Showing posts with label mom breast cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mom breast cancer. Show all posts
We are overwhelmed with gratitude and thankful that mom's radiation treatment is now complete! Click HERE to watch my most favorite reel EVER.
Thank you so much for all of your love and support- more to come, but in the meantime thank you for all of your continued prayers as we heal from the last year.
Most people travel to New York City for Broadway shows, summer adventures, restaurants, city landmarks, and sightseeing. This first week of June, we’re here for a different reason. I shared the reel the other day of what I bought for the room HERE and today I shared the reveal HERE on instagram!!
As my mom completes radiation treatments this week, we have the privilege of staying at Hope Lodge. This has been the biggest blessing. Before we arrived, a dear friend gifted me a Hobby Lobby gift card, and I used it to gather a few simple things to help make our room feel even more warm, peaceful, and welcoming (which has already been above and beyond wonderful by the volunteers and staff).
Over the years, I’ve learned that beauty isn’t reserved for perfect circumstances or a certain place. Sometimes it looks like a fresh set of towels, flowers on a table, a favorite blanket, a classroom decor, or a thoughtfully arranged corner of a room. I believe every space can be treated with extra care and in that small way we love those in our circles even deeper by creating haven areas.
A HUGE thank you to Hope Lodge for the opportunity to stay and the love and support around each corner. Thank you also to everyone who has prayed for our family and walked alongside us during this season- we are so grateful. ❤️
Thank you so much for your likes, comments, and shares on this reel! Click HERE to see!
Happy Wednesday friends! I hope you have the most wonderful day!
Caravan Sonnet | Hope Lodge Cancer Treatment MSK
This week, my mom and I are so incredibly blessed to be staying at Hope Lodge in New York City during her radiation treatments. A dear friend gifted me a Hobby Lobby gift card, and I decided to use it to gather a few simple things to help make our room feel a little more comfortable, peaceful, and cozy for my precious mom. You can find the reel on Instagram by clicking HERE!
I’ve learned over the years that beauty isn’t reserved for perfect circumstances. Sometimes it looks like fresh flowers on a table, a cozy blanket, a favorite mug, or small touches that make a temporary room feel a little more like home.
Whether it’s a fifth-generation family cabin, a hotel room, a cottage, or a Hope Lodge during treatment, I believe every space can be treated with care and intention.
Come shopping with me as I gather a few things to help create a cozy haven for the week ahead. You can find the reel on Instagram by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. You are also helping support this business of mine- which is HUGE. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space and support me with no cost to you. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this! .
Thank you.
Happy Monday and Happy June 1st friends! I hope you have the most wonderful day!
Caravan Sonnet | Hope Lodge Cancer Treatment MSK
As Mom begins her FINAL steps in this Cancer journey with daily radiation treatments in New York City, several friends and family members have kindly asked how they can best support us practically during this season. Because of that, we decided to create an updated meal train for anyone who would like to help.
We are incredibly grateful beyond words to share that we were offered a place at Hope Lodge during treatment, which has been an enormous blessing and answered one of our biggest concerns. We were also able to use points to help cover our overnight travel accommodations before treatment begins, and we truly cannot express how thankful we are for these provisions and acts of kindness.
People have kindly asked how they can help during her surgery and our stay in the city and her recovery over the next couple of weeks. At this point, the biggest practical needs will simply be food, gas, and parking expenses during the weeks of travel and treatment. While we are deeply grateful for lodging through Hope Lodge, daily parking costs in the city remain one of the largest ongoing practical expenses during treatment.
Thank you all so much for the prayers, encouragement, messages, and support already shown to our family throughout this journey. We are deeply grateful for every kindness more than we can adequately express.
We so appreciate those who suggested doing a full fundraiser but at this time Meal Train felt like a gentle way to help receive practical support if you feel led. You can donate, sponsor a meal, or give a gift card by clicking HERE.
Most of all we are grateful for your prayers and love and kindness. Thank you so much.
Thank you for all of your prayers for mom's appointments on Friday. We have some plans in place for next steps and are also prayerfully considering other things for the weeks, months, and years ahead.
Thank you for your prayers for wisdom and for us as we continue to process and
plan wisely. Mom and I headed home last yesterday, grateful and a bit overwhelmed from a (good) overload of knowledge and expert wisdom from Sloan Kettering- but mostly humbled with gratitude.
We appreciate your prayers for both of us as we arrived back home late last night and approach the week and weeks ahead. I am finishing up the last several weeks of an intense semester plus full time work responsibilities and some additional behind the scenes things. Most importantly mom will be approaching radiation in the next month and we appreciate your prayers for that. Thank you for all of your love and support.
PS- Sloan Kettering is simply amazing. From the minute you walk in to appointments you are met with such kindness and care- not only for patients but as a caregiver. I (not the patient) always feel so seen in this journey. Sometimes even the caregivers and loved ones need the warm packs to Thank you Memorial Sloan Kettering!
Happy Friday friends! A few minutes ago IG I shared a little reel on the cost of what we actually spent traveling to New York City this week...Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this very important reel by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this! .
Thank you.
Happy Friday! I hope you have the most wonderful day and start to your weekend! See you here tomorrow!
Happy Friday friends! Tonight on IG in a reel I shared a very precious update of something...Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like the less than a minute reel by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this!
I am overwhelmed with gratitude that we are home- and we are so grateful for your continued prayers for complete healing for mom and for both of us.
Thank you.
Click HERE to go directly to the reel. Happy Friday!
I wanted to take a brief moment to say thank you so much for all of your support and the donations that came in for the Meal Train in January! Both mom and I are so humbled and so grateful for the support.
We drove down to NYC yesterday and stayed outside the city and then will travel into NYC this morning, with pre-operative appointments and surgery scheduled for tomorrow, we are humbled and grateful for the help with meals and transportation/ stay costs.
You can read an entire update on Mom HERE!
If you would still like to help please feel free to click here Meal Train as we will be keeping this up throughout the next week. You can donate, sponsor a meal, or give a gift card by clicking HERE.
Most of all we are grateful for your prayers and love and kindness. Thank you so much.
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.jpeg "an update on mom and additional surgery and treatment that is needed")
First, I want to apologize for the delayed response to so many kind messages and comments that I have received both online and personally. Your kindness has meant so much to me and to mom. It has been an incredibly busy time balancing work, a few details behind the scenes, and caregiving so I truly appreciate your understanding as I work to respond to all of the lovely and kind messages. Your encouragement has truly been the biggest blessing to both mom and I.
When I shared that we would be traveling down to NYC for the full pathology results on February 11th, we did not expect a few things that occurred. I admit that it took a bit of processing for us both, and am grateful for your patience with an update.
As background (and with mom's full permission to share), mom originally found a lump and immediately called her GYN. As I have shared, the GYN originally stated that it could be something or most likely it was just an infection and mom should wait. Out of "extreme caution" she ordered a ultrasound for nearly three weeks later (on December 31st), but when we requested a mammogram she said that the doctors office that was doing the ultrasound could order this. We also requested help to get the ultrasound sooner and she never responded.
It literally took us less than 12 hours after this appointment to determine that we would be going to Sloan Kettering for a "second opinion" and decided immediately it would be where we wanted to go. Within a matter of hours talking with Sloan Kettering we had an appointment scheduled for a mammogram and an ultrasound a few days later. They offered us one that day, but due to travel we couldn't get there for a couple of days. Mom had the ultrasound and we were told that day that their expert opinion was that the lump was cancerous but that they also had found an additional spot on the right side along with something on the left (which they believed was benign). A biopsy was scheduled for the following week.
The biopsy results came back before we even would have had our first appointment with the original GYN's referral, and this is something that I am highlighting heavily because mom and I are very passionate in encouraging everyone to advocate for themselves in health situations. This was a constant refrain during my own health journey, and this situation has highlighted this once again. It is still incredibly upsetting to think that a GYN would not be more concerned or even agree to schedule a mammogram and my heart breaks at all of the people that could possibly have gone through and waited when time is extremely important.
PLEASE advocate for yourself and for your health.
The pathology results came back from the biopsy and the original lump mom had felt was declared "definitely cancerous" and the other was considered "atypical". Mom had surgery on January 28th and we are thankful that the Cancer was fully removed with clean margins. What was a surprise to everyone was that on February 11th we learned that the full pathology report showed that the "atypical cells area" did not produce clean margins and mom would need additional surgery. She will also need raditation (which is a typical course of treatment for the type of Cancer mom has after surgery).
This definitely threw both of us because the area that the atypical cells encompass is quite larger- much larger than was thought and it took some time to just process this entire situation. It is truly overwhelming to know that we live in this day and age with such medical advancements that we can deal with "atypical cells" way before anything develops and occurs. I wish that I could just hug (with tears of gratitude) all of those who have worked to bring so much advancement to this research area and those that continue to work to bring new advancements every single day.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
The surgery was originally scheduled for yesterday, but due to an infection surgery has now had to be delayed a couple of times and will now take place on Thursday, March 19th.
We can't say enough about mom's medical team at Sloan Kettering. The surgeon and his team are fantastic and have been incredibly encouraging, patient, and just a constant support. They have helped me as the caregiver, patiently answering lots of questions and just supporting in so many different ways. There is so much hope that flows through those halls and we are grateful for every single person we have encountered.
People have kindly asked how they can continue to help and pray and here are a few specific ways that we ask for prayer:
1. We appreciate your prayers for complete healing and for a successful surgery.
2. We appreciate prayers for healing from this infection that mom has so that she can have surgery as soon as possible.
3. We appreciate prayers for me - as I balance two jobs plus caregiving and for a few behind the scenes items that I am handling. Please pray specifically for my health and energy.
4. We appreciate the prayers for provision for travel to and from surgery and for our stay in the city including parking, meals, and other items.
We so appreciate those who have again suggested doing a full fundraiser but at this time we have decided to just re-open the Meal Train as we felt like this is a gentle way to help receive practical support if you feel led. Most of all we are grateful for your prayers and love and kindness. You can find the link HERE!
THANK YOU for all of your support, love, and kindness during this difficult season!!
This post was one of my original Thursday Health Thoughts post in 2013 and I wanted to update it for 2026, especially in light of mom's recent breast cancer diagnosis. I love this encouragement and hope it helps you today also!
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These past few weeks I have been reminded of how important "the code" is to my life. And why I need "the code". When you are healthy you need to have "the code" but when you are dealing with an illness this becomes an even more profound need.
So what is "the code"? "The Code" has been referred to in a number of different ways but the key part of it is the idea of boundaries and what you will and will not allow into your life. Or more accurately who you will allow in your life and the approach that they have with you. I have talked about this before on the blog but I have received so many emails, facebook messages, and phone calls recently that are related to this issue that I knew that this is such an important topic to discuss again. I know for myself that I am constantly and prayerfully working through this.
Even just yesterday there was a work situation where this came into play. An incredibly harsh conversation was taking place and even though I am healthy, I remembered how important that this is to have the code.
Everyone is walking through something. It might be known or it might be hidden behind the private doors of your home and heart, but one thing that we can never regret is instead of being harsh is to be kind.
If you are sick the last thing that you need is a harsh word or criticism about what you should be doing to get better. I understand. Truly I do. When I was walking through my battle for my health (you can read all of the posts about this journey HERE!) I heard everything from being told that I need to have more faith to get better or that I shouldn't do this or that (including comments on opinions on different supplements or seeing certain doctors) to even opinions on getting a port for treatment.
Recently, with mom's breast cancer diagnosis this has started all over again in numerous different ways. I have been shocked honestly by all of the different things that I have heard, been told, and just the way that in most cases people have approached this with me. The number of "horror breast cancer stories" I have heard in the last 2 months has been absolutely shocking. And to be frank, most have come from people who are people of faith. I have been so grateful for people who have spoken hope and life into this situation and have prayed for us and have joined with us in believing for complete healing. But my heart hurts for those who must be walking through the same thing that I have been.
Enter in "the code".
Our code is pretty simple: If you have love and hope you are welcomed into my tribe, anything else is not accepted. End of story. No exceptions.
I love how Kristian Anderson in his book Days Like These, (found HERE) states his "code":
"When you come to me or my family, there is now a dress code in effect. Come to us wearing Faith and Hope, you will be warmly welcomed. Come to us wearing Fear and Doubt, and you will be politely asked to leave. This dress code will be strictly enforced."
Kris Carr, in her book, Crazy Sexy Cancer (found HERE) states it incredibly well when she states: "Some people and activities may have to take a back burner for now. When confronted with a social obligation or engagement, ask yourself: does it tire me or does it inspire me? Stuff {or people} that bring ya down just has to go. If the people in your life can't roll with your decisions, then unfortunately the tribe has spoken and they'll get kicked off Cancer Island. You'll find out pretty quickly who you can really count on {and} not to take it personally."
Realize, as one member of my tribe has lovingly said to me recently: If you are struggling with health issues, you have the right to be selfish for your health. Make decisions that protect and help you get well. Enacting "the code" is one of those decisions.
As I have healed and continue to heal from over a decade of being seriously ill, I continue to find how important "the code" is for my health and my life. In some ways I have found it to be even more precious and yesterday was a fierce reminder of this.
How do you enact "the code"? Here are a couple of things that I have done and had to put into practice over the last years:
(1)Establish Boundaries.
Do this with those in your personal and public (work and social media) lives. One step that I took was de-friending, unfollowing, and putting space between some "friendships" on facebook that were toxic and literally causing me additional health issues. Receiving such negative and hurtful and unkind comments and behavior was not healthy for me so I took this step. Honestly, it was painful at first back in the beginning of my health journey, but now I have seen how freeing this has been. I have worked through forgiveness for each person and then prayed for their blessing and moved forward in God's love and grace. I truly believe that there are seasons in everyone's life and sometimes for a season the most loving thing you can do for yourself is establish some strict boundaries.
(2)Make Hard Decisions on Who You Want in Your Tribe.
Kris Carr shared a story that resonated with me (and one that was very similar to an experience I had): "A few months after my diagnosis, a longtime friend of mine flew into town to take me to lunch. How nice, I thought. It had been awhile since I'd seen her, and I was touched by the effort. Well, about three sips into my soy latte, the following pamphlets appeared on the table: A Guide to End of Life Issues, Is Your Will in Order, Who Pulls the Plug When This All Goes South?... Major boundary citation!"
I laugh out loud and yet I completely relate to this story. I was brokenhearted when I had to make the difficult decision to separate myself from one of my former best friends in the middle of my health journey. I literally cried my eyes out as I consulted with Godly leaders who are in my life over some extremely hurtful and difficult text messages and emails. Despite my wish, dream, hourly prayer, and goal to find grace and restore our friendship, I was only met with criticism, harshness, and judgment and many conversations like the ones above. This person questioned my faith throughout my illness (blaming this on the reason I was sick) and even at one point when dealing with a serious blood clot with my Picc Line ("Nic the Picc" *smiles*) was texting me to ask if I had prayed. This unfortunately had been taking place for almost a year, and I spent so much emotional energy and even physical energy as I literally wept for hours over these situations, and then got a HUGE wake up call from my caring medical team. They bluntly yet lovingly said that it was time to make some hard decisions over who needed to be in my tribe and who I wanted to be in my tribe.
I realized from that specific situation that to love anyone in my life well (which I wasn't able to do because of the stress and pressure that was coming from this one specific relationship) I needed to really prayerfully evaluate the friendship. I realized that despite everything I tried it was not a friendship that I was healthy. It was one of the most painful decisions of my life but it was also freeing. As it has been more than 7 years I can attest to the fact that I have never for one moment regretted this decision. In fact as I look back I wish I had moved forward sooner. It was truly a time to "dust your feet" and move forward in grace.
(3) Offer Total Forgiveness and Move Forward in God's Grace.
One of the best books that I have read on forgiveness is called "Total Forgiveness". It is a resource that I have returned to again and again throughout my life. Even these past couple of months something incredibly painful occurred that has some extremely severe consequences and I returned once again to this book. These past several weeks I have been reading and re-reading through this as I move forward and forgive.
I also have been gently and lovingly encouraged to commit to not discussing in great detail the actions that happened against me with anyone. I can honestly and truthfully say that by working through and totally forgiving those who have hurt us we are able to move forward, prayerfully wishing those who have hurt us the best, and not holding on to any bitterness or resentment, and only thinking of that person in light of who God has made them to be. If you are interested in the book you can find it HERE!
(4) Completing the Two Steps Above Opens Up a Completely Different World.
As you create the code you will be amazed (as I have been) at all of the people that are in your tribe and will find love, laughter, and most of all kindness. Truly I am so blessed. My tender heart has been loved so well and so much grace has been given that I have been swept away by God's tender hand and mercy throughout painful weeks and years and again recently with mom's diagnosis.
It might look completely different than the tribe you first imagined, but it can be absolutely beautiful if you look for it. As you enter into your own code I am confident that you are going to feel the exact same way.
Be thankful for the past, let go with trust, totally forgive, and prayerfully ad joyfully focus on the future and the possibilities that are in front of you. Don't be bitter but instead be thankful for all of the good around you.
Do you have "the code"? What is yours? How do you set up boundaries for your life?
First, I want to apologize for the delayed response to so many kind messages and comments that I have received both online and personally. Your kindness has meant so much to me and to mom. In full transparency last week was one of the most challenging of my life due to a situation behind the scenes, our heat going out at the house before we left for NYC, and then I came down with a terrible Flu and everything left me a bit battered I admit. My sole focus and limited energy was simply on mom this past week as I know y'all can understand.
Second, the meal train donations for helping to cover costs and meals have been more of a gift then I could ever express or say!!!! I literally have tears. THANK YOU to those who did give and continue to give as mom heals (and so do I) from these past weeks- especially this past week. You can find the link HERE!
Third, I am overwhelmed with gratitude that we are rejoicing that the surgeon was extremely pleased with the way that the surgery went, that everything went very well, and mom felt well enough that we arrived home late on Friday evening and she has been resting and recovering. She is healing well and the pain has been minimal which is a miracle and a true answer to prayer.
We have a follow up appointment on the 11th and we are expecting great reports at that time- thank you for your continued prayers for this and for complete healing for mom.
We are still accepting donations and help for this week and for the upcoming appointment so if you are interested you can click on the Meal Train link HERE. THANK YOU for all of your support during this difficult season!!
I wanted to take a brief moment to say thank you so much for all of your support and the donations that have come in so far for the Meal Train! Both mom and I are so humbled and so grateful for the support.
As we travel down to NYC later today, with pre-operative appointments tomorrow and surgery scheduled for Thursday, we are humbled and grateful for the help with meals and transportation/ stay costs.
If you would still like to help please feel free to click here Meal Train as we will be keeping this up throughout the next week. You can donate, sponsor a meal, or give a gift card by clicking HERE.
Most of all we are grateful for your prayers and love and kindness. Thank you so much.
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