I'll never capitalize cancer

I have alot going on in my life, more than just cancer and chemo. Sure it's a big part of my life right now, but it's not the most important part of my life. You will never see me spell it with a capital "c".

I'm a Wife and Mom. I love my Family. I have good Friends. We do fun stuff and dumb stuff and sometimes we argue and then we laugh again. We go to work and to the grocery store and we go swimming and have birthday parties and get ready for the first day of school.

I keep saying that I don't want ovarian cancer to define me, but sometimes I just can't help it.

A good friend put it this way for me "cancer may be defining your life for the moment, but it is not your entire life. You seem to just make time for it." That made me feel better.

If you want to see it from the beginning, my cancer story begins in March.

The rest of my story is happening now.

Monday, June 30, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 51

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 50

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 49

Friday, June 27, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 48

Commit2Fit Day 47

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 46

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 45

Monday, June 23, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 44

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 43

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 42

Friday, June 20, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 41

Commit2Fit Day 40

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 39

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 38

Monday, June 16, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 37

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 36

My Food Diary

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 35

My food diary

Friday, June 13, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 34

My food diary

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 33

I am visiting family in Dallas. A long drive and I am bummed that I forgot my Nighttime Recovery. Fortunately the Advocare warehouse is here in Dallas and I can pick some up tomorrow.

I will have to complete My Food Diary later.

Drank all my water - 12 cups!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 32

Today was an incredibly long day - for me and especially for my little ballerina. I did MNS Max Ap with a couple of ThermoPlus today. I made sure that my daughter took her CorePlex Chewables.

She was really well behaved. I made sure to pack good snacks for us. I knew there would be snacks at the rehearsal, but just as I expected, it was skittles and chips and sodas. I brought water, ReHydrate, Spark and protein snacks like Advocare Snack Bars and Muscle Gain.

I did eat every couple of hours, and got protein in each snack/meal, but I don't think I got enough calories. My Food Diary. I drank all my water - 12 cups!

We were at the Julie Rogers Theater from 11AM til about 230PM. There were a couple of meltdowns, but those little 4 year olds recovered and made it through their final dress rehearsal and then the photographer said, "OK - let's get a group photo"

What? Could we have done that like 3 hours ago?

Life lesson learned - "Honey, when you get married, be sure to take your photos BEFORE the ceremony. When everyone is still fresh."

She was asleep on the drive home, and I joined her for a quick snooze once we got there.

We only had a couple of hours on the turn around. I made sure she got some fish and rice for dinner, and I fixed up a Spark for her sippee cup. I mixed up a Spark/ReHydrate for myself and we were on our way.

The kids had a great program - from Baby Ballet all the way up through High School with a few College kids.




My daughter's first Ballet Recital - and this is just the beginning!

I think I will take a couple of Nighttime Recovery and a Zzz and call it a day.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 31

It is interesting how I am learning about my habits during this time of Commit2Fit. I thought it would be pretty easy, - pick up a new habit, keep My Food Diary, exercise ...

Well, life gets in the way and if you don't have a plan to stay on track it can be tough. But I think that has always been me - no plan. These past few weeks really have helped me to realize that and to get more organized.

Now, I haven't reached organizational nirvana, but I am closer.


I prefer to think of myself as spontaneous and flexible.

Today, for example, I had to make an unplanned visit to the Eye Doctor. I thought I had scratched my eye and was getting an infection, but the Doctor told me I was wearing my contacts for too long - 2 days is all I will admit to. At least they could get me in right away, but it still took up most of the afternoon.

So now I am wearing my glasses and it is really throwing me off - it feels like I am walking downhill all the time, and my eyes are still scratchy and sensitive to light. I'm not supposed to wear my contacts until they get better, but ...

My daughter's dance recital is tomorrow and this is how vain I am, I know there will be pictures, so ... No - I can't - besides, it's her day - it's not about me.

Still trying to keep my food in order. I seem to have a tendency to get busy and then want to grab a high carb snack like a candy bar or something. But then I remember that I am supposed to be "dieting" so I just skip it. Then I get tired and cranky. This is where it is handy to have something like Advocare Fruit & Fiber Bar or Advocare Snack Bar on hand. And they're tasty - I pack them in my daughter's lunch kit to snack on during rehearsal. Even Advocare Muscle Gain, just shake it up and it's ready to go. I can't be sure what they will have for her in the Green Room and it is just as important for her to keep her energy level consistent.

OK, snacks are planned, got extra Spark, camera batteries are charging, costumes and make up bag are ready.

Tomorrow really will be a test for me. I have 2 pages of recital notes to follow and a little ballerina who is counting on me.

Drinking all my water is easy, 12 cups today plus a
Rehydrate (my eyes are watering, I thought I might need it)

Monday, June 9, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 30

My Food Diary

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 29

My Food Diary

I have had the most incredible headache the past couple of days. I think it is a sinus headache. My whole body is achy, especially my neck and shoulders. So I have been laying on the sofa quite a bit this weekend.

I had my Advocare tent up on Crockett Street Friday night and Saturday morning. I donated a gift basket as a door prize for the Spindletop Spin. So I was there during registration and for the ride. I'm sure that standing up on concrete in the heat didn't help my achy body either.

So, bear with me, I will catch up over the next couple of days.

I didn't drink all my water today, but I did have alot of Spark!

By the way, for those of you following along with Commit2Fit, today we begin Life Habit 6.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 27

My Food Diary

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 26

Calorie Counter

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

A Life Lesson Learned at the Gas Station.

This has nothing to do with Commit2Fit, except that this is what happens when you go too long between snacks and your blood sugar drops and you get a bit cranky.

It was the middle of the afternoon, I went to the Post Office, used my debit card at the kiosk so that I wouldn't have to stand in that ridiculous line, then over to Kroger for the discounted gas.

Whatever! A car at every pump?! That's OK I can wait, but then everyone I pull up behind gets out of their car and goes to stand in line at the the window to pay! Who doesn't use a debit card at a busy gas station?

One guy fills up, goes to the window then comes back to fill up a 5 gallon container!

Finally, I just picked a spot - behind an SUV with blacked out windows. Nothing is happening. I figure the driver must be in line to pay and will be right back. It feels like forever, then finally the door opens and someone talking on a cel phone gets out and starts walking to the window!

Of course, I roll down my window and holler "Are you getting gas or what?" She looks at her friend, "Is she talking to me?"

OK now I think I am going to get my butt whipped, so I start looking for another pump. I find one, use my Kroger card, my debit card, fill up and as I am leaving I see that the SUV is still there at the pump!

OK maybe I am the jerk - I have my business name and phone number across my rear window and my 3 year old daughter in the back.

I didn't burn rubber or shout or anything, but I did turn it into a life lesson for my daughter about how NOT to act at the gas station.

Commit2Fit Day 25

Another busy day.

That's a good thing, means I made some money. I got a call from an Ad agency to come in and do a Voice Over.

You know, this is something that I appreciate about living in a smaller city - the distance and time it takes to get anywhere. If I lived in Dallas, I would have to get on the Toll road to get Downtown, no way would I be able to park at the front door. Then after I recorded the spot, turn around and get back to pick up my daughter by Noon! The producer knew what he wanted, so it was pretty quick.

After I picked up my daughter, we ran a few errands. Post Office, gas station (Oh my gawd!), and the health food store for some Nordic Naturals Children's chewable Omegas, and I wanted to look for Hemp Tortillas. I saw them on Jenny's Commit2Fit Journal.

Anything that's made from Hemp, I think is pretty cool - Hemp tortillas, Hemp Milk, Hemps shoes & socks, Hemp clothing ... It's just fun to say, "Hey, this made out of Hemp".

I did not find the Hemp tortillas, but I did get some Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain tortillas. Of course they are more expensive than the tortillas at Kroger, but nutritionally better for you and just one will fill you up! Oh yeah, also got some too expensive snickerdoodles.

Had just enough time for a quick dip in the pool, a short rest then off to ballet, then out to tumbling.

We ate the Ezekiel quesadillas in the car in between classes. With these extra rehearsals, things will be hectic until after the recital.

So I did not get all my points today. My Food Diary. I went way too long in between snacks, which may be why I was a bit edgy at the gas station ( see next post). And I did not get enough calories. But I am doing better on my junk carbs.

Drank all my water, 12 cups.

Creating the Perfect Ballet Bun

This is actually something that I Googled and thought I would put up to share with my daughter's ballet class.

Her recital is coming up and I need to know how to do this.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Commit2Ftit Day 24

My Food Diary

Monday, June 2, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 23 more

My Food Diary I really am thinking more about overhauling my groceries. I even talked to my Husband about it. He says he will participate and help to make better food choices at the grocery store.

My afternoon snack could have been better, take out the marshmallows and add a scoop of Vanilla Muscle Gain. But we were visiting and it wasn't my kitchen. I am surprised that nutritionally, Cool Whip really isn't that bad

I need some ideas. I signed up for SparkPeople.com because the site aloows you to input your recipe ingredients and it figures per serving nutrition info. It's a good site, I get emailed newsletters everyday, but it is a bit overwhelming for me. It's almost like it's TOO much information. I think that is why I like MyFitnessPal.com - that site has just what I need without alot of fluff.

Anyway, SparkPeople.com also lets you search recipes. So I searched low-carb, and bean and other high protein recipes. Alot of good ones, but I still have to watch the calories per serving.

I did find a good blog site, The Lighter Side of Low Carb.

Jenny Donnelly, the dietician who created Commit2Fit, journaled her days when she first did the program. I am going to take a look at some of the meals she was preparing.

Drank all my water, 12 cups, and had a couple of ReHydrates. I usually take an additional Probiotic Restore during these days. Still feeling bloated. I'll be over it soon.

Commit2Fit Day 23

I sure am good with the advice, just not very good at sticking to it. I am looking at my pantry and I can see that I probably should just clear it out and start over.

Really, the Ramen noodles, Campbells condensed soups, all that pasta, Jiffy corn muffins, Fruit Loops, instant oatmeal, Ranch dressing ... I need to just donate that stuff to the Food Bank.

Here's my excuse - if I don't have that food in my house, my daughter will be missing out on the fun foods of childhood.

What? So she can struggle with food choices when she gets older? Like I do?

I am feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. I must be PMS-ing.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Commit2Fit Day 22

I think I am getting my days and nights mixed up. I am staying up pretty late, doing paperwork, while everyone else is sleeping and it is quiet. Then it is really tough getting up in the morning. That makes getting all my food right kinda difficult. I can see myself slipping back into old habits of grabbing quick foods on the run.

Take this morning for example, I did not get up in time for the 9:30 Service. No problem, we can go to Church at 11:30.

But then it'll be after Noon when we get out so I gotta get something for breakfast and that's when I hit the drive thru donut shop. I had to have 2! You can see the results in My Food Diary. No problem drinking all my water.

I had hoped to get some work done while Brian took my daughter swimming. But instead, I took advantage of the quiet time to take a nap.

Then I was invited to a Barbie tea party. The Kellys were performing at the castle with my daughter accompanying on the princess keyboard - how could I turn that down?

And I wanted to catch a new show on TV, "In Plain Sight". I spent almost an hour and a half just sitting on the sofa in front of the TV - sans the bag o' chips. It was pretty good.

But now here it is almost 1:30 in the morning and I am on the computer.

A Spark in the morning with my Meal Replacement Shake and CorePlex and then Muscle Fuel and Catalyst before I go to the gym should help. I'll have plenty to keep me busy with my daughter's theater class in the morning and ballet in the afternoon. If I can avoid the nap and get to bed earlier, hopefully things will get back to normal.