Updates on my sister

I'll be posting updates on this blog in the form of replies. You are welcome to add your own replies if you like, of course.


I just got off the phone with my Mom.

Sissy has finished the radiation from her breast cancer removal surgery. Apparently they put some sort of balloon in the place where the cancer in her breast was removed, and then were able to administer radiation treatment twice a day for five days through that. I don't really understand all that, but I will research it.

This Friday Sissy is having another surgery, this surgery being a complete hysterectomy. The tumor on her ovary is about the size of an apple. Mom doesn't know if it's also cancerous, but hopefully I'll know more when I talk to her on Sunday.

Apparently she's been unable to have any bowel movements for a while. They have been giving her stool softeners, but so far she doesn't even have the urge to go. She is supposed to be "cleaned out" by Friday morning's surgery, so if there's still no movement I don't know what will happen. It's possible she'll have to have surgery to take care of impacted bowels, maybe? I don't know.

On the up side (or what I'm choosing to latch onto as an up side, at least), she's going to have the surgery at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. Not only is this a good hospital, it is where her life was saved back in 1973.

You see, when she was pregnant with my nephew she was VERY sick. She had hyperemesis (think of it as 24/7 morning sickness, but like a bad stomach flu where NOTHING stays down). If you can't keep food or water in your body at all, you can die - and a doctor at Baptist saved her life, and my nephew's life, by finally finding medicine that allowed her to stop throwing up.

Here's where the hopefulness, the belief and faith that maybe there are miracles, comes in. As it turns out, the oncologist gynecologist is the doctor WHO REPLACED THE ONE WHO SAVED HER when he retired! Maybe it's just coincidence. But we NEED something to cling to, some hope that there is something bigger than us at work, and that it's working in a wonderful, healing way in her life right now.

Please help my big sister

My sister is 16 years older than me. She's had to become a very strong lady as life has thrown more than a fair share of curve balls her way.

I can remember watching her dig for potatoes in our garden when, as a single parent, she was struggling to make ends meet. I know for a fact there were many times she literally went hungry to ensure my nephew would have food to eat.

As a teenager, I remember getting a call late one evening from her, hysterical and in tears. Her second husband (who was, I truly believe, her soul mate) had died from a heart attack, and she couldn't save him. It nearly broke her.

A few years back her last marriage ended in such a devastating way that I honestly had to pray all the time because I feared she might take her own life. He was simply that horrible to her.

She's struggled with fibromyalgia for a long time now, as well as neuropathy. A few years back she had to have carpel tunnel surgeries on both hands. Then she contracted the MRSA virus.

Through it all, she has remained as hard a worker as her health would allow (frankly, MORE than it should allow, but she's a stubborn fighter).

Now she faces another health challenge. During a recent routine mammogram they discovered cancer. She's gone through surgery to have the mass removed, along with two lymph nodes. She's about to start radiation treatment. Various cancers are prevalent in our family. We lost our Dad, Pa, and and uncle to prostate cancer. We've also lost grandparents and cousins to cancers. To hear the 'C' word in conjunction with my sister is a terrifying thing.

She works for a friend who'll be retiring in October - someone who knows that some days her health keeps her homebound, someone who wouldn't fire her for missing work. At 56 years old, with poor health, finding a new job will be difficult. Finding one with a boss who won't penalize her for her health seems impossible.

Her medical bills are already outrageous, and with radiation, follow-ups, etc., it's only going to grow.

She is a strong, independent, and proud woman. It's always been easier for her to do things for herself than to accept help. However, as her sister I can't sit by and do nothing. So, friends and family, I humbly ask for help for my sister. Some of you may know her personally. Many of you may not. But ALL of you who help - even if it's only to pray or send healing vibes her way - are SO very appreciated.

My convention checklist

Since it's almost time for San Diego Comic Con, I thought it'd be good to revisit this blog post. PLEASE feel free to add your suggestions, as this post was originally written more for the average convention rather than a BIG con like SDCC.

I attended my first convention way back in 1998, when I flew from TN to St. Louis for a Hercules/Xena convention. That was also the first time I boarded an airplane, come to think of it!

Since then, I've attended quite a few more conventions. Along the way I've developed a sort of system that works for me, and I thought I'd blog about it in case some of you aren't con vets and need a few handy hints from the trenches.

My list of must-haves:

1. CASH! Yes, most venues has an ATM on-site or nearby, but the lines can be worse than the ones for popular panels and autographs. At larger conventions I've witnessed ATMs running out of cash, too. Some vendors will accept plastic, but EVERYONE takes cash.
2. A comfortable backpack is a must for conventions. Make sure it's roomy enough to put any purchases, freebies and such that you'll accumulate throughout the day.
3. A three-ring-binder is my most important bring-along item! I always have a few sheets of notebook paper, several sheet protectors, a trading card protector sheet, and a zippered pencil pouch. The pouch always has a couple of pens and pencils, a highlighter as well as Sharpies in black and silver (sometimes I'll toss a red and a blue in there, too). If you collect autographs at all, you'll be VERY glad you brought these items. The sheet protectors and trading card protector sheet are perfect for keeping those autographed photos and cards from getting crumpled or smudged. The paper is great for taking notes during panels, doodling when you're bored in line, and such.
4. Water and a couple of snacks are things I really can't recommend enough. If food is available for con attendees, I can guarantee they will be marked up like crazy. Not to mention, it's easy to get overheated or have your blood sugar bottom out when you're on the go for hours on end. So be sure you pack some sustenance - trust me on this one.
5. Comfortable clothes and shoes, and a spare pair of socks. Yes, you might look stunning when you first arrive, but after several hours of walking around, being jostled by crowds, experiencing the heat that hundreds or thousands of bodies can produce in an enclosed space, the LAST thing you'll care about is how adorable those new high heels look with your outfit. So dress with comfort in mind. (Trust me, though, you can definitely look sexy AND be comfy.)
6. A camera is something you may or may not use, but it's a good idea to have one on hand. Don't forget extra batteries for it, too.
7. Since there are lots of great posters (many free) available at conventions, bring a poster tube to keep your new posters wrinkle- and fold-line-free.

A few extras you may want to shove into the backpack:

• over-the-counter pain medicine, such as Tylenol or Advil
• mouthwash, breath mints, or a couple of those little disposable toothbrushes
• (for the ladies) a spare couple of tampons or pads. Even if it's not your special time of the month, it's entirely possible you'll get to play the hero for a panicked, less-prepared person in the ladies room.
• sketch pad - sometimes artists will do a little sketch for you and sign it, which is always cool
• charger for your cell phone - in your down time you may plop down near an outlet. This is especially useful if you're also live Tweeting or blogging from the con.
• your laptop. This one's a fairly individual choice, and depends on whether you mind the extra weight as well as whether you'll actually use it at the con.
• small gifts for your favorite convention guests. Again, this is an individual choice. I like to stock up with candy to pass out, as sometimes the guests don't even have time to grab a bite to eat. 

Finally, there's something else I like to do prior to a convention. I like to go to the convention's website and review the list of guests. I like to familiarize myself with the folks who'll be there so I'll have at least some idea of who they are and what they're "known for". 

Once I get to the convention, my first order of business after getting through the door (which is, in itself, sometimes quite the ordeal) is to look at the program and use my highlighter to mark the things I most want to do so that I can plan the rest of my day around those "must see" moments. I'm also mindful to try and get to the room for more popular panels WELL in advance of the panel's scheduled start, because I've seen rooms fill up and people who've been waiting in line for ages are turned away. Find out whether the con you're attending clears the room after each panel, or allows people to stay in the room from one panel to the next. Some people have no problem camping out in a spot and staying there through several panels that don't interest them just so they can have a good seat for the one they DO care about.

The second order of business is to find out which booths are having freebie giveaways, locate them on the convention floor map (if provided), and plan out my route so that I can use my time efficiently and have a decent shot at collecting my most-coveted goodies.

Thirdly, I check out the photo-op schedules and highlight the ones I most want to do. Some guests will have a few different photo-op times available, but other guests may be there for a very limited time and have only one photo-op on the schedule.

All in all, conventions can be TONS of fun. My best advice would be to enjoy yourself, relax, and remember that the convention guests are people just like you. Treat them with respect, of course, but don't build them up to some god or goddess type status. If you just treat them like the real people they are, you might even get to hang out at the bar with them or find yourself involved in a really cool conversation with them. If you need a time-out to de-stress, take that time-out rather than push yourself beyond your limits.

Overall, the goal is to have a fun, exciting, enjoyable experience. I hope this will help you achieve that goal.

The Break Up Letter

I'm sorry to do this in a letter, but you MUST have seen this coming. We've never really gotten along. Sure, you've been in my life for what seems like forever, but I'm honestly just SO ready to move on.

I'd love to say something like "it's not you, it's me" to soften the blow, but it'd be a big cliche. It'd also be untrue, because you know what? It isn't me. It IS you.

You have the annoying, overbearing habit of showing up at the worst possible times. You've ruined my plans more often than I can count. None of my friends even want to hang out with me when you're around, for Pete's sake! The red flags have been there for a long time.

Why did I even put up with you for this long? I guess the best answer I can give is "I was weak". But you know what? I'm DONE. I've gone through boxes of Kleenex over you, and I've finally had enough.

So this is it. The end of the road for you and me. I want you to leave, and I don't want you to come back. Don't try to get at me through my friends or my kids, either. I want you far away from me and everyone I know.

That's right, Cold And Flu Season. I'm breaking up with you.

wish list

Add this to my wishlist (the items, plus the body to go with it):

http://www.hipsandcurves.com/plus-size-lingerie/p-255-plus-size-parisian-style-floor-length-skirt-default.aspx