~ MOMO ~: May 2010

Friday, May 14, 2010

TOUR DE FRANCE!!!!!!!!!

http://www.livestrongaction.org/bike/brandy-rides-for-my-sister-lori

CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE TO GO CHEER ME ON IN MY VIRTUAL BIKE RIDE FOR MY SISTER LORI!!!

If we win then HER NAME will be on LANCE ARMSTRONG'S BIKE during the TOUR DE FRANCE!!!

How incredibly cool is that????????

TBCW & TBDW & NO MO MOMO!!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Cancer Survivor - Day 6! LESSONS TO SHARE

I just want to SHOUT TO THE WORLD that I am cancer free and share ALL of my feelings of joy!!!! :-) This is the place I have chosen to do it (gotta lay off the facebook posts - HA HA)!

Over the weekend I received two messages from people that have been effected by cancer with either themselves or a loved one. They turned to ME! Now that my friends is what it is ALL about!!

See the second I was diagnosed, literally within 5 seconds, I looked up and said to God, "ok Lord, I know you must have something really cool in store for me" and since then I think I did a pretty good job at staying positive and taking it all in stride. Now, some of you know (and those that have read this blog long enough) that I have had my moments where I just needed to throw a good ol' hissy fit and get angry. It is hard to keep positive all the time when you feel physically ill most of the time.

When I received these messages I KNEW I had come full circle and that I went through everything that I HAD to go through to come out the other side and be a completely different person and KNOW that God wanted to use me for a bigger purpose.

I always used to think my role on this earth was to help orphans and refugees and when I was diagnosed it was like a was hit upside the head with a brick - I just KNEW this was where I could spend my energy helping other people. I have always known I was placed on this earth to help, it just took me 36 years to find out exactly WHERE! :-)

I can honestly say this is the second BEST week of my life. I believe this is the longest stretch of days that I have been blissfully happy and nothing crazy has happened (6 to be exact - we call these crazy moments Brandyisms - just start this blog at the the beginning and it will give you a small taste of what I am talking about). :-) I think God is giving me a nice reprieve from the craziness called MY LIFE! :-)

I am starting to think everything in my life culminated to the past two years and I pushed through it and now moving forward is a whole new life full of exciting and positive possibilities - NO MORE NEGATIVE BRANDYISMS (check back in a week or so - haha)!!

I really do wish that everyone could experience this feeling of euphoria and the TRUE knowledge that life is precious and to NOT WASTE IT!!! Without having to go through something so scary and horrible that is! :-)

One BIG lesson I learned years ago (thanks to my sister Michelle) is to NOT have expectations of people. If you think about all of the pain, disappointment, and hurt you have suffered over the years is it not due to YOU expecting someone to BE something they are not, to react the way you want them to, etc...... you are only causing pain for yourself by expecting others to act the way you WANT them to! We are all totally different human beings. If you live life with the best intentions than If someone does not treat you with LOVE and RESPECT than you have to realize that they have to live with themselves. If they like drama or like to stir up trouble then that is just sad that they like to waste their lives like that. As my sister Jennifer always says, "you're just another day dead"!!!

I saw this quote a while back and it sums it up perfectly:

Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever...-- Isak Dinesen

Now.... take inventory of the "negatives" in your life and think about if YOU are actually causing your own pain by expecting people to do what you want them to do - pretty deep huh?? HA HA

That is enough for now.....

~ NO MO MOMO ~

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Cancer Survivor - DAY 3!

What a wild ride this is!!! I guess I had envisioned this moment for ...... well 2 years now and I am surprised it isn't what I had imagined!!!!

IT'S BETTER! :-) I thought once I heard I was cancer free that I might just kind of want to back off and NOT hear about cancer and think about everything we had to go through, etc.... (take a break). BUT.... it is the opposite!

When I was diagnosed I immediately wanted to HELP - I wanted other cancer patients to feel the LOVE. Now all I can think about is how I want to do what I can so other cancer patients can feel this EMPOWERMENT and sense of STRENGTH!! I am more on fire now than ever before!!

I am a group leader starting today for Cards for Cancer - I will collect cards (bought or handmade) for cancer patients and deliver them to MD Anderson (along with the afghans). I know when I received a card in the mail it just made my day. It is a wonderful feeling to know you are NOT alone and that people do care - even if we have not met them in person.

I will be sending out info soon if you want to give cards - it won't be a one time thing, there are too many patients and unfortunately that won't stop soon. :-(

I am feeling more alive and energetic than ever!!! I feel like a whole new person today. I tried to explain it to someone and all I can come up with is that even though I thought I had a pretty good attitude along the way I didn't realize what a CONSTANT burden and weight cancer was on my shoulders. As soon as it was lifted I instantly felt AMAZING - not just because I knew the cancer was gone but because there was no longer a "black cloud" always looming in the background of my mind. I have room now for ALL THINGS POSITIVE now! :-)

I am just gibber jabbering - I am a constant ball of energy now. I am STILL giggling, dancing to the tune in my head, smiling from ear to ear, etc......... I wish everyone could feel this euphoria! :-)

Love you all ~

NO MO MOMO!!!