Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Laundry Detergent Story

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008 12:03 PM

Here is all the Laundry detergent we now own.


I went and checked out Gilda’s Club here in Michigan. (cancer support group) They have a group called “I’m too young for Breast Cancer” I went to my first meeting today. The name is a little misleading to say the least. I of course expected to be the youngest in the group, but I felt pretty out of place. I did enjoy my time in the group, but I do believe there are younger women out there that I can relate to better. Maybe I can draw some of them into the group.
I’m getting really good at summing up my long cancer story for new people I meet. Here we go….. moving to Austin, my diagnosis at 25 and my treatment, then trying to get back to a normal 26 year old’s life, to getting rediagnosed 1 month before my wedding, getting treatment 1 week before my wedding and getting 3 hours of sleep the night of my wedding so I could wake up early and go to UofM to get my second chemo treatment, to loosing my hair on my honeymoon, 7 months of chemo on Taxol and moving to Michigan to be around our family. Whew, and I got all that in one sentence. I think it’s a pretty good story and it can be too long if I get into details, but I think that is a good way to sum up the whole experience. I think I had everyone in the group captivated and entertained. I also told them my laundry detergent story which I haven’t told all of you. So here it goes…….

My Laundry Detergent Story:
When we moved into the new house I had to get new laundry soap, so I got one of the big Seventh Generation containers from Whole Foods. I was happy because they usually only have the small containers where you do not get much for your money. Then, a few weeks after that, Kevin and I were at Costco and they had that Eco’s stuff that is all natural. It was a huge container (Costco size) for a great price so of course I had to get it. Then, when I was buying practically every type of water and air filter that Rain Soft had to offer, the sales guy told me he could also include a years supply of all natural and environmentally friendly cleaning products including a years supply of laundry detergent.
So here I am with more laundry detergent than I know what to do with. I’m doing a load of laundry and I’m sitting there thinking of all the laundry detergent I have now and how I hope I live long enough to see the end of it. I’m thinking of the last drop and me still being alive and celebrating it. Who thinks that? Is that a healthy thought? I don’t know, but I’m sitting here writing this right now and I still hope I get to see the last drop of the laundry detergent. I always use a little more than I need to every time I do a load. Doesn’t matter if I’m washing 16 pairs of jeans or one pair of underwear, all loads get a full cup of detergent. I guess you have to start with small goals. So maybe the women in the group think I have issues maybe not. I’m extremely mentally sound. I think I handle all of this very well. I should have never had my doctor tell me that the average person with my prognosis has 1-2 years to live. Stupid statistics. What do they mean? I am one person and no one can tell me how long I have to live. The one thing I can control is how I live and I will do that to its fullest as I am still in my pajamas at noon writing in my journal. lol. How is that for living to the fullest?

Gilda’s club has a lot to offer me in terms of living a fuller life. They have yoga, origami, colored pencil drawing, beading, photography and guitar classes. So, I am going to start with origami classes next Saturday. I’ll take a picture of whatever I make and show all of you. They also have speakers come in a discuss topics like nutrition and disability (this might be one I can really benefit from).

So don’t worry about me and this whole laundry detergent story. I’m not counting down my days. I am just excited to have the two years pass so I can put it behind me. I feel very confident that it is possible. I’m sure you are all thinking that I need to go to a therapist. Yeah, maybe. One day I’ll find one and talk it out. For now, I have a new group and so far I think it will be helpful. And I have all of you who seem to read all this crazy stuff that goes through my head without judging. It’s a good outlet.

Enough cancer stuff for now. Maybe my next entry will have nothing to do with cancer. That would be an interesting goal.
The second annual Graphic event (Art Bra show) is coming up Saturday, April 26 at The Design Center at Penn Field in Austin Texas. Penn Field is off of South Congress. The Breast Cancer Resource Center and the Pink Ribbon Cowgirls host this event. I was so proud to be a part of the first one and it was a huge success. This is the event where the art bra calendar came from. We have artists, survivors, friends and family of survivors…well anyone create and donate art bras. Then, we pick some bras and models to pose for the calendar. We also pick bras to be live modeled at the actual art bra event. All the bras made will be for auction at the event with all the proceeds benefiting the Breast Cancer Resource Center or Austin, which is a non profit organization. The Breast Cancer Resource Center was my biggest source of support while dealing with breast cancer (besides all my wonderful friends and coworkers in Austin). The actual Graphic event is pretty much a big art show with an emphasis on art bras. I plan on being in the fashion show and the calendar this year. I’m about halfway done making my art bra. Anyone who is in Austin, I recommend you go and check it out. I’ll let everyone know the website for the event when I get it.

Hey, don’t be afraid to write to me in the guestbook. I know everyone is looking at the website, but barely anyone writes anymore. I have 6,456 visits on my site, so I know a lot of people go on there to check on me which I appreciate so much. I just really like hearing from everyone and seeing that they were on there. Hope that doesn’t sound like begging or demanding. WRITE IN MY GUESTBOOK PEOPLE!! Ha ha Now I’m yelling at you. Just kidding. But really.
Enough being a big dork. I need to do something productive. Have a great weekend everyone. Remember to do something really fun. Do a big load of laundry for me.

Love Shannon

I used to let Kevin proofread my entries before posting them, but I have stopped lately. Is it really noticeable??

1 comment:

  1. Shannon...Your blog has pretty much consumed me for the past week! You are awesome! You have already made a difference in my life....I have switched from Spenda to Stevia and just got back from Kroger w/some organic coconut oil! Baby steps......but at least I'm going in the right direction. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

    ReplyDelete

darker pink dots