Guest Post: Fear, Mesothelioma and Coping

“You have cancer…”

These three words will create fear in the strongest person. Unfortunately for me, I heard these words at a time in my life when I thought things should have been at their best. Before I got the news, I had a baby three and one-half months prior. During the happiest time of my life, I had been diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma cancer, which was a result of asbestos exposure.
After my diagnosis, I was most often asked, “Isn’t asbestos banned?” or “Where were you exposed?” The answer to the first question was, “No. Asbestos was not banned.”  The second question is, “I was exposed through my father’s clothing.” After work, asbestos was found on his clothes, in his car and on his jacket. He was exposed through sanding, drywall taping and mudding.
Being diagnosed with mesothelioma at the age of 36 is rare. Most mesothelioma patients are older and male. These people often work in trades such as plumbing, HVAC repair, automotive and the military.

Women were also affected by mesothelioma. They were exposed when they did their husbands’ laundry. The shook the dust from the clothes and were exposed when they shook the dust from the clothes. Women were also exposed as secretaries working in schools.
Young people in the next generation were affected by mesothelioma. I felt that I was the beginning of an alarming trend of young people being diagnosed with mesothelioma. The question is, “How were so many young people exposed?"
Children were exposed when they would hug their fathers. They were also exposed when they put on their fathers’ dusty jackets to prevent their jackets from getting dirty while feeding the rabbits. Children were even exposed just by hanging out with their dads after they had a long day installing insulation around pipes.
I have gotten involved in the mesothelioma community, and I am getting to know many young patients in their late twenties and early thirties. These newly diagnosed young men and women had just started their lives with new babies, marriages and new jobs. They had to put their normal lives on hold and concentrate on mesothelioma.
When you hear that you have cancer, the news is devastating. I continued to remain hopeful as many people do. I gathered with my community to share experiences, that are supportive and to cry when things are not working. Mesothelioma support groups also celebrate victories together.

Why do I continue to share my story and encourage others? I want to create awareness within the community. Without awareness, change will not occur. By sharing my story with someone who is recently diagnosed with mesothelioma or someone who is fearful because of the mesothelioma diagnosis, I feel like I am doing what is right for the community. 

Heather Von St James is a mesothelioma survivor and a guest blogger for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. Her story is one of hope and inspiration and she hopes to spread her message to anyone who may be going through similar situations to her own. Check out Heather’s story on the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.

#Happy1stBdayBaby: Thirty-One Giveaway

The Happy First Birthday, Baby! giveaway event is finally here!  The first giveaway is from Thirty-One consultant, Allicia Faber.  If you are not familiar with Thirty-One, get familiar!  Their products are must haves for anyone who loves organization (or cute purses).  Here is a little about Thirty-One:

Thirty-One is more than just a company. We are people who believe in celebrating, encouraging and rewarding others for who they are. Through God’s strength, we’ve built a family of individuals who feel women deserve to treat themselves and those around them to something special. Our commitment is to provide women with a fulfilling, enjoyable and rewarding experience one person at a time.

Thirty-One is sold exclusively through consultants, which I love.  Buying from individual women who are passionate about their products means that your experience is personalized and you get the best customer service.  Consultant Allicia is a fellow Catholic mom who has a little one close to Lucia's age...and, get this, her daughter's name is Lucy!  If we lived nearby I know our little girls would be best friends!  Here's a little more about her:

Allicia Faber is a writer, crafter, and social media lover who met her husband through Catholic Radio. A new mom to Lucy, she sometimes has time to blog at www.CatholicLovebirds.com and bring organization and style to others through the great products at www.mythirtyone.com/alliciafaber

Now, what exactly is up for grabs?  Allicia has offered to giveaway a great package for moms of little ones (or for anyone really):

1 Zipper Pouch in Red Parisian Pop  

perfect for diapers and wipes

1 Organizing Utility Tote in Black Happy Dot 

Allicia uses this as a diaper bag: it has 5 pockets perfect for bottles or sippy cups (yes, the pockets are big enough for a sippy!) as well as two side mesh pockets. The arm straps are long enough to fit over a shoulder, a must have for a busy mom on the go.  The Black Happy Dot pattern is perfect for mom or dad .

If you're not a mom (or the mom of older kids), don't worry!  This is still the perfect bag for you!  I use this as my "teacher bag" to tote to and from school or could be used for sports gear, craft supplies, the ideas are endless. 

Red Scarf

Allicia's also included a red scarf in the set for a little extra glam, it can be tied to the bag or used to accent mom's wardrobe. (Make sure dad takes off the scarf before he heads out!)

Allicia is also offering a second prize: 25% off an entire order.

Enter below on the Rafflecopter.  Contest runs Nov. 5-Nov. 12.  Good luck!

Don't forget to check out the other giveaways in my Happy 1st Birthday, Baby! Event.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What I Wore Sunday: What I Didn't Wear

Sweater: Dress Barn | Dress: Kohl's (Elle)
Necklace: grandmother's | Boots: Big Buddha

I just bought this dress yesterday.  Do you always have to wear something new right after you buy it?  I do!  This beauty was only $6 at Kohl's.  I was shopping for work pants for David, but ended up with two dresses instead.  I love the other one I bought even more than this one, but it wasn't breastfeeding friendly, whereas this was low-cut enough that I could nurse in, so this one won out for Mass.  I'll wear the other to work tomorrow.

I was proud that I thought to accessorize today and actually threw on a necklace.  I got this from my grandmother's jewelry box after she passed away.  I'm not sure where it's from, but if I had to guess, it would be QVC.  Grandma loved to shop from home.

This is only the third week of posting my Sunday outfits and already two pieces are making a second appearance.  I wore this cardigan last week and these boots two weeks ago (and several more times than that in between Sundays).

This week I want to talk about what I'm NOT wearing more than what I am.  Other than mascara, I'm not wearing makeup.  That's right, I didn't wear makeup to church today.  If you read my recent post about my post-baby body, you know how I've struggled with anything-but-clear skin since Lucia was born (eleven months ago yesterday).  My self-esteem has taken a huge hit in the meantime.  But my skin has been getting better, maybe because I'm a little less stressed, maybe because I've been taking fish oil supplements thanks to a suggestion from Stacy, or maybe because my hormones are starting to get "back to normal".  Even though my face is getting better though, it's still not clear.  I have many scars and marks.  I've had it on my heart recently to wear less makeup and since we were running a little late getting out of the house this morning, I took that as a sign.  I don't think God minded that I showed up bare-faced, and surprisingly, I was pretty at peace with how I looked during Mass.  Before you call me brave, though, I'll admit that there was no way that I would have put up a close up picture of myself without makeup.  Maybe I'll get to that point at sometime, but I'm not there yet.

I'm linking up to Fine Linen and Purple's What I Wore Sunday linkup.  Check it out for more church attire inspiration.

Lucia's First Halloween

We had an amazing October this year!  It was Lucia's first Halloween and we were able to squeeze in all the traditional fall activities we wanted to do.

First was a corn maze and pumpkin patch:

It even had a petting zoo.  To Lulu, all the animals are "dog"!

Grumpy girl even got to pick a pumpkin:

And she wasn't grumpy anymore:

She watched Daddy carve a pumpkin:

 Then painted one of her own:

That princess does not like being dirty:

On Halloween, she got up bright and early 

for her first day at the babysitters with her new friends:

Then Daddy picked her up to come to Mama's school 

and join in the Halloween parade.

When she got home there was a special Halloween surprise

in her treat bag from Nana and Papa:

A glow worm that we've named Zoey Glowy 

and who has quickly become Lulu's constant companion.

 And, of course, no Halloween is complete without a little trick-or-treating.

We went to the houses of four neighbors before Lucia decided it was boring.

So we kissed our little pumpkin goodnight and went to bed.

#Happy1stBdayBaby: Usborne Books & More Sponsor Spotlight

 

The one of the sponsors of the upcoming Happy 1st Birthday, Baby! giveaway event is from Jessica Compton, consultant for Usborne Books & More.  I have to admit that before Jessica contacted me about being part of this event, I had never heard of Usborne.  But after taking just a little time to check out her website, I'm hooked!  As the mom of a little one, I was thrilled to see so many great educational books for all age!  I also found several Spanish books that I would love to have in my Spanish classroom, and let me tell you, finding high-quality Spanish books is difficult!  With the holidays coming up, you would be able to find gifts for children of all ages and interests in one place.  Here is a little more about Jessica and Usborne in her own words:

I am Jessica Compton, and I am a stay-at-home mom of 2 boys - Stephen turns 2 in November and Paul is 5 months old. We live in Littleton, CO. I recently became an Educational Consultant with Usborne Books & More. Usborne and Kane Miller books are the most exciting, engaging, and educational books on the market today. They are high quality, innovative, lavishly-illustrated and, best of all, they are the books kids love to read. You can choose from almost 2000 bright, colorful, and fun titles covering a wide variety of subjects.

I love to show kids how much fun reading can be, and I would love to help you do the same for the children in your life. This can be done in many ways. The easiest way is to shop for books on my website (t3510.myubam.com). If you live in my area, you can host a home show which would allow you to get free books! I can also do book fairs in preschools, daycares, and schools that help them earn cash and books. If you're not in my area, I can help you find a consultant near you. Finally, if you want to build your own home library and help other children as well, you can join my team and become a consultant. I love being able to stay at home with my boys, provide for our family, and have fun all at the same time!

Jessica gave me the opportunity to receive the book of my choice for my sweet pea.  After spending nearly an hour going through all the baby and toddler books Usborne had to offer, I decided to choose a Spanish language book since, as I mentioned before, it's difficult to find great children's books in Spanish.  Most of the Spanish books I have for Lucia are either bilingual or translations of popular English children's books, which makes the unique titles offered by Usborne all the more exciting. 

The title I chose is La cama grande de Sofia by Tina Burke.  It arrived in the mail today and Lucia and I have already read through it several times.  It is an absolutely charming story about a little girl transitioning from her crib to a big girl bed.  Her doll and stuffed animals are scared about the big new bed, but finally Sofia quells their fears and they fall asleep.  I can't wait to use this with Lucia when she's ready to transition into her toddler bed.  

In addition to the story, I also love the quality of the book.  It is not a board book, but the pages are more sturdy than the average paper pages and is made specifically for toddlers.  Lucia can be rough on books so I was surprised that she was playing with it this evening and there is no noticeable wear and tear!  While she's still a baby, I will have to keep an eye on her with it so she doesn't destroy it, but this is the first non-board book that I have felt comfortable with her holding and looking at on her own.  I can't wait to fill Lucia's toddler library with more Usborne books!

 As part of the Happy 1st Birthday, Baby! giveaway event,
 Jessica is offering $25 for the Usborne books of your choice!
Giveaway will be live November 8-15.
Enter the giveaway here. 

I received La cama grande de Sofia in order to facilitate this review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  Opinions are 100% mine.  See Disclosure Policy.