Tracy died Friday morning with her family around her. This is so, so sad. Here is a woman who was a great Triple Negative breast cancer WARRIOR. Don't even bother calling her a survivor . . .she did more than survive.
In 2007, with low platelets, she rode 1,000 miles on her Harley-Davidson motorcycle with Amazon Heart Thunder (motorcycle adventures for breast cancer survivors). If you haven't read her blog, click on the "low platelets" link and read the entries before and after. . . you get the gist of the spirit of this woman.
We lost another TNBC sister - CalGal - Thursday night. A few months ago, we lost Alaska Deb and Fancy. All with triple negative breast cancer.
This whole blogging thing has changed the look and feel of cancer. Breast cancer isn't something whispered about as it was in the 1940s and 1950s. We can now read about how others dealt with their diagnosis and treatment - validate our fears and find a new way of dealing with a chemo side effect. Blogging allows others around the word to support you and give words of encouragement when the road looks dark.
I had never met Tracy but did learn about her thoughts, feelings and her spirit through her blog. She was a real person, not some fake, phony person on MySpace. Her words helped me get through the treatment journey. I found humor where some might not have found humor having cancer. Tracy sure could!
Read the memory comments people left about Tracy. Will anyone say such great things about you when it is your time to leave this earth and the earthly body? And I'm not speaking to just women with breast cancer. If not, then do something about your life!
While I have not (yet) met Sharon, Kathy, Sue, Patti, Caryn, Christina, Sheri, Lauren, Gina and a whole host of other ladies, you have all touched my life as you shared your journey through breast cancer treatment and the life beyond with me in your words. You all are in my thoughts and prayers as you go through testing, waiting for results, chemo, waiting to feel better, implant fills, and more waiting.
With over 4800 hits on my blog, it makes me wonder how many other TNBC women are reading my blog. Won't you send a comment, or your blog website address, or join as a follower? Otherwise, I have to think that maybe I've clicked on the pages 4500 times and don't remember it!
Wishing you many blessings today and tomorrow and the rest of your life.
~Renee
shit o shit..Cal Gal died....i am on the TNBC discussion board thru breastcancer.org but have NOT been active lately.. i am devastated....
ReplyDeleteHi Renee
ReplyDeleteThrough your blog, I've read about Tracy and her story broke my heart. So unfair! She wanted so much to dance at her son's wedding and he hasn't even entered puberty.I haven't spent that much time on the TNBC boards except to see how TNBC spreads its evil and I listed where all the mets were as I try to make decisions about my treatment. I see that Calgal is on my list.(liver first then to lungs)
As for your blog (I see you've pimped your blog along with Sharon-where did you find such a nice template?)it has been invaluable. You were the first to get on my blog which led me to my other blog babes. And you have given me three less weeks of radiation hell to deal with, how can I thank you for that? I assume you block your own cookies so you don't get counted on your counter. I too wonder about some of my readers who from my stat counter, are regulars but have yet to identify themselves.
I am hoping your recovery is going well.
Love Sue
I would be interested in receiving your list, Sue. I had thought of doing the same and presenting the info to my new Oncologist when we meet in April.
ReplyDeleteI want evidence that supports my request for a PET/CAT scan NOW . . and any other testing that I should have had but didn't because "you're just Stage 1; caught early, blah, blah, blah".
Holly - thank you for becoming a Journey Supporter. It is a shock everytime we lose one of our ladies from the discussion boards.
ReplyDeleteSue - Here is where I picked up the background template: http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/. I had to play around with the fonts, which I had the patience to do yesterday. I've tried it before, but my original colors stayed- which didn't look good with a pink and brown theme. AND, I had no patience to pick colors for fonts, links etc.
Just stopping in to see how Renee is doing. This blog just wakes me up and gives me appreciation for every second of life.
ReplyDeleteTereese Smaldino
Just stopping in to see how Renee is doing. This blog just wakes me up and gives me appreciation for every second of life.
ReplyDeleteTereese Smaldino
Hi Tereese!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you have followed the blog and stayed in touch with me via email. It has meant the world to me to have "old" friends from California know what is going on.
If we can get the word out to all of our classmates to stay vigilant on mamograms and awareness of body changes, it would be fantastic.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can get back to Cali in the fall of 2009 or Spring of 2010. Hope we can connect!
xoxox
Renee
Renee...I'm TNBC too. My name on breastcaneer.org is HollyHopes. My partner of 13 years dumped me mid-way through rads...another BC casualty...sigh.
ReplyDelete