New York... New York!!!!

After 8 months of planning, practicing, ups and downs, tiring practices, canceling everything ... Kenzi and I finally spent 8 days in New York with her Choir on America's Got Talent.  At some point I need to detail everything... stage school, getting Work Permits, Trust Funds, the contracts and everything that went into getting 100 kids + their chaperone to New York.  It was exciting and tiring and an amazing experience!!!!!

January - August:  rehearsals, meetings, planning, LA audition
Wednedsday:  5:00 am Channel 5 TV Spots on the Choir
Thursday:  Flight to New York, Phantom and dinner. Center Mezaminen tickets -- AMAZING!!!
Friday:  9-11 and Little Italy with other moms, meeting the cool 6th generation deli guy and Danny Maroni and the canoli, 9-11 memorial amazing/heartbreaking/beautiful, Brooklyn Bridge with Tatum and McKenzie (our roommates), pizza, pastries, food, food, food. Watching a couple get engaged.
Saturday:  Greenwich Village food tour -- yummiest thing ever with other moms!   Central park bike rental with Kenzi. Street Fair.
Sunday:  Church -- tripling the size of every meeting, Central Park, singing on the subway, singing on ferry to Statue of Liberty.
Monday:  Rehearsal, BBQ Dinner with 150 choir, singing in Times Square
Tuesday:  Rehearsal, Live Shows, Fittings, Excitement!!!!
Wednesday:  FAO Schwartz, Apple Store, Central Park, Baptisms at Manhatten Temple "going poolside."

Results shows, tears, relief, shopping, last minute food carts.
Loved the Halal Guys, Juice Smoothie Truck, Noise, Subway, Crowds, Shopping, Deli's... loved everything.

But glad to be home!

Still makes me sick!

Almost two years after front line chemo and one year after clinical trial, walking into chemo office still makes me nauseous.   Although I'm only here for blood work I vividly remember appointments,  being sick, anxiety,  frustrations and tears ... well and some funny times too! (great friends and family who cared for me and sweet friends i met.  My dear friend Rose now gone and wondering about Sarah.)

It is just that I know so much hinges upon the results of me being here.  Just trying to relax, be grateful I'm on the other side for now and pray the pokes continue to be for blood work only!

Survivor's Teaching Students

I'm not ready to say I'm grateful for cancer, but I definitely acknowledge the blessings that have come because of it. 

One of my favorite is the volunteer program I work with ... Survivors Teaching Students.  I am a presenter and Utah facilitator for a national program called SurvivorsTeaching Students, Saving Women's Lives^(R).  

The program is sponsored by OCNA (Ovarian Cancer National Alliance) as Ovarian Cancer survivors, we have a desire to raise awareness of the symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer among future medical professionals.  We currently do training with the U of U medical students, the PA students and will be doing our first presentation with the nursing students in the fall.

We have presenters that were Stage 2 to Stage 4 ... and ranging in age from 21 - 60 when diagnosed.  It has been an amazing and difficult program to be involved with.  I feel like we are having such an impact and are doing something that will help save the life of future cancer patients and make the Drs and PAs better at what they do.  

Two of our presenters have passed away ... it is an awful thing to get an email telling me that they can't help present anymore and then to continually google their names until I find their obituaries.   And my sweet friend Debbie is struggling and not doing great.  But she is a trooper and shares her story and inspires all of us!!!

We present to groups of 8 - 40 and do it about every 6 weeks.  

During spring break I got an email asking if I would get a couple of our people and do our presentation in Texas for a pharmaceutical company who is going to be the National Sponsor of our program.  With some last minute juggling Amanda, Linda and I headed off to Texas.  It was a super quick trip but we had a great time laughing and sharing stories and learning more about how hard it is for all of us and sharing our stories.  One of the sales reps came up to me after with tears in her eyes and said "I've been in sales me whole life and have never stopped to think about the patient.  I'll never walk in a Dr. office again without thinking of you and your kids and the patients."  

That is the kind of feedback we get whenever we present and I feel like because my Drs were so wonderful and did everything right -- that I can give back in this way.  

I was just asked to be on the Board of Directors for the new Utah chapter of OCNA.  

I love my Survivor friends!!!

Happy!

Once again the amazing choir offers Kenzi and kids an amazing opportunity.  The kids did HAPPY with Alex Boye at the new aquarium.  Such a fun, hot, long night!  With great parties and early morning TV to follow.

Watch the video here!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VfWB3_VzcY 

Spring Break 2014... one of those perfect vacations

Sometimes perfect vacations happen... and we got one this year.

No not really perfect, Lauren had a hurt hip, the car was having some problems, it rained the day we went to Zion's... but a great condo, lots of Lauren and Kenzi's friends staying close by, Aaron and Jenn and kids there, Grandma and Grandpa Adams there, beautiful weather, happy kids, dinner out with great people and more!!