Quote of the Day: Adversity is the diamond dust that heaven polishes its jewels with. Leighton
Exercise Log: Today we met for Cokie’s birthday breakfast and walked up Millcreek Canyon. Sue O., Sue B., Cokie, Susie, Linda Alder, and Me. It was a bit windy and chilly- we went 3.41 miles. (-3.17) I had plans to get on stairmaster later today. Been kind of a rough day- I forgot that day 3 after chemo is an endurance day, so we’ll see. May have to catch up on exercise later this week. Later, Donna, Jill and Rachel joined us for breakfast. Picture included.
Sue O. and Donna brought me this darling pink hat from the Boston Marathon expo: it says Determination, Energy and Strength in English and Chinese. I love it! Also, thanks to Denise Landvatter and Sue B. for the delicious dinner last night of French Dip sandwiches, green salad, fruit salad, rolls, shredded beef, au jue sauce and mashed potatoes! Wow! It was so wonderful.
Also, to Gary and Sue Buehner for the book, Light in the Wilderness- Explorations int he Spiritual Life by M. Catherine Thomas. I’m so looking forward to reading this!
Yesterday, I was so grateful to be able to connect with my Dad’s half-sister, Jami. She was so willing to talk with me and later that day found her test results since she too tested positive for the BRCA 1 Gene. Jami and I share the same mutation making it certain that our common ancestor, James Lee Young, Jami’s father and my grandfather carried the gene. The gene was then passed to my father. Jami is a year younger than me, she lost her father, my grandfather when she was only 1 year old. My only memory of my Grandpa Jim, was a vision of him coming toward my crib and picking me up. I don’t know if that really happened or if I just saw pictures growing up and then mingled that into my memory. I would have only been 2 when he passed away. I just remembered that we have some family movies with Jim and Helyne’s family. The video shows their boys coming over on Christmas Morning so I will have to watch those again for clarity.
Isn’t that a interesting twist that I have a half-aunt who is younger than me and now connected by this gene mutation. Jami also had triple-negative and had one lymph-node infected (I had 3 infected). She was only 42 when she was diagnosed. After 7 years, she is cancer free! My oncologist told us that if triple-negative doesn’t come back in 7 years, it’s never coming back! I loved hearing that and am so happy for Jami! I was amazed at how common our cancers are. This is a scary disease. Jami said something that really rang true with me, she said “This is vital information for your family”.
So here is what this gene does mean. My father is most certainly a carrier, but will be tested. He had 8 girls. Heidi (passed away @ 42), Shelly, Lynne (tested negative), Joanie (positive), Erin, Mikelle, Taylor and Emily. “Each first degree relative of this individual has a one-in-two chance of having this mutation”. Heidi had two sons and one daughter. All four of my boys will be tested. This is a lot to take in and we will all need some genetic counseling. One thing they suggest, is that you don’t test children and I so agree with that. They don’t need to grow up knowing they have this fate lying before them but I’m very hopeful for my children’s children. They will have 40 to 50 years of research and cures before it’s an issue for them.
I’m so grateful for the Huntsman Family. They are pumping much needed money into cancer research!
From left to right: Jill, Cokie, Sue O. Susie, Donna, Joanie, Rachel, Sue B. and Linda
Owen and Vernessa had many children and the structure of the Mormon life style to make their marriege secure.
The atmosphere of a tavern at 2nd South and State (convicts, prostitutes etc.) and few children (Thilda miscarried often) was not the formula for a secure marriage.
love
Dad