Who Wrote The Book Of Mormon

John surprised me with tickets to Book of Mormon tonight. I've been wanting to see it for such a long time and was sooooo excited when he told me we were going. It didn't disappoint. It was beyond hilarious. I did not expect to laugh as hard as I did. The acting and music were amazing. It was so inappropriate and not pc at all, which made it that much better. And during intermission, I saw my old friend Derek in the lobby! I highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance

So gangster

Thanks For Making Me A Fighter

**Cancer is the man in this version

After all you put me through
You'd think I'd despise you
But in the end I wanna thank you
'Cause you made that much stronger

Well I thought I knew you
Thinking that you were true
Guess I, I couldn't trust called your bluff
Time is up, 'cause I've had enough

You were there by my side
Always down for the ride
But your joy ride just came down in flames
'Cause your greed sold me out in shame, mmm hmm

After all of the stealing and cheating
You probably think that
I hold resentment for you
But uh uh, oh no, you're wrong

'Cause if it wasn't for all
That you tried to do
I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through
So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

Never saw it coming
All of your backstabbing
Just so, you could cash in on a good thing
Before I'd realized your game

I heard you're going 'round
Playin' the victim now
But don't even begin feelin' I'm the one to blame
'Cause you dug your own grave

After all of the fights and the lies
Guess you're wanting to harm me
But that won't work anymore
No more, uh uh, it's over

'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture
I wouldn't know how to be this way now
And never back down
So I wanna say thank you

'Cause it
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

How could this man I thought I know
Turn out to be unjust so cruel?
Could only see the good in you
Pretended not to see the truth

You tried to hide your lies
Disguise yourself through
Living in denial
But in the end you'll see
You won't stop me

I am a fighter
(I'm a fighter)
I ain't gonna stop
(I ain't gonna stop)
There is no turning back
I've had enough

Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

Thought I would forget
But I, I remember
Yes I remember
I'll remember

Thought I would forget
But I remember
Yes I remember
I'll remember

Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

Christina Aguilera - Fighter

St. Baldrick's Foundation

St. Baldrick's is an organization driven solely by volunteers to help find cures for childhood cancers. Every year they have an event at the Happy Ending to raise money for the cause. This year my handsome boyfriend hosted the event and couldn't have done a better job. Also, my 2 good pals, Jason and Saenz, shaved their heads to raise money and I was so proud of them. There were probably about 10 people who shaved their heads to raise money, including a 5-year-old boy and a girl! It was a great event for a good cause!

http://www.stbaldricks.org/

Jason and Saenz getting their heads shaved

John hosting

Lucy, the only girl to get her head shaved today

Me and Kid Caramel

Reunited And It Feels So Good

While I was going through chemo, I took an acupressure class at Tower. I met a really cool gal there who was going through the same thing I was. We got to talking about what we do and when I told her I did product placement, she said her wife was a set decorator. She told me her wife's name and I knew her. I had worked with her. I saw my friend 2 more times at radiation but that was it. Today, I get a call from a woman whose name sounds familiar. Then she says she is working with that set decorator I knew. I put 2 and 2 together and realized it was my old pal from the class. I emailed her and told her I thought it was her but if not, I profusely apologize. She wrote back and it was her!! It was so nice to catch up with her. She, too, is doing great and getting clear scans. Small, small world.

Luck Of The Irish

Last year, St. Paddy's Day fell the weekend after my second chemo infusion. I felt like crap and I was really sad I couldn't go out and celebrate. John is Irish and we like to do it up big. I told myself this year I'd go all out for St. Patrick's Day and I kept my own promise. We went down to Carlsbad Sat-Mon and had a great time. We hung with good friends, went to a St. Patrick's Day festival, grilled, went to a couple Irish pubs and ended it with Happy Hour last night, where I had a corned beef sandwich and John and Joe had green beers and Jameson. Next stop...Easter!

O'Sullivan's in Carlsbad

Yep

Giant strawberry man at St. Paddy's Day festival

Partner, Let Me Update You

Had a follow up appointment with my oncologist this week and all is good. The doctor said I was doing great, despite a bit of breast swelling and pain. She said it was normal after radiation. My bloodwork came back good too. My hormones are still not back to normal, but that is expected.

Here is a quote that I say to myself often..."breast cancer is not a death sentence, it's a wake-up call." It's along the same lines as "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." It keeps me sane when I am feeling down and helps me make healthier choices.

This weekend I am doing it up BIG for St. Paddy's Day since I didn't get to last year. Stay tuned for the blog...

Best Email Ever

I've been a Make-A-Wish volunteer, off and on, for the past 9 years or so. After going through an awful breakup and feeling sorry for myself, I decided to volunteer to help others who were going through something way worse than a stupid breakup. There are so many words to describe the experience; rewarding, hard, sad, inspiring, magical. You see these kids who have life-threatening illnesses, yet they still have smiles on their faces. They were actually a huge inspiration to me when I was going through treatments.

A few days ago, a girl who I helped grant a wish for emailed me. We are FB friends and I've been keeping tabs on her. I worked with her maybe 5ish years ago. She was in her late teens and battling cancer. She had an AMAZING wig that didn't look like a wig and a wonderfully supportive family. Her dad even shaved his head. In her email, she thanked me for helping her through a rough time. She then told me she's 3 years cancer free!!!!! So fantastic. I wrote her back and told her that she helped me just as much as I helped her because I often thought of her strength when I was going through chemo.

I believe people come into your life for a reason and that you should be aware of it. Each person serves a purpose. And for those who just bring you down and stress you out, they also served a purpose, but now it's time to kick em to the curb.

Pixie Dust

A year ago today, I shaved my head like a warrior. Today, I got a haircut because it needed to be cleaned up. What a difference a year makes

A year ago

A year later

Look Ma, No Cavities

I have a theory. I think dentists fill teeth for the money. I think it's all a scam. Here's why...our dentist is a family friend. We have always gotten free dental work and neither my brother nor I have ever had a cavity. None of our teeth our filled. So I think it's all a money-making shakedown.
On a separate note, I usually just floss my teeth a week before I go to the dentist, because who has time to floss their teeth? And also, while I was going through chemo, I wasn't allowed to floss my teeth. I do think it's important but because I am the most impatient person on the West Coast, I never do it. Any time I do floss my teeth, John says "you must have a dentist appointment coming up."
I went to the dentist last week, after not going for a year (again, because of chemo, I couldn't) and I had zero cavities and he actually said my teefs looked good.

Speaking of teeth, this is my acupuncturist's dog, Joey.

BROWSing The Internet

I have pretty much given up on my eyebrows. They are almost completely gone, especially the left one. I know I've written about them many times, but some days I am just so sad about it. I used to have the thickest eyebrows in the wilderness and now I won't leave the house unless they are drawn on and filled in. I do have some great brow tools in my makeup bag; eyebrow wax, powder, pencil and brow mascara. I am giving it til June (a year that I will have finished chemo) before I go get them tattooed on. I also may get a teardrop tattoo by my eye for all the homies I've shanked.

My brows before makeup

My brows after makeup