The Final Day #3

Alarms going off all over camp……Everyone trying to get their tents down, breakfast eaten, walking clothes on, stretching done, bags packed and taken to the loading trucks and then up to the top of the hill by 7:30am to board the bus to the beginning of the route for day #3! Woo Hoo! The final countdown has begun! Breakfast today: Scrambled eggs with cheese, seasoned fried potato wedges, oatmeal, Danish, fruit, yogurt, bacon. Beverages: coffee, hot tea, coke products, milk, orange juice and cranberry juice. After our alarm sounded, we emerged from our tent, much warmer that Saturday am and headed to breakfast in our sweatpants and sweatshirts. After breakfast, we went back to our tent to change into our walking clothes and to pack up our sleeping bags, mattresses and sleeping clothes. Then, to get our tent taken down and packed up. Now, off to the loading truck to load our luggage and tents. WOW! Can this finally be the last day of our walk? My body tells me yes, but we are having such a great time, it is hard to believe it is almost over. After we have loaded our bags and our tents, Erika & I tell our team mate good bye and head to the top of the hill for the last time to board the bus. Our team mate will ride the bus to lunch so she can be sure she is able to make it over the finish line! We will meet here there! As we board the bus to head to the beginning of the route, it is a sad time! We say good bye to the crew who has served us breakfast and dinner for two days and the crew who has helped us around camp with anything we needed while we were there. This bus ride is a fun time, with us cheering on our bus driver to pass the other busses and get us to the starting line first. Woo Hoo! We passed 4 busses. We arrive @ the pit stop for the beginning of the route and grab a couple of bananas and some water and of course never pass up a port a potty without using it! Cardinal rule #1! Erika checked her blisters and we head out. Today is the shortest walking distance, but it seems to be the most difficult due to the soreness of our bodies and the blisters on Erika’s feet. We stretch at every intersection we come too. As we approach each pit stop the end is closer in sight. At a pit stop, Erika checked on her blisters only to learn they had spread to her other foot! OUCH! And the original one on her pinkie toe was getting worse too. I bet you never knew blisters were contagious. Well when you walk 60 miles they spread like wild fires! I also checked on my feet only to discover I had 2 blisters starting as well. This is the first one I have had since I started training…..What in the world?....... So, we did some surgery on the blisters. Did some band aiding, taping and airing out of the feet for a few minutes. Now, we had to try to put our hurting feet back into those shoes of ours and get back to walkin! That was the trick! Before we left that pit stop we learn that we are about to tackle what Atlanta calls “Cardiac Hill” Why you ask? Well, just let me tell you…….it was the longest hill of the entire weekend. The grade was not the steepest, but the distance was the thing that would kill us. Just when you thought you were done, we looked up only to discover we still could not see the top level off! We pushed through that obstacle onto the next pit stop and then to lunch. The hill that lead to lunch was a real bugger too! Why, oh Why, must the lunch stop always be up hill? All three days……we have had a hill to conquer before we could have lunch and rest! Today’s lunch: Turkey and cheese or ham and cheese or chicken sandwiches, chips, oatmeal raisin cookie, peanut butter cookies, choc chip cookies, and an apple. We meet up with our team mate, eat lunch, use the potty, stretched and try to freshen up/pep up as much as possible to be able make the last 4 miles to Turner Field. Erika’s dogs were really barking by now! Sheer determination was what kept her going! She is amazing! As we got closer the cheering crowd got larger and larger. There were supporters everywhere. We were also saying goodbye to all of the safety crew as we went along as well. Those volunteers have been wonderful. Keeping up motivated with music, dance and just good ol’ southern hospitality! Wonderful set of people. As we approached the Olympic torch, the rest of the safety was all lined up for our last goodbyes. It was emotional! They had family members they had lost too and we were walking for them! They were thanking us for walking the entire way. Turner field only 500 yds away. More cheering………fantastic! I could see the entrance. As we entered all of the other walkers who had made it in before us were cheering us on and a lot of high 5’s! It was wonderful. We were scanned in for the last time, receiving our victory shirts and a flower and then off to get our pictures taken in front of the finish line banner. WOW! What an accomplishment, but nothing like beating cancer! As we waited in the holding area to do our victory walk to closing ceremonies, we talked with friends and said our good-bys for the last time. As the last walker came in we all cheered! Way to Go! Then, to our surprise a couple who had walked together was on stage and the guy was proposing to her. We were all crying! Of course she said “YES!” What a wonderful thing for them to share. Now, it was time for us to line up for the Victory walk. We lined up in rows of 6 and headed out the gate across the street to the ceremony. Closing ceremonies was very emotional as well. As we lifted up a shoe to the survivors when they paraded in we all cried, hugged and cheered them on. We raised the flag one final time and said good-bye. Now, to head out and collect our luggage then board another bus back to Lake Lanier to get our car. An hour bus ride back to the car! Very long day! At the lake, we loaded up our stuff and began our journey back to Alabama. We stopped for food @ Zaxby’s. We were hoping that nobody was offended by our stench! LOL! We smelled horrible. But, what can you expect after all that walking and sweating! LOL! There were several other walkers in there too. All of us were limping and moving very slowly. The other customers could not believe we walked 60 miles! It is still hard to imaging! But we did! WE WALKED 60 MILES!!!!!! We were still so pumped from the ceremonies; we talked the entire way home. I arrived back home about 3:15am, grabbed a shower then off to get 3 hrs sleep before heading out to work on Monday. I will never forget my experience and the time I have had with my close friends. This is truly a life changing experience. Take a moment and tell somebody you love them! Do something for someone else, because “Everyone Deserves a Lifetime!”

Day #2

Morning of day #2…..Brrrrrr! Freezing…….well for southern girls it was freezing. I think the temp was about 48. So, out of bed and off to the dining tent for breakfast. OMG! Our dining tent had heat! Woo Hoo! We should have slept in there! Breakfast…….all I can say about that is, WOW! Menu included: Scrambled eggs with cheese, fried potatoes, oatmeal, muffins, sausage, yogurt and fruit. Beverages: coffee, hot tea, hot cocoa, milk, orange juice, cranberry juice and coke products. We were seated in the heated tent filling our bellies……..trying not to think about the huge hill we had to climb to begin the route for the day. After breakfast, we headed to brush our teeth and to get dressed to walk. Once dressed, we got in line to be scanned out of camp for the day. Up the hill to the beginning of the route. Today started out much cooler than Friday, but I warmed up quickly, pulling off my jacket and gloves and wrapping them around my fanny pack. Pit stop #1 could not come quick enough, potty break! As we walked, we chatted with other walkers about the reasons they were walking and where they were from and how many 3-day’s they had done. We met lots of people and heard lots of interesting stories. The day was going great. Our pace was just about the same as Friday. We were doing well with keeping a steady even pace. The hills were about the same as they were the day before. We were able to stay off the asphalt more today than the first day. You would not believe how that will just suck all of the energy right out of you! As we approached the lunch stop for day #2 we were at 11 miles. Today for lunch: ham & cheese or a chicken sandwich, chips, oatmeal raisin cookies, peanut butter cookies, choc chip cookies and an apple. Lunches were pretty much the same all weekend. You could have as much as you wanted, but with another 9 miles to go, it was better to just eat on the lite side and keep snacking at the other pit stops……….and that is exactly what we did. Erika & I had to head out by ourselves after lunch; our team mate was still have trouble and needed to be transported back to camp so she could be sure to finish on the final day. Don’t want to miss that special day! So, we sent her off with hugs and we would see her back @ camp! As the day progressed, so did the stiffness. The temp was higher today than Friday, but still not like south Alabama. I think it was about 78 degrees. We had somewhat of a breeze all day, so that was nice, but not much shade on today’s route. As we topped the hill, one of our safety crew member says “Only a mile to go ladies and it is all downhill from here!” We were so happy to hear that. So at about 5pm, we could see the downhill to camp! Woo Hoo! Our time for Saturday was 8 hrs and 18 minutes, about the same as Friday. Our plan was to head directly from the picture in front of the Day 2 banner over to the cell phone charging station. We hit the porta potty on the way to the charging station. After standing in line for about 10 minutes, we realized we were in the wrong line, but after we were told we were in the massage line, it didn’t matter how long we had stood in the wrong line. See, being confused worked to our advantage! We made an appointment for a massage, and then got in the correct line for the chargers for our phones. After receiving a phone charger, we headed to the dinner tent to eat. Tonight’s menu: Grilled chicken breast with mushroom and onion tomato sauce, rice, mixed veggies, salad, brownie & a bread stick. Beverages: Coke products, coffee and hot tea. After dinner, we went to get our shower bags. When we arrived @ our tent, we were surprised with a big ribbon for tent decorations. We had actually won a ribbon for our tent decorations! We had talked about how great that would be if we actually won! Woo Hoo! We were stoked! We then headed back to the massage tent for my neck and back massage and it was exactly what I needed. You would not believe how bad the top of my shoulders were aching. Walking takes a toll on the entire body. That was the best WRONG line I ever stood in! LOL! After the massage, then off to stand in line for a shower. I know, I know, lines for everything……fortunately, they all were very quick. The shower felt so good after the dinner and massage. I was so ready for bed. As the sun faded tonight, the temps were much warmer. We went back to our tents to undecorated and to pack up some things because we were leaving camp in the morning. After we had done some packing and organization, there was a concert in the big tent, so we headed back up there to enjoy the activities. We danced, laughed, danced and had a great time. On the way to bed, we grabbed some hot cocoa and hit the potty! We then settled in for the night and hopefully a great nights’ sleep. Erika’s family had a wonderful day, so she was not worried about them and hoped to finally get some rest as well!

The event Day #1

Up early after only 3 hrs of sleep, we loaded the car, made PB&J sandwiches, grabbed a juice and off to the long term parking lot…..by the way, this was @ 4am! Arrival @ the parking lot was not as bad as anticipated… of course not; nobody in their right mind is up on the roads @ 4am! We got to the parking area, parked, unloaded our gear and headed to opening ceremonies. Did I mention it was 48 degrees? Brrrrrrrr! So, since I was so worried about parking we are only 2 hrs early for the ceremonies, we visited the booths, got our lanyards for our credentials, used the potty and took lots of pictures. Opening ceremonies was a very emotional time….. a time to remember the ones we lost and a time to remember the ones we loved that are fighting. We raised a flag with the names of the loved ones we are dedicating our walks to. We cried, laughed, cried again, danced, shouted, danced again and then headed out for our first 20 miles! Our first pit stop was great. We had beverages: water & Gatorade. We had food: bananas, oranges, chips, granola bars, graham crackers with pb&j, cheese sticks and peanuts. We also had potties! We had Medical and thank goodness we did not need that tent! At the first pit stop Erika & I fell to the end of the pack waiting our other team mate, but we quickly caught back up with the other walkers. The residents of the towns where we walked were amazing. They were standing by the pathway, cheering, clapping, thanking us for walking and handing us candy & goodies! The entire community got involved! We continued to the second pit stop. We had more of the same at that pit stop as well. The graham crackers with the pb& j are the BOMB! Don’t know where they got those or the company that make them, but they are amazing. I grabbed one at each stop that had those and stored it away in the fanny pack! LOL! Then it was off to the trail again. Our lunch on the first day was: Turkey/Cheese sandwich or Ham/Cheese sandwich, Sun Chips, Peanut Butter Cookies, Choc Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and an apple. We ate lunch at a church and sat on the ground on the porch. We propped up our feet and rested for a while! Then, back to the walk. The rest of the pit stops were more of the same food and beverages. The last 3 miles of the trail was probably the worst of the entire weekend. We were stuck walking in the emergency lane beside a hwy on the asphalt with a ton of hills. The terrain was the worst with the DUI grooves in the asphalt. Every step was torture on our feet, but Erika and I pushed through to the top of each hill and then to the camp. What a beautiful site! Whoop! Whoop! As we reached camp we saw the 3-day crew, all cheering us on. We got scanned into camp and we took our picture with our sign for completing Day 1. Our time for the first day was 8 hrs & 25 min. We then went to locate our luggage, grab our tent and locate our tent spot. After lugging all our crap to our spot, we began to unload and set up our tent. We drug out all of our decorations and began decorating our tent! We were getting lots of compliments! I sure hope we get the tent decoration award! That would be awesome! Our first event and we get a ribbon for our tent decorations! After the tent was set up and decorated, we ventured over to the dinning tent to grab some dinner and locate our other team mate. Unfortunately, she had some knee problems and had to ride the sweep van back to camp early. Dinner included: Steak, Green beans, Salad, Roll and an Apple Pie. Beverages: Coke products, Coffee, Tea, Hot Cocoa, Water, Gatorade or Milk. Dinner never tasted sooooo good! LOL! After dinner, Erika & I headed out to grab our clothes and get in the shower line. As the sun began to go down, it began to get quite chilly! Well, let’s just say cold! At least we picked the right shower line! Luck was on our side for a change and we only waited about in line about 15 min before we could shower. After the shower, we decided to walk over to check out the 3-Day lounge. We got in line to get a chair massage with the boots for your feet and legs. After our massage, we headed over to grab some hot chocolate! Oh that was warm! Now, back to our tents to meet our other team meat and hit the sack. 9pm was “lights out”. We crawled into our sleeping bags with sweatpants, sweatshirts, gloves and socks………we were freezing. During the night, Erika and I had to sleep with our heads in the sleeping bags……….all I could think about was SIDS……not waking up! LOL! I slept like a log, but Erika didn’t sleep at all hardly. She was up and down to the potty all night and worried about her girls.......and her hubby. Her family had a bad day Friday. Hopefully, we would have another good day for Day #2 and Erika’s family would also have a good day #2.

End of Week #2

As week two came to a close the excitement is even greater now…….Saturday was extremely busy with trying to get the last minute decorating items and the last minute items on my list of things to pack. I was able to get 10 miles in on Saturday then, off to visit with my mom. She had a spot in her arm removed on Thursday and she is doing really well after the surgery. The soreness is there, but gets better every day. I then headed to Pensacola to the craft stores for those decorating things and also to the airport to pick up my son. Unfortunately, I had to listen to most of the Auburn game on the radio, but I was able to make it back home to see the end! WOW! What a game! The score was ridiculous! I didn’t make it through the Alabama game though. Had to go to bed @ halftime! Sunday, I went to the park in Foley by the pool to walk again and Erika joined me! We just took our time and walked 8.8 miles. The weather was absolutely beautiful! We talked about our decorations for our tent and the trip up to Atlanta. This week is going to be CRAZY! I still have to put together the Angels for our tent and the windsock that I decided to make. I also need to walk an additional 3 miles on today and tomorrow. Wednesday evening will be spent packing and resting then, Thursday we will leave @ 3pm for Atlanta! I may not have another chance to post before we leave, so please pray for a safe journey for our team. Our return trip will be late and exhausting! Keep our feet in your thoughts as well, as we strive to keep the blister monsters under wraps! LOL! The weather looks like it will be beautiful up there. The expected highs will be near 75 with a 6-8 mph wind each day and partly cloudy on Sunday. The evenings will be in the mid 50’s so that is perfect sleeping weather!

End of Week #3

Well, week #3 training…………….what else can I say………..the excitement is building, with making packing list and list of things I still need to buy and figuring out how to get to opening ceremonies, parking, shuttle back to the parking and just the anticipation of getting there to start the journey!
This weekend I traveled to Mobile to train with a team mate and it was really nice. I had not been able to spend time with her and catch up since we were in High School. Erika and I had been close friends and both moved away from the Foley area as soon as we graduated, so we really lost track of each other. She has two beautiful little girls and we took them with us. She pushed them in the stroller for the entire 7.5 miles, while I tagged along and we caught up on things that had happened throughout the years. Time seemed to fly by for me, but as you can probably imagine, she was complete worn out. This weekend’s temps were a little higher than last weekend and the breeze was much less, but it was not unbearable. Getting out in the heat again is good since we really cannot predict what we will be walking in yet anyway. I was able to get back out to the park in Foley Sunday for another 14 miles. I was 9 miles short of the training schedule for week #3 but I feel ok about making the distance. With the overage from last week of 6 miles, I am still somewhat on track! This upcoming week holds more mileage as the time draws even closer. Week #2 will be the last full week before the walk and the last of the big mileage! Please continue to pray for my Mom as she will be getting the place in her arm removed sometime soon. Also, remember Lundy Adcock. She has finished her second round for the Leukemia and is heading home to recover for 4 weeks until her 3rd round in November. Thanks for all of your support!

Week #3……….Ready to go!

Last week, Great week for training…35 miles total!.....WooHoo!….the weather is much cooler now, so I was able to get outdoors and beat the boring treadmill. On Saturday, I walked on the trail in Orange Beach…..12 miles! It was a beautiful day. Then, the Pink Heals Tour was here in town, with Pink fire trucks and a great turn out for the local fire departments participating in Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I was also able to find some more BC shirts to wear when we walk in the 3-day, so we will all be pink! On Sunday, I also got back outdoors and walked the track around the park in Foley. I wasn’t able to get started early like planned, but the wind was blowing, so it didn’t seem like 78 degrees and I was able to walk just fine. Although on Friday I started with a rash late in the afternoon. I noticed it when I showered after walking. It was not real bad, so I didn’t worry with it. Saturday after I returned home to shower after my eventful day, the rash area had started to spread and it was also much brighter that it started out. I still didn’t really worry with it, no time, busy, busy. LOL! Sunday, when I woke, the rash was not as red but still there. As I continued to walk Sunday afternoon, I could tell it was spreading, so in order to get to a clinic and then to a pharmacy before they closed, I had to cut my walk short (only 8 miles), go home, get a shower and head to the Gulf Shores clinic. I was told I am having an allergic reaction to something and which has caused hives. Now, I am on steroids with a strong antihistamine @ night and Benadryl during the day. Fortunately, it does not itch unless I start sweating and even then it is not unbearable, so I am grateful for that. I am hoping it goes away before I leave! LOL! Otherwise I will have red splotches all over me!
I did order some pink battery operated tree lights for our tent, so hopefully they will come in soon. Also, asked our local airbrush artists in our Wal-Mart in Gulf Shores about making a flag for our tent and he said no problem, so now all I need to do is bring him a pillowcase or something for him to use for a flag. I am also stocking up on other things I need for the walk, blister band aids, moleskin for the blisters, friction block, emergency blanket, poncho, drop cloth, clothes pins, tape, scissors, twine, air mattress, battery operated air pump, light for my hat and other misc things you would never think you would need, but experts who have walked several 3-day events advise it. We are hoping to be over prepared! LOL! Is there such a thing?
Please continue to pray for my mom. Her scan on her lungs came back with another 25% improvement, but they are going to remove a lump in her arm that has come up. Also, remember my friend Lundy in your prayers. She went back to the Sacred Heart hospital yesterday for her second round of chemo for her Leukemia.
I am still $400 away from my $2300 needed, but no worries. Things will happen, gotta have faith!

Week #4

Well as week 4 began yesterday, I was able to get 12 miles in. I discovered a small blister in the calloused part of my heel on the inside at the very bottom………….and………..I lanced it and cut the dead skin off and now it burns every time it gets wet!.....I know, I know…..not very smart, but I do it every time………..Anyway, I walked 15 miles on Saturday and 12 on Sunday and other than the blister, I am fine! WooHoo! Now, I have to keep the mileage up this week and continue on the training schedule. I also have to think about some tent decorating ideas. If any of you have any suggestions, please let us know. We are thinking about some rope lighting that is battery operated and a pillowcase to hang that has the Alabama flag airbrushed with our team name on the front and a brick wall image with the names of the people we want to honor by walking airbrushed on the backside to hang above our tent in an arch that we will make from an additional tent pole. Put your minds to work and see if you can help us think of some more things to do.

I am registered!

REGISTRATION!!!!!! I completed my online registration today! It is official…..I will be walking 60 miles. I have also chosen my tent mate! Woo Hoo! I still have some more money to raise, but I went ahead and registered anyway. I am still trying to get a few donations and do a raffle to help with my goal and I have been trying to get in touch with the manager @ Daylight Donuts to see about selling discount cards as a fund raiser. If you have any other ideas of fund raisers, please send me a message. I NEED THE HELP! Thanks to all of you who have been constantly praying for my mom and my friend Lundy. Mom is still doing well and Lundy was able to come home after 4+ weeks in the hospital. The power of faith and prayer are magnificent. Thanks to all of you for following and supporting me on this journey!

Week #5!

As week 6 progressed, I received a few more donations! Woo Hoo!!!! …. I still have a few more friends that have promised to donate, so I hope to get even closer to my goal as these next few weeks go by. I was close to my mileage goal this week! That is a plus! It has become difficult to stay motivated while walking on a treadmill, but I am so glad my mother has let me use the one she has because it has been unbearable outside. I sure hope it cools down in the next 5 weeks in Atlanta! Please pray for cooler weather! I began using my waist pack this weekend to get used to the weight and having something on my waist. Training went well with that. Week 5 mileage goal is 44 miles. I have started out good with 10 miles on Sunday……Mom’s Dr. visit on this week went well. They are cutting out some of the prednisone so maybe she won’t suffer so much from her eyes being so swollen anymore, but still be able to have some lung capacity………Keep her in your prayers………This past Saturday I went to the Flora-Bama Soccer Tournament in Orange Beach. My dear friend that I have mentioned in an earlier blog is still in the hospital battling Leukemia and her son was in this tournament. It was really upsetting to her to be in the hospital and not at the field, so she asked if there was anybody who had not made other plans and could go to please go and give Turner some support. I have watched Turner grow up and he has been extremely close to our family and I love to watch him play, so Kent and I went to the tournament and sent some support to him while he was on the field……He did a great job out there and the team came out with a victory. Please keep Lundy in your prayers as she fights to get her blood counts up so she can come home………….

Counting Down!!!!

Only 6 more weeks until the 3-Day! Last Sunday, we left for Gatlinburg, TN to spend 5 days with my parents on a small vacation. The time spent together was great. Mom was able to enjoy being away and get out and see the sites. Although the leaves had not really changed and the weather was not cool, we enjoyed the beautiful view from the top of the Smokies. We visited Gatlinburg, Cherokee, Dollywood, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. We even went to the Dixie Stampede. Great show! We also took a train ride on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad from Bryson City to the Nantahala Outdoor Center. We left the Smokies on Friday to head to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama -vs- Penn State game. It was fun to visit and tailgate with my family. On the way home, we decided to stop and visit with my grandmother for awhile, so we went through Maplesville. It was a good visit with her. She looked good but was walking gingerly due to a broken toe. We finally made it back to Foley around 8pm. I was able to get some walking in while we were gone, but now I have to really dig in and get with it these last few weeks. I am still only $600 away from the required amount, but hopefully something will come in soon.

Only 9 weeks left!!!!!!

Well, I have just 9 short weeks of training left. Time has flown by and yes, I have not been doing the training that I should have been. I had been having pain behind my right knee when I would walk over 6 miles, so I had backed off some in order to not injure myself so badly that I would not be able to do the walk in October. I visited Running Wild in Fairhope on August 20th. I must say, I cannot remember the last time I had customer service like that. The girl in the shop immediately welcomed me to the store and asked if she could help me. I explained to her about the walk and about the pain behind my knee and also that I had switched from walking outdoors to walking on a treadmill. She explained to me the mechanics of walking and after observing my walk, explained to me what my problem was, I pronate and need stability shoe. She brought me 3 different pairs of shoes to try. After spending about an hour trying each pair and then alternating with a different shoe on each foot, I choose a pair. I tried them the following weekend and was amazed and how they worked. I was able to walk the 10 miles I was used to without any pain in my knees or feet. I have tried to get back on track with my 10 miles on Saturdays and Sundays. This week will be a challenge for me......I am trying to get 5 miles in each afternoon. We will be leaving for vacation on Sunday, so I will have to get those miles during the week and get my usual 10 miles in on Saturday. We will be driving all day Sunday, so walking will be out of the question. I am also pushing myself to walk 5 miles a day while we are on vacation and I am hoping to get a 10 mile walk in there somewhere because I will not be able to walk 10 miles the following Saturday. I am striving to get my mileage up and keep it there and also stick with my gym schedule to keep up my cross training that is required. I am only $600 away from the required amount to participate. I am hoping that I get some more donations soon, so that I can finish with my registration.

Please put my dear friend, Lundy Adcock, on your prayer list. We found out Tuesday that she has Leukemia and they are not sure what type or what avenue to take in treatment at this point. Her case is baffling the specialist here at Sacred Heart in Pensacola, so please pray that God will lead him in the correct direction to get her some relief from the severe pain and on a track to recovery. Her family has been very close to my family for 20 years and they are very dear to my heart.

Trying to get back on track!!!!!!

Sorry to keep all of you wondering how my training is going both @ my new job and with the walk...........well, the new job is going great.......the difference in working for people who care about you, your well being, and your success is a huge reflection on the company......I have not meet anybody here who is truly not happy to be here and truly enjoys all aspects of the company and the jobs they are doing.....you can see it everyday.........

Now for the training for my walk............well, last week did not go as planned.....I did walk 3 miles during the week and then 8 miles on Saturday but Sunday was a bust................This week was better although I didn't do any weekly walking, I was able to get in 8.75 miles in on Saturday and 8 miles on Sunday......I have been experiencing some discomfort behind my right knee while walking.....Not really sure where that is coming from.....maybe because I have not been keeping up my mileage for a month or so and then tried to start out where I left off @ 10 miles.....I should actually know better than to do that!!!!! Have I lost my mind to think I could just pick back up @ 10 miles without a struggle..........NOT!!!!!!! Well, I will continue to improve as August progresses.......I am shooting for at least 4 days of walking during this week and then I hope to get up to 10 miles by this Sunday......

Beginning of Week #14

Well, I was able to get the treadmill and get it unloaded into the house, but that is as far as it went.........all day Saturday, I shopped for something to wear at my new job......I cannot wear jeans everyday over there, so I thought I could just find a few simple, comfortable dresses that are not dressy to wear until after my 60 mile walk, so that I would not have a bunch of pants that were too big........that is I am hoping to loose a few pounds with the rest of the training I have to do.......BUT, that did not happen.......I have other pants that are not jeans to wear, so I only bought 2 pair and that will do until after the walk.......I am very anxious to start on Wednesday, although I will probably not meet anyone I am working with until Thursday.......Wednesday is all paperwork and security stuff with the HR Dept.......

Exercising: Today is Zumba at the YMCA, so I will attend that and then after I get back to the house, I want to see if I can walk about 3 miles.....My plan for the week is to walk 3 miles after I return home after going to the YMCA and then I will push for 6 miles on Thursday and Friday. Goal for Saturday and Sunday is to get back on track and do 10 miles each day.....Weekly total will be 41 miles, I am only required to do 24 miles this week, so if I stay on track, I will be great......

Mom: She is still doing well at this point. She has started back on the chemo tablets and is only taking 1/2 of what she was taking when she started out. I hope she can continue to do well.....Please continue to keep her and my Dad in your prayers......

Gotta get back into the groove

Well, sorry it has been so long since I have posted......It is now the middle of week #15. I have been busy with tons of things these past few weeks....We went out of town for the 4th of July, visited with Kent's Aunts, Uncles and cousins on our way to Columbus, GA where we stayed and enjoyed some dirt track racing on the 4th in Phenix City, AL......It was a great get away and a great visit with family. Before I left for the weekend getaway, I turned in my resignation here @ Bon Secour Fisheries.....I fell it best for me with the situation in the gulf to find a new employment at a place that I feel will offer me a firm ground to stand on.......I truly hope that I am wrong and they are not effected in the coming years by the oil in the gulf.....there are lots of folks here that I care for and this is a family business that has been here for generations and it is heartbreaking for something to happen to their business. I will be going to Columbia Southern University, but I do hope to keep in close touch with the wonderful friends I have found @ Bon Secour Fisheries.....I have been keeping up with my cross training, but my walking has almost been nonexistent.......I hope to solve that this weekend.....I plan on getting the treadmill from my mom on Thursday pm and will get back on track Saturday.....Great news on my Mom last Wednesday....Her scan showed 1/3 decrease in the tumor in her lung and the small nogels are also shrinking.....She began the chemo again on Saturday (7/10) and will only be taking 1/2 the dose, so we are hoping she will be able to get through the entire 12 weeks this time without the liver enzyme levels going too high........Please continue to pray for her strength....

An end to week #18

Gosh, it sounds too close when I say, Ending week #18........and when you say October 22nd, it seems so far away........funny how words play on each other....Well, Thursday I got 5 miles in and on Saturday am I was able to squeeze in 9 miles, but Sunday was a bust........Saturday after I walked we loaded up, (me, Kent, Ricky & Ty) to head to Maplesville for my grandmother's 90th birthday party.....we had a great ride up there, got to talk alot with the boys and really visit with them......The party was great, like a family reunion.....I got to see alot of my cousins, aunts and uncles and my grandmother had a great time.....the visit was great....wish we could do that more often....the ride back was also good....My nephew rode back with me and Ricky ended up riding with my sister.....we stopped in Atmore to have the buffet @ Wind Creek Casino.....was kinda of a disappointment, but buffets usually are......so if you are thinking of trying it, think twice, cost of $14.95 and I am sure you can get a seafood buffet someplace for the same price with better food.......All in all, I walked 14 miles last week and plan on getting more done this week.....I am still $900 away from my required amount needed to participate, so if you know of anybody who can donate please pass my information along, I need all the help I can get!

Not a good ending to week #19

Well, visited the Dr. on Friday and have a sinus/upper respiratory infection......Yes, I just had a respiratory infection 3 weeks ago......Not sure if sitting on the beach visiting with 2 girl friends had anything to do with it....we never really smelled oil, but it has been strong around my work lately....Dr. said she has had several folks in with the same thing that has come on rather quickly, so maybe these meds will help soon......No walking Friday or Saturday......Still felt snotty....lol...on Saturday, got new tires put on, spent some time with my visiting high school buddy again on the river and then to Kent's parents to cook the fish him, his brother and father caught Friday.....great family time with them.....Sunday, spent time with my Dad @ church, cleaned out my car, not fun at all, but really needed to be done......then off to deliver Father's day gift and spend some more time with our fathers........Great weekend for family, just not for walking......will try to squeeze the miles in this week and get back on track!!!!!

Rough night

Last night, don't know what I got into yesterday, but I had severe allergies....I was up half the night taking benadryl, using nose spray, drinking water, taking advil sinus and eating cough drops....this morning, I don't feel any better, in fact it is kind of worse....at lunch today, I was only running on one nostril.....LOL!...so I won't be getting in miles in today....I am going to go by the clinic after work and try to get some meds.....I may not get any miles in this Saturday either, so next week will be tough......Sunday is Father's Day, so unless I can start walking @ 4:30am, I will have to make those up next week too......Wish for the best at the DR. and everyone have a wonderful weekend........Happy Father's Day to those father's out there!

Wednesday......Spin Class

I was able to convince another girl in my office to join me and Claire in the spin class we take.........The bikes had be rearranged in the room, so we could not sit together, so I moved to the back with her so we could sit together.....we had a really good class.....a challenging one, but it was good......and what do you know, Susan enjoyed spinning too.....so, I think we will all be spinning together on Wednesday's....next week we can move the bikes back to the way they were and we can all sit together......

Tuesday's Class......Skipped!

Well, what can I say other than I enjoy the company of old friends over exercise!.....my friend from high school, who lives in Key West, is in town for a visit with her family and we decided to get together and catch up with each other since we have not really had a chance since we graduated over 20 years ago....We packed our coolers, chairs and I grabbed some pizza's and we headed to our beach to enjoy it before she left and before the oil has ruined it.........The beach was great.......the breeze was cool, without a smell of oil, the sand was white and the waves were clear blue with the true white caps like it should be.......but the best thing about it was....NO TOURIST...I say it is best, although our local businesses would love to have tourist, it was nice to be alone on the beach this time of the year......I brought another really great friend from school who lives here in town with me, which was a surprise to Carla and we all ate, drank and visited with each other for over 3 hours.....We talked about the regrets we had about things we did in school and about ones we lost in school and our families......I didn't realize how much I missed the interaction with the two of them until we chatted.....It is great to reconnect after so many years....I think we will continue to stay in touch better after she returns to Key West in a week or so......It is hard for all of us to imagine how badly the oil will impact us......Key West is already feeling the effects as my friends business (her 16 year dream) is down 50%.....I can only image the fear she has for her and her family right now.......please keep her in you thoughts and prayers as her journey has already begun and the oil is still far from her......Also, Please keep my mom in your prayers.....the chemo has been halted for now.....we are hoping she gets some strength back in the interim and can begin to eat again......

Zumba class

Zumba class seems to be getting tougher......not sure how that is possible, but it is just how it seems.....I had planned on walking 5 miles after Zumba, but only completed 3.3, it is better than big fat ZERO, but still not 5 miles......Today holds Renee's class @ 5:30 and then I plan on heading home to shower and to visit with a high school friend of mine who is in town to visit her parents and see the beaches before they are really ruined by the oil.....Hopefully, I can get 5 miles in after Wednesday's spin class.....

Ending of Week #20

As this weekend brings week #20 of training to an end, I failed to complete my miles I had set for myself.......I did however complete the miles suggested by the training schedule.....Friday night, we decided to go to the races in Pensacola...always a fun thing for us.....there were more wrecks than normal, so it took longer for the races to finish and therefore we did not get home until after midnight and I had to have a shower so it was after 1 before I laid down.....still not sleeping well with all the things at work and mom's stuff, it has been tough to clear my mind and get a good nights rest....Needless to say I didn't get up @ 4am to walk.....I slept in and decided to spend the day with Kent, getting some things done around the house we needed to do and get ready for a day on the river fishing on Sunday.....At 4:30pm, I laced my shoes up, loaded the cooler with water, Gatorade, and an ice pack and headed out to the park for my 10 miles.....I finished @ 8:15, just as darkness fell....not too bad, there was a breeze until about 7:30, but by then the sun was down past the trees, so it was bearable......Sunday, we set out to go fishing.......we got out on the water @ 6:30am, rode to where we were going to start and noticed we had left our cooler with our water, Gatorade, and root beer in the kitchen on the floor, so we ended our trip around noon.....headed home to hydrate and have some much needed lunch.....after lunch, I think the sun and the lack of water took a toll on me cause all I could do was fall asleep in the recliner while waiting on the laundry to get done......so, I just took a nap........well, that killed my expectations on walking @ 4:30 like I had on Saturday.......stepping out the back door @ 5pm with no breeze and the heat index higher that Saturday, I quickly decided to go back inside.......I will have to walk during the week after my gym classes to get me back on my schedule......

Not as planned

Well......this week has proven to be worst week I have had in a very long time....My mom has been nauseated all the time, so therefore she just doesn't eat more than a couple of bites.....trying to convince her to eat....WOW!, harder that I thought!.....the trial meds have completely destroyed her taste buds and the taste alone makes her sick....I have been worried about her and her dr visit on Wednesday...they were able to give her something for the nausea, but it will take a week to start working.....I hope she gets some relief soon and can get some nourishment....Wednesday, the girl I work closely with was laid off.....a blow to the gut!!!!!......I will be doing her job and my job but all I can think about is....Am I next????.....This oil spill has started to wash ashore and our local businesses are feeling the effects, which in turn, effects my place of employment...This is only the beginning.....very scary.....my entire community, I am afraid, will loose everything!....I am worried about the long term affects.....I did do my spin class Wednesday pm, the stress reliever I needed, but Thursday I didn't do anything....Kent needed some help with limbs @ his parents so I helped him and then we visited my parents....Tonight looks like I will not be walking either....the plan is to go @ 5am in the morning......10 miles on the agenda.....Hope everyone has a great weekend...Please keep mom in your prayers....Thanks!

Body Blast!

Another Body Blast class!.....35 min cardio and 25 min weights....worked bicepts & tricepts then legs.....and of course the ABS!....still sad my Thursday's class is postponed for the summer, but such is life!.....Thursday will have to help me catch up on my miles!........

ZUMBA

Zumba class.......I really wish you all could experience Navy's Zumba class.....It is soooo much fun!....last night was a rough one, but still fun!....time just flies by....I wish she had another class during the week that I could attend.....

Ending week #21

Sunday marked the end of week #21......Saturday's forecast called for 70% of scattered thunderstorms and we had fishing on the agenda, so we decided to get up early and head to the Delta to beat the thunderstorms....we succeeded in beating the weather, but it stormed all afternoon after we got home so walking was out of the question.....On Sunday, I got up early and started to clean house with good intentions on walking, but that changed once again with the thunderstorms in the afternoon.....So, no miles this weekend, I will have to make them up this week.......

New Schedule

Last night was first of new schedule for my walking.....Only problem is that I ate too much before I decided to walk.....I did have some company, Kent went with me, so that was nice and there was a nice breeze, but humidity was horrible.....Next time, I will only eat a light snack before I walk and then if I am hungry when I get back, I will eat some more then....

Spin Class

Last night was spin class......It has been a week since I have been to the gym, with the arrival of my new nephew and the rest day on Friday, then my walking on Saturday and Sunday and the holiday closing on Monday and it was very obvious that I had missed a week.....Class was good and very challenging, we did lots of jumps and then added some speed to the jumps, have never done that before, so it was tough.....tonight is the first night that my normal Thursday class will not be held, so the plan is to walk 5 miles at the park.....not a good substitute for Renee's class, but walking 4 days in a row will help with the 3-Day.....

First of Week #21

Today begins week #21, so I began just like yesterday, early.....it is really hard to be off and still get up early...I wanted to get there earlier than yesterday, but was only able to do that by 15 min....I started my walk @ 5:50 and I walked another 10 miles time was 3 hrs and 10 min...again, I took a break and had some water after every 3 miles.....today, was not bad either......no blisters!!!!!

Last day of week #22

Today is the last day for week #22....I got up early to get to the park and get my walking in before it got really hot....the humidity was already up there and I didn't need that to combine with the heat....I started my walk around 6:10 and finished in 3 hours....I walked 10miles!....not too bad!....I stopped every 3 miles to have some water and take a 5 min break....tried to simulate what we would be doing during the 3-Day walk....I must say, it was not as bad as I thought it would be....no blisters and not too tired.....

Rest Day

Friday is rest, so that is exactly what I did....We went to 5 Flags speedway to watch the races and had a really good time....

New Arrival

Well @ 7:14am my new nephew arrived.....7lbs 10oz and 20" long.....he is a cutie! He was so calm in the nursery, he never cried the entire time they were messing with him, not even when they bathed him......hopefully he will remain the calm, relaxed baby we was in the nursery for the days and months to come....Mom is doing well too! This weekend will be busy with me trying to get as many miles in as I can before the heat and humidity takes hold.......Saturday, Sunday & Monday, I plan on an early start and hope to get 8.8 miles a day under my feet.....Hope everyone has a great and safe weekend and holiday!

Week #22 half way done

Last night......SPIN CLASS!....it has been a week since my last spin class and we did an endurance class and I think that is my favorite.....I will not be exercising tonight, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of my nephew, so I will be heading over to the hospital after work........

Advance Burn Class

Class was great last night....we did a little more cardio this time and cut back on the weights, there will be more weights on Thursday pm......No walking today, will try to get some miles in on Friday, if not, I have Saturday, Sunday and Monday to get them in, until tomorrow! Have a great day!

The beginning of Week #22

Well, this antibiotic is really kicking my tail.......I started to feel my heart race and at certain times of the day, I felt like I had a really high temp....like my head was on fire.....got to reading the insert you get with your RX and yep, those are the side effects of this med.....so, looks like I'll be feeling weird for another 7 days.....Last night I was able to get back into my routine and go back to Zumba class...Our normal instructor was out herself for a couple of weeks and I missed the next two classes after she returned, so it was good to get back to normal...I have taken several other classes with other instructors and I think Navy is the best....she is all smiles and so energetic....I just love her class even though I will never be able to move the way she does.....I try not to look in the mirror while we are dancing because it is soooo funny...as class goes on, I'm thinking hey, I can move like Navy, then look in the mirror and NOT....I'm looking like a white girl, no rhythm.....LOL!....but hey I am a white girl with no rhythm....

Last day of Week #23

This was the last day for me to get my miles in for the week, after yesterday's slight disappointment and Friday's no show, I knew I had to push myself today....got to the park @ 6:55am and started my task....much nicer that Saturday and a bit cooler....I am definitely going to have to start earlier that 8am on the weekends to avoid the heat....at 3 miles, I took a 5 min break and drank my water, then again @ 6 miles....I really felt as thought I could do another 3 miles, so I started out again....by the time I reached 8.8 miles, it was after 9 and the humidity was bad, so as I rounded the corner on the last lap, I stopped to have some more water and take another breather....I decided to listen to my body and just call it a day....after all I do have a respiratory infection and I could really feel it today when I took a deep breath.....I feel good that I was able to get the 8.8 miles in and that gives me a great total for the week.....WooHoo!....

Day #13

Well, since yesterday was a flop I was eager to get to the park and get some miles under my feet....I got up early to avoid the heat, but wanted to get some clothes on the line before I went, so I didn't get to the park until 8:30....It was very humid and I was surely hoping for a breeze, but that didn't happen....As I started walking, the first 3 miles were okay....I stopped and had a 5 min break and drank my first bottle of water....the 4th mile went okay too, but man I was sweating....the 5th mile, still okay, but the 6th mile, I didn't think I was going to finish....my shirt, pants and everything underneath those were soaking wet.....just out of the washer wet......I stopped after the 6th and had another bottle of water and to relax a bit before I went home.....I really wanted to get another lap in, but just couldn't bring myself to do it...I will have to try again tomorrow...maybe with an earlier start it won't be so hot....

Day #12 Week 23

Well, today started out with good intentions.....but my ear started to ache and as the day progressed, it got worse, so I decided to stop by the clinic and just get checked because I knew I had a big walking weekend and I surely don't need to be sick...I have an upper respiratory infection, thank goodness I went early....with my asthma, if I would have waited it could have gotten really bad....so, after a shot in the rump and some antibiotics, I went home instead of walking.....

Day #11

Cardio & weight training class last night.....great class, 438 calories burned...WooHoo! Today is a scheduled rest day, but I thought I would do some walking after work, so tune in later to see how many miles were scored!

Day #10 of training

Spin Class.......do I need to say more......I should have said speed class.....LOL.....again, we had a substitute teacher and lots of sprints, jumps, and of course those hills as she says, but I like to call them mountains, because as you know here in LA (lower Alabama) we don't have any hills or mountains and to me it feels like a mountain.....what is it with these substitute teachers, it is like they are punishing us because they had to substitute....Ha Ha....I know they are not punishing us, it is good to have a substitute....you get so used to the way one person teaches that when they are out, you really feel a difference in your body as to how the class was different....don't get me wrong, I love the teacher we had last night but, it was out of my comfort zone and that is what I need...these 60 miles aren't gonna be in my comfort zone either, so that was getting me ready.....As you go along with your day today, remember Clinton Shaffer and his girls and little Audrin King as she is in the middle of a very aggressive chemo treatment this week....God bless!

Pain in the rear

Talk about a Body Blast class....OH MY!....Renee was out so we had a substitute, Brandice, and she loves squats, leg lifts, and butt lifts, so needless to say I have a pain in the rear today.....LOL!....bathroom breaks today are gonna be in the handicap stall holding on tight to the bars because my legs are killing me!....pain means you worked hard, right?...well then, I rreeaallyy worked hard.....LOL!....Hope today is wonderful for all of you!

Graduation

Last night was graduation, so I was not able to get to the gym due to time constrictions....tonight is another one of Renee's classes, so heaven help me....class should be 30 min cardio with 30 min of weight training then the dreaded ab workout...UUUGH!...and it usually is a killer.....Today, the sun is shinning and it is already 80 degrees out there with our normal sauna-like weather, so everyone just sit back relax and enjoy today....more tomorrow!

First week completed

Well, Sunday ended my first week of training and I must say it was not as hard as I expected....Friday was my rest day...Early Saturday am, I attended my normal 1 hr spin class and decided to do my walk instead of the second spin class I usually do....the 1st spin class was tough, we worked on sprints and I HATE sprints, but it did make my walk more enjoyable....I decided to just go to the park in town instead of fighting traffic from the music festival and go to the beach....one trip around the park is one mile, so I was trying to keep track of how many times I had been around, but with a thousand things running through my mind, it was difficult.....I know I walked around 6 times, but I could have walked 7 times......LOL.....anyway, I walked 6 miles for sure!!!!!! The very much needed rain came in on Sunday and did not stop until late afternoon....I was able to get out in the neighborhood after 5 and do another 6 miles and this time I have a track laid out, so I know exactly how far I had gone, no counting laps, I was never good at that anyway.....Now, I have week #24 down and only 23 left to go.........WooHoo!

Day #4 of Week #24

Well, I had planned to attend my normal aerobic class yesterday for my cross training, but....my grandmother came to visit my parents and was scheduled to leave Saturday and their plans changed, so I went to visit with her last night instead of going to the gym.....I have come to realize that time here on earth is short....so, time spent visiting with family takes precedence over just about anything else in my life right now....I had a good visit with her, she will be heading back to Clanton this morning....as today goes by I cannot stop thinking about Clinton Shaffer and his girls as they put Robyn (mother & wife) to rest today...it just doesn't seem fair that she was considered a breast cancer survivor and then the cancer returned with a vengeance to claim her life in just a few short months....it makes my heart break knowing 2 little girls will grow up without their mother and their father will always be wondering if his little girls will be faced with the same cruel cancer his wife fought so hard......please continue to keep their family in your prayers.....Please, if you can or haven't already, donate to my walk to find a cure!

Day #3 for week #24

Cross training was on my agenda yesterday, so I took my normal 1 HR spinning class.. Man, being on vacation last week has really made this week diffucult...LOL...I thought that class would never end...at one point, I closed my eyes to try and vision the road ahead, a cool breeze at my back (just the fan, Ha Ha)with the sound of waves crashing in the distance....then "add some resistance, we are headed uphill with a headwind"....what in the world!...I was here for a nice relaxing ride..I didn't see a hill and the wind was at MY BACK....LOL.....AND to top it off, I just now started to feel the effects of the Body Blast class from Tuesday night, OUCH!...it is hard to straighten out my arms and I feel like I have been hit by a bus....Never in my life was I so glad to see my big fat tub.....finally I could sit and relax.. After a long soak and some stretching, I have to say I felt better.......Tonight, I have another one of Renee's classes, "Cardio Blast/Burn" and it always proves to be a tough one too.....more on that tomorrow..... Have a great day and remember to continue to pray for Clinton and the girls, Robyn will be laid to rest tomorrow.....

Day #2 of week #24 Training

Last night's Bodyblast was rough as usual.......I hate to sound like she is killin me, but sometimes I really think I will not finish the class....All kidding aside, it is a great class and I feel so good afterwards.....When I got home from the gym @ 6:50, my soon to be husband (YEP!..for those of you who did't know, he proposed last week while we were in DC on vacation...) had grilled some pork chops, made some potatoes and had everything ready to eat, so you guessed it....I didn't walk my 3 miles yesterday...BUT, I did get up this am and walk, now I am back on track.....our training schedule gives a total miles per week that you are expected to walk, so I suppose, you can be flexible with the days.....as long as the total miles I am walking matches the schedule, at least that is the way I am looking at it..LOL

Time is ticking on...excitement is building...just like waiting on Christmas!!!!!!!

For the Training.......

Monday, 5/10 started our 24 week training period for our walk scheduled in October...the schedule calls for Mondays to be a rest day, but I have changed my schedule to reflect Fridays as my rest day....I started at the YMCA in January and have tried to go 6 days a week....so far, so good, only a few days missed out of the 6 I have been shooting for....several weekends I have gone to park in Orange Beach to walk along their trail and I have walked 5.5 miles in an hour and a half with no problems....actually a great walk, so I think I am ready to start my official training.....I have my really good friend from high school joining me along with a really sweet girl I met in my spin class at the gym....we all have very strong ties to breast cancer and wish we could do more that walk, but walking is a step....I am really happy to be sharing this experience with the both of them....for today, I am planning on doing my 3 mile walk after I get home from the gym today....today @ the gym I have a class called "Body Blast"...and boy does our instructor really put a hurting on us, but it has been great taking Renee's class......Thanks Renee for the pain!...it is paying off......

Please continue to pray for Robyn Shaffer's husband and her girls....she lost her battle this morning and her family really needs to feel the Lord's hand on their shoulder and they go through these times.....

First attempt to blog..........

Ok, so I have my page set up, not really sure if I like it or not, but it will do for now...after seeing several commercials about Susan G. Komen, I decided to do some research on the internet about these commercials...I found their site and sent for information...my packet came and it had a DVD....after several kleenex and 10 min of DVD, I decided to register for this walk in hopes that my help would be what they needed to help find a cure.....I had lost a cousin in the past year to breast cancer and it is just unfair....after sending in my registeration form, my mother called and the mammogram she had done the week prior had shown something and she was going for further imaging...needless to say we were all scared since she had already had a kidney removed after we returned from evacuating from Ivan....as we feared, the object was not a normal shape and she chose to have it removed instead of the biopsy route, so after removal, the pathology reports stated it was, RENAL SARCOMA, Kidney cancer, same as they removed in her Kidney 5 years ago.....This type of cancer has never been removed/discovered in breast tissue before, so we knew we were charting in new territories....she saw an oncologist @ USA and had scans done and they were able to get all that was in the breast, but she has another spot @ the top of her lung and nogles through out both....she has started a clinical trial for RENAL SARCOMA, since this cancer is not curable, they will attempt to slow the the growth and possibly see some shrinkage in the 3cm spot in her lung....So far, she is doing fairly well....she is about 1/2 way through the first round and the only bad side effect so far is a rash......she does get a little tired, but nothing that really puts her down and keeps her from her activities...we are very blessed at this point, prayers are being felt! Thanks to all for the prayers!