Launching "Operation Kick Cancer's Ass"

Welcome to my new blog where I will be journaling about my journey to battle, beat and recover from breast cancer. Thank you in advance for reading along while I go through this journey that I hope you will never have to experience yourself. I wanted to create a separate blog for this so that my sweet Cooper's blog (http://www.babyolsenchronicles.blogspot.com/) will remain dedicated to him. And, besides benefiting from getting it all off my chest (pun intended :)), it is my hope that my story will encourage other women (and men) to to take charge of their health and demand better and earlier screening for cancer (ie ladies, don't wait til 40 for routine mammograms and don't let a doctor prevent you from getting one sooner) or any illness or health challenge. To get the best care - preventive, diagnostic, and treatment - we must be our own advocate and demand the best. We can't afford to be shy or to just leave it in others' hands - we must take charge and that's how I intend to implement "Operation Kick Cancer's Ass". I welcome your comments and questions along the way. I just ask that you please give careful thought to comments - think about whether it's something you would say to your closest loved one if they were going through cancer treatment. I have a kick-ass attitude but I am human and have feelings too. I need to be as positive as possible. That means survivor stories are welcomed and the other kind of stories are not. I AM going to beat this. If you think differently I do not want to hear/read it - I'm sure you can understand that. How can you help me through this? I am frequently asked "what can I do to help?" and it warms my heart to know how many people genuinely want to help me through this. So, if you're not close but want to know what you can do to help - here are some specific things you can do regardless of where you are --

• If you pray, please pray for me and my family. Please pray that we be given the strength and patience to work through this together with a positive outlook. Please pray that we are aided by the most talented and compassionate health care providers. Please pray that we quickly and effectively eliminate cancer from my body and prevent its recurrence. Please offer up any other prayers that will help us declare victory over cancer - we'd love to hear prayers and affirmations that you think might help us.
• If you have a great link or know of a great resource that you think would help me and others, please post it in a comment and you might end up finding it in my warrior toolchest of links.
• Give blood at your local blood drive or Red Cross center - blood saves lives.
• Get a great haircut from long to short and donate your locks to an organization that makes wigs for cancer patients. Check out: http://www.locksoflove.org/
• Participate in fundraising for the American Cancer Society to help fund much needed research so that someday there will be a cure.
• Write to Congress: http://www.standup2cancer.org/getinvolved/congress
• And, if you have additional ideas for how you can help me and others in this situation, please post them for me and everyone to see.

Thank you for everything - for your prayers, your positive thoughts, your kind words and generous expressions of care, for listening.

I hereby launch "Operation Kick Cancer's Ass" :)