, my fiance. Family, that is what is important. Family doesn't have to be someone you are related to, it can be a close friend or co workers. I have my family, my brother and his wife, their son, and my mom, they are my relatives, but I do have an extended family. People that I work with, or have worked with, or just have become a really good friend that I consider family.

Now I picture my life without any single one of those people, and I go back to the question: What are the 2 most important things in your life, your health, and if you tell me you can't afford to go to the doctor, I am going to tell you that you can't afford not to. I have great insurance, and I have substantial medical bills, and I would rather be broke than dead. And your family, now imagine you are Jimmy Stewart in one of my favorite movies of all time "It's A Wonderful Life" what would their life be like if you were gone, or if you didn't exist at all. Pretty sad if you ask me.

So on my Dad's birthday I would like to thank him, for making me the person I am today. I started a new job on a new internet radio station, and I am pretty sure that he had a hand in steering me towards that. I am hoping that he is looking down upon me and smiling, seeing what kind of person his daughter has become, and I hope he is proud.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Mel is the producer of The Vic McCarty show on wmktthetalkstation.com. Listen to her live Monday thru Friday 10am-Noon.

Mel also produces The Maria Shaw Show on empoweradio.com Monday thru Friday 12noon-3pm

WOW!!! This blog was named one of the top 30 inspirational cancer survivor blogs

My blog was listed as one of the top 30 inspirational cancer survivor blogs by mritechnicianschools.org. I definitely want to thank everyone at that organization for the honor, I am humbled, shocked and grateful. I also want to thank StupidCancer.com for giving me a voice on there as well. I am #19 on the list. Here is the link:
http://www.mritechnicianschools.org/top-30-inspirational-cancer-survivor-blogs/

Mel is a breast cancer survivor. Listen to her weekdays on The Vic McCarty Show 10-noon on wmktthetalkstation.com. Also check out her blog posts on imtooyoungforthis.blogspot.com.

INTRODUCTIONS

I am pretty much just like you. I am a sports fan, I enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, in the winter biking, tennis in the summer.I am the captain of the women's hockey team.
I produce a local morning sports/talk radio show The Vic McCarty show, I just got engaged, and oh yeah, I am a breast cancer survivor.

I work for the local radio station, and we do a lot of charity events. I wanted to participate in one and hadn't so I randomly picked one, it happened to be the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. It was powerful. (I had only known one person who died of cancer, his name was Nick Corea, he was a writer on Walker, Texas Ranger, and a great guy. Pancreatic cancer took him quickly.) Hearing about all the survivor stories touched me. Little did I know how much. The Relay was in June or July. I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma stage one grade 3 breast cancer in September of that same year, just a few months later.

I found the lump in the beginning of September of 2007, never in my wildest dreams did I think cancer. I didn't have a doctor here so my personal trainer suggested a couple of doctors and I picked one, a female doctor, just because I had heard good things about her from other people. I met her and she scheduled me for a biopsy a day or two later.

September 18, 2007.

I remember pretty much everything about that day like it was yesterday. I was driving home from work and I had called to see if my biopsy results were in. The nurse answered the phone and said they were not in. Not even two minutes later the doctor called me. She told me that she had my results and how soon could I get there. FUCK, i thought, It's cancer. It's never a good sign when they want you in the office, its not like they are inviting you to try the extra cookies that the receptionist made for her daughters bake sale. Nope never good news. I don't even remember driving to the office, I just remember ending up there waiting in the waiting room, I recall the doc coming out wearing this odd chinese type apron and she lead me back to one of the exam rooms. It was blue and I sat and I waited for her She asked me if there was someone I wanted to call to be with me when she told me the news, but I just wanted to get it over with, she pressed the issue again and I think I said just fucking tell me!!! "It's cancer." I looked at the silver clock in the blue exam room 1:12pm. Even though I knew that is what she was going to say it still doesn't mentally prepare you for that actual statement. All I heard after that sounded like the adults in Peanuts blah blah blah, staging, blah blah blah tumor size, blah blah blah surgery.

I sat there stunned, being in the best physical shape I had ever been in my life I couldn't believe it, I don't smoke, I don't drink, I eat right, I was gearing up for hockey season, and here she told me news that would totally change my life.