Batter Up!

The 2011 UTPB Falcons, fighting with me every step of the way. Never a doubt in my mind that they were supporting me, but here is just one more token of their appreciation.......

After the games this weekend, I was putting my stuff away, getting ready to go to the car when Box came around and asked if I would come out to the field for a second, all of the players were gathered around.  I had no idea what was about to happen, the kids' were running the bases, Brian was walking off and then I saw Austin walking up with this huge pink bat, when I saw the signatures, tears just filled my eyes and again, that overwhelming rush of emotions- WOW!! I know how long it takes to get these bats in so I knew they had been working on this for awhile, but what Austin said meant the world to me and I told them that.  He told me that they all pitched in (and for a college budget, well I will say no more) to get me something to show just how much they care and they know how much I do to help the team and to help Coach.

I told them the timing couldn't have been any more perfect because this had been a rough week and with chemo starting next week as well as them starting their road trip series for the month of March- things were going to be a little tougher than usual, but we would get through it together!  The shaven heads, the bat, the hugs, the smiles and I got a break-out "Work Hard, Fight Harder" - amazing, truly amazing.

So proud to be

"The Coaches Wife"

"A good friend of mine used to say, 'This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.' Think about that for a while." Bull Durham

The Call

Since Jan 18, when I received the call from Dr. Madden while I was sitting in my car, telling me the news that would change our path that we were all currently traveling. I have since made and received many telephone calls, some of those to my immediate family, of course, were as only some can imagine the most difficult to have to share.

I want to share one of those calls with all of you.  All of us can look back and tell you one, two or maybe more individuals who in our scholastic lives left that lasting impression that made a difference in who we became or believed we could become.  It is very ironic that on one of the boards that I currently serve, we are about to have something to honor just that type of individual for the local high schools here in Midland, but in my life, on February 2, I received a message from that individual in my life.  My High School coach, Carolyn Franklin.  It had been over 15 years since we had spoken to each other and hearing her voice, just brought me to tears, it just amazed me how the word had spread and so much support was coming my way.  She was one person who literally taught me how to NEVER QUIT.  I was never the star athlete, but I always remember trying my best. We experienced it all, from losing to the worst team who we had never lost to- to playing in the State Championship game at "The Pit" in Albuquerque. Through it all she taught me so much, but the main thing I always remember is "I am not a quitter, I am a winner". It took me several weeks to get call her back, Brian would always ask me "have you called your coach?", not yet, I just needed time process all of my emotions.  When I did call her last week it was as though we had just talked yesterday.  She too, has gone through a lot, losing her husband to Lou Gehrig's in a short 6 months, he was my FFA and Shop instructor, yes, I know how to build and weld because of Jerry Franklin!

There have been several calls that I have received or had to make that have brought me to tears and then those that I have made that I get to laugh and smile and remember "life's little moment's" yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Meals and Other Ways You Can Help!

Leticia continues to get inquiries about what she needs help with so I'm writing to provide a few options as she approaches the first month of chemo.


1. Meal Delivery
Thank you to everyone who has already helped in this area.  Leticia has told me several times that this has been so incredibly helpful.  She  comments how she's not sure how she would have been able to handle everything without this help.  But, we need this to continue.  So, please click here to sign up for additional days.


If you want to drop off two meals ... she has the room to store a meal for the following day.  Or if you want to provide a meal to freeze for later...just put it down under two dates. 


2. Restaurant Gift Certificates
 "Out of Towners" can purchase gift certificates and they can be emailed for the Reinke's to have picked up or delivered.  Click on the links below:


Schwann's (click it to get to page to order gift card)
Gift Cards may be ordered online or via 1-888-SCHWANS (724-9267). See the schedule below for Gift Card Order Shipping Service Levels and Fees.


If you order multiple Gift Cards containing multiple personalized messages and send via UPS 2nd Day or Next Day Air to one address, you will be charged express shipping costs for EACH Gift Card in your order. To avoid this charge do not personalize your cards.

Gift Card Order Shipping Service Levels and Fees

If your Gift Card order is placed by 10:00 a.m. CST on:	With USPS (US Postal Service) Your Gift Card Order should arrive on:	With 2nd Day Air, Your Gift Card Order should arrive on:	With Next Day Air, Your Gift Card Order should arrive on:
Monday	7-10 days	Wednesday	Tuesday
Tuesday	7-10 days	Thursday	Wednesday
Wednesday	7-10 days	Friday	Thursday
Thursday	7-10 days	Following Monday	Friday
Friday	7-10 days	Following Tuesday	Monday or Saturday (if available)
Saturday	7-10 days	Following Wednesday	Tuesday
Sunday	7-10 days	Following Wednesday	Tuesday
Shipping Fee
	FREE	$14.95	$17.00 Monday - Friday or $29.95 on Saturday

Chili's 
Olive Garden
Carino's 
Logan's Roadhouse




3. Gift Cards to be used during chemo
Barnes & Nobel
iTunes


4. Scarves
If you have some you don't use or want to purchase one, she could use these.  Please view the Food Tidings Link (under 1. ) for her address.

5. Being On Call When Brian Is Out Of  Town
More on this in a separate post. But, we will be asking you to consider choosing a day that IF she needs help with ANYTHING, she can call on you. (kids, transportaion...etc)

~Stephanie

Chemo Start Date

The day has arrived, next week to be exact.  Dr Watkins is away this week on vacation, we meet with him at 10 am on Monday and after he approves what Dr. Osborne has recommended, we will then proceed with Chemo. I did have a Chemo slot reserved for me in the infusion room for Monday, but received a call today that it has been moved to either Tuesday or Wednesday, they are still waiting on some information to return and were told it would be back on Monday.

One thing that I haven't shared with everyone is that through everything that has happened, my dear cousin Armida Nunez-Finley, MD has given us yet another great opportunity and allowed us to have a third opinion, by a colleague of her's and oncologist who also specializes in breast cancer at the Vancuver Cancer Center, Washington. We were able to send all of our information to them both from Midland and Baylor, the wonderful world of Technology. Brian and I feel very comfortable knowing that we not only have one, not two, but three opinions and all with the guidance of our cousin and of course the Doctors here in Midland who are not just MD's but friends and continue to provide guidance every step of the way.

I have had a full week of going to the Counselor, Dentist, Eye Doctor, who again all have been such a blessing.  Dr. Sears our dentist was wonderful, as always and full of information on what to expect and prevention, the kind of toothbrush I should buy, toothpaste, mouthwash and artificial saliva to prevent mouth sores, which are very common with Chemotherapy.  He said most people come in after the fact so it was wise of me to go in before so he could talk to me about starting now (a tip I was given by a great friend).

Then it was on to the Eye Doctor, it was time for my yearly exam and I had noticed my eyes had changed, get ready for this- they actually improved! YIPEEE for great news for once!!!!!!  He also was thrilled at my weight loss, he did extra testing and told me to go in at anytime if anything happens that is out of the ordinary, Dr. Phillips has always been so accommodating to our family.

As I have spoken to many of you, the advice I have received time and time again is, please see a counselor through this time, it is so important.  Most people don't like to admit that they are seeing someone, but I feel that just in case my story helps someone else at some point now or later, I am seeing someone.  Being able to talk to a professional that doesn't "know" everything, can give you an outside perspective, has been very helpful and encouraging.

My list of things to-do seems to be getting longer before chemo starts but I seem to be needing more rest and just take my naps when I need to and do what I can when I can.  I'll be honest when I was at the store yesterday I had to stop and take a few deep breaths because the reality of everything hit me all at once, but I just kept on walking! I know you all know how stubborn I am and I still am, but trust me I am in bed by 8 usually and get a good nights sleep.

The kids' are doing well, Bianca is wanting to be around me more and more, but is content just listening to her iPod smiling away.  Brooke wants to make sure we keep her informed every step of the way and has her GT test for Junior High next Tuesday, she scored 100 on math and science TAKS last year and 93 on reading which meant she only missed two! Blayr is my blue-eyed smiling girl who could run for school Mayor and might actually win because everyone knows who she is, she loves to read and read and read.  Lincoln, he is at the ranch right now, "running" things there before he comes back to run the baseball field :).

Again, Thank you all!
Leticia

"Mommy, Why did you cut your hair"

A "slurbert" makes things all better!

Lincoln's first reaction to my haircut was simple: "You look like me mommy", then a few weeks later, he and I were driving to Odessa to Brian's first home game and out of the blue he asked "mommy, why did you cut your hair?"  My Rolodex of guilt on not having read all of the brochures/books on "how to talk to your children" quickly ran through me before I answered, but here is our conversation.  I share this with all of you, mainly just so I won't forget later about these little moments, that to some may seem trivial but to me are so meaningful.


My answer: "Remember, when I told you mommy was sick and I had to have surgery?"
Linclon: "yea, because you have your drains" 
Me: "yes, I have my drains" (we had explained to him that I had surgery and have two drains so he couldn't jump on mommy, or hug mommy up high like he was used to, he had to be gentle) 
Me: "and after they take my drains out and mommy feels a little bit better they are going to give mommy some medicine that is going to make her hair fall out and might make her feel real yucky too, so I just went ahead and cut it short to make it easier on mommy now"
Lincoln "OHHH, so the medicine I take (he calls his vitamins and allergy pills medicine) is going to make my hair fall out too!"
Me: "NOOOOOO, Lincoln, your medicine, or daddy's medicine or your sister's medicines, nobody's medicines will EVER make their hair fall out, just MOMMY's special medicine.  The special medicine they have to give mommy is just for me, to make me ALL better and not sick any more, when my hair falls out I may look different but I will always be your beautiful mommy, OK, and I promise my hair will grow back and I get to wear a wig and hats, it's going to be cool!"
Lincoln: "Can I wear a wig too?
Me: "No, but maybe we can go buy you a new hat, what about that?
Lincoln: "Oh, OK, so when your drains come out and your hair falls out but it comes back then you'll be ok?"
Me: "Yes, then mommy will be OK

Then he started playing with his toy and singing to whatever song was on the radio, as a tear started rolling down my cheek.  Mommy, will be OK, I thought to myself.


I shared the story with Brian when we got home later that night and we wanted to make sure Lincoln understood that his hair would not fall out anytime he took any medicine, (oh dear, I just knew I had scarred my child for life.....the book, why had I not read the book????), so we talked to him a little more and the neat thing was we were able to bring in what the players had done and the blog, showed him the pictures of the players and what they had also done for mommy by shaving their hair.  Lincoln said, I know Box (one of the players) told me I had to shave my head like his too! And he ran out of the room, as Brian and I just smiled at each other. The innocence of a three-year old!

New Shoes... to keep on walkin'

Everything always happens for a reason, but who would have thought that yesterday on my shopping excursion with the girls' I told them "I need a new pair of shoes". Well, when you get bad news what's the thing to do? You take a deep breath, and you look straight ahead and you just keep on walking, with my new shoes!

The PET scan showed two unfavorable things, but nothing we won't be able to fight through! One more "yucky" lymph node is involved, under my right rib cage and there are quite a bit of tumor cells inside the lymphatic channels and blood vessels inside the breast tissue. What does this mean? In addition to the chemotherapy we knew we were going to have to do, Radiation therapy will now be required. As I write this I am just so thankful to science for giving us the opportunity to have a choice- WOW!

The one last thing Dr Osborne said before she left the room, "if you wouldn't have lost the weight you did, you wouldn't have found this when you did." Everything happens for a reason. For those of you who do not know, I have lost 50 lbs since Oct 2009 and had just had an article published in a local magazine about my weight loss. I do miss my exercise, but soon- my shoes, they are new!

Brian went ahead to be with the team, they play in San Antonio this weekend, I get to go to class in the morning- Chemo Class, that is. I will be sure to be the best student and take perfect notes. Now I can honestly say I not only received my undergrad from Baylor, but I also took a class at Baylor Medical "School" wink, wink, ok- I know I may be pushing it ;), but I will be on the campus!!!

Our decisions our not yet complete, so please keep everything coming our way- we still need every ounce of it, thank you all- again!!!!

I'm walkin' ..hear it... Click-clack, click-clack ;)

Wiggy Day!

As I landed in Dallas, I thought "here we go, let's go fight this with all we have!" The day of testing yesterday was quite more simple than what I had anticipated, all I know is due that peace and comfort that surrounds me because of all of your constant thoughts and prayers!!

Then came the fun part, we had made tentative arrangements, by a recommendation from the American Cancer Society, to go look at wigs if my insurance company would re-imburse for one. I called my insurance company and who knew that a wig was a medical device? Not me, now we all do, and who knew that there are special shops that are fabulous in taking care of people just like me? We found one in Dallas and made a girls trip out of it- "Survivor Gals" took such good care of me, our AMAZING friends, Martha & Amanda (aka, ahhhh Smart!) and my cousins Lucy & Jennifer joined me and we had fun!!! Don't you all wish you could have been there to see me as a blond? No, but red looked good ;)!

Then we went to do a little shopping before I completely needed to say "calgon take me away"!

We meet with Dr Cynthia Osborne at 11:00, the oncologist at Baylor. Again, thank you for always providing us your unconditional support.

~Leticia

A difficult few days

I've honestly had a really rough past couple of days.   So, thank you for your posts, texts and messages but there might be periods where the updates are not as regular.  Still I read and hear everything and your support and love is something that keeps me feeling strong.

My oncology appointment has been scheduled for next Thursday at Baylor Medical in Dallas. I am still waiting to hear from them on some tests they would like to run there the day before the meeting with the oncologists.

We are very excited about this opportunity and would like to ask for some help once again.  So, if anyone knows  of any resources to get reduced Southwest Vouchers or discounts that is going to be a financial burden that I'm praying for help with.

With baseball season underway...I have to admit life has gotten a little trickier.  We can get Brian to the appointment and to the game in San Antonio,  but it means flying several legs.  And this may not be the only time we're going to have to fly him around the state. 

So, thank you to the many of you who have offered to help... this is one way we could use it~ Southwest Airlines.

And on to my family support...wow!

First of all, Brian has been and continues to stand beside me since the minute he heard the news. We've cried together, held hands and there are moments where we feel a little helpless. But, together we're standing strong. 

So, he's the one who, in my blog posts has been a bit neglected and certainly hasn't gotten the public thank you's he deservs! I love you Brian!

Next, my parents and my sisters without their support this fight wouldn't be as easy. They have been all of us unconditionally every step and will continue to be.

My mom went home this weekend to get a break, take care of Papoe and will return when Chemo begins.

My sister Angie and the Uncle Greg few in from Nashville to spend the week lending their support.  AND!! :) I got an extra special surprise~  she not only took care of the kids but, as an Interior Decorator~ she also "took care" of several rooms that need a little T-L-C!! :) (happy dance)

Lastly, my sister Sylvia has been a tremendous help driving daily from Odessa to make sure the kids get the attention they need and to help me in whatever way she can. I am blessed with her.  

Again~ thank you so much.  Your replies to the blog posts are right at my fingertips when I need a little extra support.  So, thank you for being in my life and allowing me to walk through this with you!  

Continued Blessings- Oncology Appt.

The long awaited day of visiting with the oncologist finally arrived yesterday. Many emotions came with this day because I knew Brian would be unable to be there, the team left for their first game at 9 am, and the excitement of knowing we were about to get some plans underway, well you can only imagine. My sister Angie and brother-in-law Greg had arrived from Nashvhille, the evening before, she was able to attend the appointment with me.
Dr. Watkins was very thorough with his explanation of the pathology reports and other blood tests that had previously been run. Nothing changed, just more explanations and baseline maker levels determined.
Treatment plan: 6 different options were discussed, Dr Watkins, was impressed when I turned my report over and had the names of the drug options already written down, he said "someone has done their homework", I like to be prepared! In the end he paused and gave me option #7-- he said, "we partner with 4 breast cancer physicians at Baylor Medical, would you be interested in making a day trip, they will fine tune your treatment plan and we will administer it here". Absolutely! Was my response. He said Chemo would start two to three weeks from now.
FUN VISIT!!- I was also able to go upstairs to make a visit to one of my favorite offices, Permian Cardiology, get my hugs-say Thank You! And become a patient. Dr. Barnett is officially my cardiologist.
So many hands are involved in my care and all within two weeks, but there is a purpose and a plan and always has been. This makes it so much easier to "FIGHT HARDER" every moment, very day,,,,,,

I Got My Hair 'Did' :)

"Do NOT do anything drastic right now.  Don't make any radical changes. Do you hear me?"


That's what my friend Stephanie told me when I told her I needed a haircut.

Apparently, I didn't hear her.  (Sorry, Steph.)

She says it was a little like that cell commercial, "Can you hear me now?  Can you hear me now?"   

I couldn't help myself.  I figured if the players could go there...I needed a transition haircut. 

So, in steps "Mr. Max" my fabulous hair guru for the last 11 years. 

He's a little like a therapist...maybe better, because I think he's cheaper than therapy.

But anyway, I call him up on his day off and say ... "wanna' chop my hair off?"  And he says, "I'll meet you at the salon in 15 minutes." (How's that for service??)

The way I figure it...it's going to come off anyway...so this is sorta the transition look.  In part for me...but also for the kids.  And Lincoln seems to like it...and I quote, "Mama?  You look like me."  Brian says I look thinner and younger. 

I'm going to pretend that does NOT mean that I looked older and fluffier with longer hair. ;)  

As you can see by the smile on my face...I love it! And it should come as no surprise...but, I wasn't scared one bit. 

Deep breath...snip.  

New Song on the Mind

So, I'm thinking a lot lately.
Shocking, I know.


But, I've been thinking about the lyrics in this song.

Okay...in the interest of full disclosure, I'm a huge Matthew West fan.   

But, recently his wife Emily told my Nashville sister, Angie to listen to it. And I can't stop listening to is as I look toward Friday's appointment with my oncologist to begin my treatment plan.

I have also been partnered with the American Cancer Society~Reach to Recover~  who will help guide me through the process of chemo.  Chemo.  Hmmm... still sorta' odd to stay that just a week after being diagnosed and having already undergone surgery.  But, I think that's why I relate to the song.

I'm also thinking ahead to April 29th.  Just may circle that day in red on my calendar. The gal from the American Cancer Society says I can go walk the Survivor lap with her at the annual Relay for Life.

I'm learning a lot about myself and through others.  And that is...positive is has to be a way of life for me now.  Not just an attitude.  So "here's" to a life of a glass half-full.