WEEKLY WRAP UP....

Our blogging buddy, Marie does a weekly round up.  Geez, No Pressure There.....  She's a kinda sorta very busy advocate these days so she hadn't been posting those Friday round ups regularly like she was when she first mentioned THIS blog.  I look at that moment as one of those pivotal moments in my life.  It was August 26, 2011.  I can still remember how I felt seeing my name on in someone else's space.

This is my weekly WRAP UP.  Marie just wrote a piece about what we make of our lives after cancer.  I want to weigh in with some thoughts but my thoughts are all over the place.  For now, the only thing I can say is THIS, and by this I mean the blog and everything that has unfolded because I had this brazen idea that I could help just one person with my words. I'm collecting my thoughts and I will share them.

Looking backward, the very first comment that was left on this blog was on July 27, 2011.  This space wasn't "live" for ten days and I can still remember the thrill of seeing one simple sentence saying "thank you."  That it was posted on the five year "cancerversary" ....  the dividing line in my own life, that day I heard, "You Have Cancer," gave the words a far deeper meaning.  Just a few weeks later, there was a comment from Barb Bristow.  Barb is my first "connection" turned friend, turned extra special person and not so long ago, Barb learned she went from NED to metastatic.  Tears sting my eyes every time I think of what she is going through. Please send some love and good thoughts her way.  We swapped texts a few times this week.

And Jan.  Since that blogroll is now on a page rather than on the side, I FORGET to check the list.  It would not have mattered since Jan hasn't been to her space but I saw a comment (on Marie's blog) about her status as a "metavivor" and I went cold.  I went on a frantic search trying to figure out what I missed and HOW.  It felt like forever but I did hear from her via email.  She responded to treatment and I am sending love her way, too.

And Jen...... another rough patch.  Glad to see she left a note in response to a comment someone left on her blog.  I'm worried about her, too.

And Ann....Not on an Easy Chemo but damn... this is the last day of voting and I want her to win that prize.  She's neck in neck with another blogger.  Ann is hoping to have that $1000.00 for her son's college fund.  I try to remember to vote every day.  I've not been great at the daily voting but I try.  Today, I need all of you to vote and share with everyone you know.  Voting ends at midnight Eastern time.

And Lori...... wherever the hell you are.... I love you.  Do you need anything?  I'm here.

And mom.  Always... Mom.

And really everyone and anyone else.....  I didn't start naming names to leave people out, it's just that these people have stuff going on right now.  And I'm somewhat involved in their stuff.......

More ramblings..... my sweet friend Stephanie.  Yesterday was Valentine's Day.  Because it's a day of "hearts" I wanted to send her a special note.  Hours later, I learned it was also National Organ Donor's Day.  Stephanie shared her story here. Stephanie is alive because she was given the gift of life in the form of a heart transplant.  She is tireless and passionate. She's a gentle giant in the world of advocacy.

Yesterday's film clip compliments of Flight.  Chemo Brain.....  Hollywood validation in 47 seconds or less.  That was brought to my attention by Ronen.  Medivizor.  Step Aside Dr. Google, Enter Medivizor.  THAT Ronen.  If you haven't submitted your email information, please do.  When you get the link to "join" be as specific as possible.  They don't want to send you anything that isn't relevant to your situation.  Please share with your Facebook friends, your support groups, anywhere you possibly can.  Medivizor for personalized, custom tailored information.

One final note before I bid this week a final farewell.  On Tuesday, I offered my thanks to ASCO for providing Patient Access to publications.  Thanks to the blog written by Dr. Miller, I learned about the access and shared it here.

I am reprinting the comment he left beneath that post.  First, I'm not sure people follow comments after they read a blog post and second, the links in the comments are not clickable.  Dr. Miller wanted to be sure the proper people were thanked for their efforts in bringing the access to the publications to the patient community.

Take a look around the Conquer Cancer Foundation website.  Then, information?  Reliable information??  Cancer.Net for every type of cancer.  And lastly, the link to the page where donations can be made.  Now that I've addressed the clickable links, time to turn the floor over to Robert S. Miller, MD or as he is known on twitter: @rsm2800

"AnneMarie, Thanks for your kind post but mostly for helping publicize this. I want to give a special shout out to the Conquer Cancer Foundation, formerly the ASCO Cancer Foundation, for funding this initiative as part of their mission endowment grants to Cancer.Net and ASCO's patient advocacy programs. Readers of your blog can follow them at @iConquerCancer and read about some of their work at their web site http://www.conquercancerfoundation.org. Part of their mission is to fund clinical cancer research, to support patients and caregivers through grant support to Cancer.Net (allowing Cancer.Net to be free from pharma ads), and to support ASCO's patient advocate's scholarship program at the annual meeting. While there's no shortage of cancer-related charities, I would encourage your readers to consider donating to CCF (http://www.conquercancerfoundation.org/become-a-donor). Thanks again"