"Workin' 9-5!".....

My dad taught me one thing working on the ranch all these years as he still does, you wake up early, go to work, always give it all you have and never give up.  My parents were immigrants from Mexico and worked to provide the best education for me so that I could always do my best.  School was relatively easy- until I got to Baylor, I don't think I got in trouble ;), being the baby I was pretty spoiled (still am, have never denied that fact), my older sisters will tell you they had the strict parents, birth order books have been written for such reasons! I say all this for one reason - as I have gone back to work, I have found that chemotherapy and work combined have been more difficult than I ever expected it to be.  I know many of you keep checking my blog for updates and I do want to update you good and bad.

This time I would say is a little on the tough side.  But, as I have been taught, I give it all I have and probably a little too much at times.  Brian told me to ease into things, that just isn't me- he should know better, I don't ease, I attack! It's 100% or nothing, atleast until my body shuts me down.  After my first day at work I came home and slept for 13 hours.  I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed seeing all of my old offices and getting to talk to everyone, it does bring some sense of "normal" back into my life, but when I come home, wow - my body reminds me that it has these chemicals running through them that are making every bone in my body ache.  After most days from work I feel like I have just finished the most intense full day cardio workout, I hug the kids',  crawl into bed do some last minute computer work and usually fall asleep for the night.  Brian will wake me so I can drink or snack on something and take my medications then it's off  to dreamland until the next day.  

My oncologist happened to walk into my chemo session last week since it was so late, he asked how work was going, I filled him in, he shook his head and said "seven more weeks?"  with a grim look, I said "yes" he said "you can do it".  I know I can, it's not easy, others have it much harder than I do and I have my army of supporters behind me cheering me on and my "happy box" that I look at and cards I read that offer me that unwaivering support when things are starting to look a little gloomy.  Somehow, someway it always turns around and a smile comes my way just at the right time and it is all due to each one of you out there reading this blog supporting me at this very minute - Thank you! Gracias!

I want to take a minute and ask for your support, thoughts and prayers for a dear friend and colleague of mine and her daughter.  Marsha Crook and daughter, Abbye Irons.  Abbye is a beautiful, talented, 24 year-old who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure this past November and is now at St Lukes Episcopal Hospital in Houston awaiting an LVAD heart pump implant and also has to be placed on the heart transplant list as part of the protocol for the implant.  Marsha is my immediate partner here in Midland with AstraZeneca and she and I have been through quite a bit this past year.  Marsha has the heart of gold, always bringing my kids' treats, taking them for ice cream, bringing me lunch during my chemo treatments , the family food, I could go on and on. I sent her a text one day that read "you are truly showing me what character, strength and poise through such adversity as a mother is", this was just two months ago when she lost her mother.  click here to visit Abbye's CaringBridge website and please feel free to leave her a message of encouragement.  Those little messages mean so much to us during these trying times.  Abbye will be in the hospital for quite some time, this is especially important to her.

Again, Thank you so much for always supporting not only me, but my loving husband, and adorable kids' who keep me smiling and keep smiling :) - Leticia, Brian, Bianca, Brooke, Blayr & Lincoln!!! Love to you all!