A To-Do List?! Yes Please!

Found this little ditty and thought it was a wonderful reminder of how to focus more on the important things we encounter each day. My favorite part is the to-do list (Does that really surprise anyone? I'm a slave to the to-do list!):

"Follow this daily to-do list and you’ll be just fine:

1. Think positively.
2. Eat healthy.
3. Exercise today.
4. Worry less.
5. Work hard.
6. Laugh often.
7. Sleep well.

Repeat…"

I know you might be thinking, "yeah, yeah, I see this inspirational crap on Pinterest every day" but really, when it all boils down, it's great advice! Trying my best to follow (and repeat) the short list from now on.

Forward Thinking

It's finally here! I said goodbye to 2013 with a quick tear and welcomed 2014 last night surrounded by people I love (and then strangers in a conga line). I started this year already breaking one of my resolutions (to swear less; I lasted until about 10:30 this morning...), but it's ok. The beauty about resolutions are that if you mess up, you can start over again right away.

This past year has certainly put things into perspective for me. We said goodbye to Jason's sweet grandpa George, to my beautiful stepsister Margie and her daughter-to-be Olivia, and to Jerry, a long-time friend of Jason's family. My mom and stepdad sold the house I grew up in and moved to Texas. Breast cancer happened. We had to sit through a very painful two weeks in a courtroom. It was the longest 365 days I've ever known. Definitely challenging by comparison to the years I've had before it.

So, where there are valleys, there are hills, and I truly believe that 2014 will be the hill (a steep one so I'll get in shape along the way) that I'll use to climb out of this valley of sadness. How's that for a metaphor? There are so many things to look forward to this year. Weddings, babies, new challenges in my fitness, career and personal life. All of it will slowly remind me of what the "easy" years feel like, and I'll appreciate each day more because of what 2013 showed me.

I hope to end this upcoming year in a better place than I am today, even if today I'm better than I was on this day last year. It's all about evolving to become me at my best. Hello 2014, let's see what you have in store.

Thankful

Tis the season to shop, eat, be with friends and family, but most of all: be thankful.  I'm usually pretty aware of the things I have in my life that others may not.  I was lucky enough to be born into a very loving family, in a country that, among its shortcomings, offers a relatively safe and comfortable place to live and be a young, working woman.  I get to vote, choose who I marry (hey there, Jas), and at the end of the day, have the peace of mind that I don't have to worry about where my next glass of clean water is coming from, or how to cure my hunger pains. I live a pretty cushy life.

In the past I've completely taken my health and body for granted.  After my scare with breast cancer, I have a whole new level of respect (and thanks) for my physical and mental health.  I, unlike many other survivors, don't wake up every morning with my first thought being "I had cancer." Even when I'm flashing, I don't think "I'm hot because of the Tamoxifen, and I'm taking Tamoxifen because I had cancer." I don't think "cancer" when I stretch the muscles in my chest/arms or accidentally run into something because I don't have feeling in my boobs (it happens more than I'm happy to admit).  When I do think about it, it still seems a little too crazy to comprehend.  Like it was all a terrible dream, except I have the scars to prove that it wasn't (maybe I should seek therapy?!).

I'll never ever forget the fact that I had cancer, but I think it's time for me to move past it.  I'm beyond happy to talk about my experiences if anyone asks; however, I feel that dedicating this blog to cancer is facing it in the wrong direction.  I need to write about living life despite having cancer, to give others hope that they too can overcome the hurdles and come out the other side healthy, cancer-free, and yes, even thankful for the experience. 

I plan to continue to update you fine folks of any support group meetings, doctor appointments, or general aches and pains I have (if I have to deal with it, you're going to know about it), but I'll also be writing about other things going on in my life.  If that means I lose readers (all three of you), I want to thank you for sticking with me over the last five months.  I hope I was able to raise the awareness you have about your personal breast health (health in general!), or encourage you to spread the word about early mammograms.  It's never too early to detect and start treating breast cancer! 

Many thanks; I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Cassie

Better Things

Well it's been just over two weeks since I had my tissue expanders replaced and now it's time for me to really help people.  A few months ago I was asked to be on a Breast Cancer Patient Advisory Counsel (PAC), and I said "yes" because in the beginning, my Care Coordinators Lynnae and Carrie (who I attribute much of my sanity during that time to) set me up with a girl in Boston, who had also been diagnosed at 28.  She was finishing up her 5 years as I was starting mine, but it was beyond comforting to talk with someone who knew exactly how I was feeling (each woman who goes through breast cancer has their own, unique story, but I was able to relate to her better than the women I spoke with who were in their 50's and 60's when they were diagnosed).  As soon as I hung up the phone with her, I knew I wanted to be that someone on the other line offering comfort.  Being a part of this PAC is my way to improve the care that newly-diagnosed women are receiving. 

My first meeting was last night, and it was kind of a "passing of the baton" meeting.  Each year in the fall, a few new women join the PAC and the women who have already served their two years leave.  We went over a summary of everything they accomplished over the past two years (The biggest and most important, in my opinion, was creating the Care Coordinator position. I cannot imagine not having Lynnae/Carrie to go to!) and I'm so excited to see what my group comes up with!

Making Strides

Taking a break from all of the pain talk (boooo pain; it's still here), I've decided to sign up for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk on October 12!  It'll be just a nice little morning walk compared to the 3-day (60 miles!) I did a few years ago, but this one is hitting much closer to home.  My fundraising goals are definitely doable, so I'm sharing the link here in case you haven't been on Facebook today/checked your email (I'm sorry in advance for soliciting).  Please take a moment to visit my fundraising page to contribute, or walk with me if you're in the Mpls area that weekend! Let's go Team Schober!

Long Winded

Jason's aunt Colleen is a genius and suggested that I write to Ellen, you know, that Ellen, to see if she'd be willing to help out with my pajama project (ohhh boy, let's call it the Pajama Project! I'm seeing logos flash in my head!).  Of course!  Ellen helps so many people, and this could be a way for her to really make an impact.  I wrote up a page and a half explaining my story and how much I love the pajamas and why everyone having a mastectomy should own their own pair.  Then I realized I had to stay within 1,500 characters.  Wom womp.  I whittled and deleted, bringing what was originally well over 4,000 characters down to the 1,500 requirement, on the nose.  Here's what I submitted:

On 6/14/13 at the ripe age of 28, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had a bilateral mastectomy soon after, and during my recovery was given a Victoria’s Secret Supersoft Short PJ Set. I was preaching about how much I love them day in and out when it occurred to me that I needed to do more. I had an idea to gift a pair of these pajamas to every woman going through a mastectomy. Sadly it’d be a lot of pajamas and I’m not Scrooge McDuck with a vault filled with gold coins, so being a part of the social media world we live in, I reached out. I wrote a review on the VS website (by Cassie61413 on 8/12/13 – check it out!) hoping to give a gentle “hint hint.” I also submitted a short essay to Fab-U-Wish through BrightPink.org, acknowledging the fact that we’d need some collaboration between multiple, huge organizations to make something so big happen.

So far I’ve heard nothing, and that’s where you come in (third time’s a charm, right?). I’ve seen you and your sponsors give out some pretty hefty checks to very deserving people. As someone who has been through it herself, I believe that anyone having a mastectomy, single or double, is more than deserving of a little comfort. Is it at all possible that you would be willing to be the bridge between the Victoria’s Secret pajamas and patients as they leave the hospital? I know this is such a major request and it will involve many moving parts, but how worth it if even one person feels the comfort I felt? Thanks for your consideration!

I really do hope that the third time is a charm and she's interested in this project!  

It's my Birthday!

Usually I wouldn't have ended "It's my birthday" with an exclamation point, but I'm a changed woman.  My outlook on aging has gone from "I'm going to celebrate 29 every year from now on" to "Bring it on age, I made it this far." I'm perfectly happy where I am, at the age I am, and instead of dreading a new number, I'm embracing another successful year under my belt.

I'm confident that 29 has good things in store.  The biggest thing on my radar: I'll celebrate five incredible years with Jason in a few short months.  Another thing I'm looking forward to: New Boobs Day!  I'll have milestones to celebrate with family and friends, mini celebrations at our favorite restaurant, Kafe 421, and a whole lot of being thankful happening. A few goals:

1. Mega-clean our basement of all the cobwebs, dust and miscellaneous boxes that landed there when we moved in 3 years ago so we can maybe start finishing it
2. Finish landscaping our back yard
3. Push my idea of pajamas for women having mastectomies further; I've heard absolutely no feedback from the organizations I've reached out to, and that's not ok 
4. Secure our wireless network (small but something I've been meaning to do for a long time)

As we celebrated turning 29 last night, I was talking with some girlfriends about over-committing and missing out on time with the people who mean the most to me.  It's difficult to say "no" to things, but I'm going to try really hard to start saying it more.  Life's too short to waste even an hour doing something you don't want to do.  I want to really savor the time I have with the people I love and not constantly be worried about what I'm falling behind on on my list of things to do (I'm famous for my to do list's, by the way). 

Looking forward to what this new year has in store for me.

Jason = Positive Vibes

While waiting tonight for our purchase to be gift-wrapped for one of the many weddings we have this summer, I picked up a name horiscope-like book and found such a promising message under "Jason":

You will marry young (we were 24 and 25) and will weather initial difficulties (hello 2013!?) due to your age and inexperience (no one, at any time in their lives, should be prepared for what this year has put us through). Time will bring confidence, security, and happiness.

How uplifting, right?  Of course I searched for my name, but no one recognizes "Cassie" as a name.  I don't count Cassandra as being close enough (that's not my name); I want straight up Cassie.  No cool name pencils or key chains for this gal growing up.  Oh well, I think Jason's scope is perfect for both of us.  Time has brought us so far from where we started in all of this, and I'm so confident that it will eventually not cross our minds every single day.  Just a matter of time.

Another matter: kickball.  Our team did awesome last night, starting our season off with a 11-2 victory!  The ref was nice, cracking jokes while I was trying to play catcher, and we were all miserable in the oven that has taken over MN this week.  We made the best of it though and I'm so proud of our team.  I played without pain (although I'm pretty sore today) and I know the more I do it (i.e. every Tuesday for the next 7-8 weeks) the better I'll feel.  As a matter of fact, kickball will pretty much bring me right up to New Boobs Day (70 days)!

Living

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly despairing, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing."

- Agatha Christie

Weekly Inspiration

Jason's very sweet aunt Colleen has been sending me inspirational quotes each week and I just wanted to share one (so cliché, I know!):

“Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize that they were the big things!”