Turkey-less Thanksgiving Week

Since my last post I’ve been grateful to travel to both Florida for my granddaughter’s 1st birthday

and to Northern Illinois to see my family and friends for Thanksgiving! 

When I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in April 2022, I had 3 goals (thanks to the encouragement of my dear friend Brenda Z) and that was to experience my granddaughter’s birth, celebrate my 10 year anniversary to my husband and ride my mountain bike again! Considering the seriousness of the metastasis into my lungs, we all knew that only a miracle would allow that to happen. I was on oxygen and very weak in 2022!

But I was still grateful for every moment God gave me, for however many more days or hours. 

And here I am 19 months later…now celebrating my granddaughter’s 1st birthday,

 coming up on 11 years of marriage

2012

2023
and getting ready to live my life in our WonderVan full time with our Northstar canoe and mountain bikes strapped on for the next adventure!! 

Both John and I flew into Florida’s sunny weather for the party where we thoroughly enjoyed the time with our loved ones and were grateful for the sunshine and 75-80 degrees. What an answer to so many prayers to love and be loved by these treasures! 

Then back in Ohio for one day and we got to sup with some friends and found an excuse for John to wear his new authentic Lochcarron Weavers Scottish kilt! For those of you with curious minds who are wondering, yes, he wears it properly. 😘

Then on to the chilly north where we visited lots of our favorites. We started a new tradition by dressing in black on Black Friday and dining at Rockford’s new fine dining restaurant that provided for us the best dining experience John and I have ever tasted in our lives at my niece’s beau’s restaurant called SALT. 

I also experienced Thanksgiving in a whole new way…Vegan/Whole Food Plant Based. Thanks to everyone for supporting me but especially my mama

who bought lots of organic veggies, my niece Theresa who offered to make me her vegan ratatouille and my sister Melissa who is on the same eating healthy journey as me

and my precious friend Wendy who generously

blessed me with freshly picked garden greens including her delicate and delicious mache… it was an easy and enjoyable, guiltless, life giving weekend of culinary foods and juices! 

Even though I made 3 batches of fudge with my Aunt Ro,

I was very disciplined and had none of the delicious Salted Caramel liquor nor any pieces of the chocolate peppermint, chocolate salted caramel or chocolate peanut butter fudge! Not an easy decision considering how scrumptious this iced holiday beverage is!! 

As for my why? The reasons have been a long time coming. I’ve made many health changes since being diagnosed with breast cancer over the past 6 years. But I have wavered back and forth between healthy food choices and not so healthy ones. However after my last echocardiogram,

I received a call from my oncologist and was informed that my heart is starting to show signs of damage from the medication I am getting in my infusion, particularly the Traztuzumab (Herceptin). While it can be life saving from cancer, it can cause heart damage too. Gratefully, there’s a medication that can help reverse the damage. So although I’m getting yet another infusion tomorrow, I’ll meet my new doctor who is a specialist in this area. Dr Adam Potter will be my oncology cardiologist starting December 6. So that’s what tipped me over the edge of radically changing my eating habits. I think many of us struggle to make changes in our eating lifestyle unless or until we are faced with a diagnosis that scares the bejeebers out of us! Thankfully there are a few others in my life who chose to eat radically and make it easier on me to choose well. Lys H, Wendy T, and Kelly I. for you I am grateful. When I listened to this radiation oncologist share her explanation of eating Whole Food Plant Based, that’s when I switched in my mind. It was a moment of intentional decision making. I simply decided and informed those in my inner circle and asked them to support me. Gratefully everyone is understanding. Does it mean that I’ll never ever EVER touch animal products, like cheese, eggs or meat again? Does it mean I’ll never take a sip of an alcoholic beverage again? Does it mean I’ll never savor a delicious sweet sugary dessert again? No, it doesn’t. But it will be far and few between and not my norm. My body will thank me and my loved ones will thank me as it will make me live longer and healthier than ever with this crazy diagnosis! 

As for my Gratitude Bell, I know many of my friends and family have purchased one from Bevin Bells and hung theirs in a special place to ring it. What an honor!!! This one is very special to me. My hygienist friend Karen D bought and hung this. Her beloved husband went home to Jesus about one year ago after fiercely battling cancer!! 

In a couple weeks I have my first Gratitude Gathering Event put on by my former sister-in-law Debbie where I’ll get to support her Artisan Christmas Gathering and art show. It is still my dream to see these in every cancer treatment center for those of us with stage 4 so if anyone wants to help me promote this cause please buy one for your local cancer treatment center and ask them to hang it next to their Victory Bell. Share this with them and hopefully tomorrow I’ll get to ring MY Gratitude Bell at The Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Cancer Treatment Center when I get my next infusion. If that happens, I’ll post another blog very soon sharing it!!

So a blessed and grateful day to everyone reading this. 

PS I have never heard from Brandon Lake who wrote and sings my favorite song, Gratitude. I mailed him a Gratitude Bell a few weeks ago but I have no idea if he received it. 

The FIRST Gratitude Bell Delivered to a Cancer Treatment Center

Praising God for my own infusion center in Columbus, OH at the Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center which is part of The James where I was given permission to share my Gratitude Bell! Morgan, the Infusion Center manager was happy to receive it and soon (hopefully next week) it will be hung and my poem & QR code will be framed next to it for other patients to ring in a song of gratitude of their own!!

It’s my sincerest desire that this will begin a movement that will spread and every cancer treatment center will get their own Gratitude Bell! It can be ordered here! I hope they inform their terminal patients about it! I hope that the Gratitude Bell chimes so much in the centers that it never stops ringing! I hope Brandon Lake’s song, Gratitude, will be played in everyone’s ear so their hearts can be filled with such a beautiful melody that causes even atheists to worship Yahweh!!! That’s my hope. That’s my prayer. That’s my legacy. 

Yesterday my former sister in law shared that she bought one to put up in her hallway so people coming in her house can ring it and share about something they’re grateful for!! Brilliant idea, Debbie Kay! Once she gets it, I hope she will write a little story and I’ll share it on my new blog specifically for that called: gratitudebells.blogspot.com

Or I can be reached at triciasgratitudebell@gmail.com

Today, I also got to meet my new oncologist, Dr Kai Johnson.  He was very informative, knowledgeable and took all the time we needed to review my case, discuss my past/current treatments, consider my concerns and ask about my symptoms. He and I agreed to start Gabapentin for my neuropathy, hot flashes and help with sleep. He also suggested internal use of DHEA to help with health of my skin. Menopause and lack of estrogen does a number on ladies as we age and since other alternative treatments haven’t helped and he doesn’t want to start with topical estrogen first, he suggested this. Unfortunately, I forgot to get his photo this time so maybe next time. The infusion part went well. And I’m grateful that the nurses are so kind at this center! I always am amazed at how emotionally difficult this job can be with treating so many folks with cancer. There was a very young woman in the room adjacent to mine who was nauseous and vomiting and had an ice cap on (probably in hopes that she won’t lose her hair?). She appeared very ill as did so many others. I’m reminded how grateful I am to be feeling so well!

 

I did ask Dr Johnson about my prognosis. Although my specific cancer type at stage 4 has a 3-5 year prognosis for life expectancy, he said it really depends on how well my body responds to the initial treatment and he is encouraged that mine has responded so well. He also explained that once the medications I’m currently on stop working that there are several others we can try; but the longer this one works at keeping the cancer at bay, the better. Again…I’m so grateful!

IT’S FINALLY HERE! 🔔

🙌 For several months I’ve been mentioning that something big was in the works for me! Well, THIS is the official blog announcement that I have my very own, God-Inspired, Tricia-designed, Gratitude Bell!!! For the FULL story please feel free to click here and read the first entry on my newest blog. I created this blog in hopes that people who buy or get to ring one of my Gratitude Bells will share their own stories with me and I will post them there so others can read about everyone’s gratitude! 

I just knew something needed to be done because walking past the Victory Bell every three weeks always stung a bit. But NOW that I have my own Gratitude Bell, I’ll be sharing about it as often as possible. They can now be purchased at Bevin Bells. It’s my hope that if someone buys one for themselves, they’ll consider getting one for their local oncology infusion centers too! Most people, including myself, never thought about how it must feel for those terminal cancer patients who will have treatment for the rest of their lives and can’t ring the Victory Bell because their treatments never cease. Now we can! The Gratitude Bell is there for us to ring whenever we want to! 

I did personally order a few of them as gifts for some unique situations and people that made a huge impact on me during the past 1.5 years. So far I’ve been able to distribute the first one to our pastor, Roger, who is battling blood cancer! He’s always saying how grateful he is and we wanted to bless him with the very first one! John and I have a very special place in our heart for this man who serves, gives, and loves deeply. We are very grateful for him and excited to see how God is using his story to reach so many for Jesus!! 

I will post about the others as they are received or hung. One will be hung on my favorite local mountain bike trail where the inspiration came to me back in April ‘23 at my one year re-diagnosis cancer-versary. On the next bike ride, I’m sure my hubby will hang it securely on a tree along the trail!

This Friday I’ll be handing one to the manager at the Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center Center during my next infusion. I am so grateful they agreed to hang it!!! That way I will be able to ring it EVERY time I walk past it!! And today I shipped out 2 others to some very special people on my gratitude journey, one being Brandon Lake who wrote the Gratitude song. 

I received a check this week from friends in the Special Olympics community who gifted me with money to buy a Gratitude Bell.  I’m thinking about the best place to put another one but I love it that there will be one more Bell to ring! 

To update folks in general… I’m still feeling miraculously wonderful! Praise God!! Yes, I occasionally get those Charlie horses and now take Imodium preventatively every 2-3 days. Yes, my skin breaks out in a rash or is very thin and fragile in places from the medications and lack of estrogen, but I can manage that and am grateful to be alive and feel so well. Yes, I get tired throughout the day and often need a nap or go to bed early. But, who doesn’t love a good mid-day nap? Yes, I have minor neuropathy in my feet and finger tips but it’s minor.  Yes, my back can get sore, but whose doesn’t?   Other than that, I’m feeling perfect! Thank You, God!!

Lately, John and I have sat around the Solo Stove out in our woods at night. It’s so peaceful. We can’t wait until our WonderVan life will be this every night!

Speaking of WonderVan, it’s coming along! Tonight the subwall layers inside the van were completed! Van life will begin soon!

I have very much enjoyed a book called Imagine Heaven by John Burke and last weekend my sister and her beau visited us where we met up with friends and went to see a great show called After Death. To anyone who knows the impact Dr Mary Neal’s story had on me, this is that plus several more miraculous stories about folks who have had NDE’s. Life after life is going to be amazing! 

This Friday I met my new oncologist, Dr Kai Johnson. I’ve heard he’s great! I’m trusting he is. Until then, adieu!

WonderVan build and pickle juice

Since returning from Scotland, it seems our lives here in Ohio are full on in “building the WonderVan” mode. That means a typical day starts with John and me reading Scripture in the mornings followed by a cup of tea and breakfast. I’ll pack food for the day and we head to John’s rather sparsely equipped shop (since selling most of his equipment for his retirement, the shop has had a radical shift in appearance!) and we do whatever is next. The last couple of weeks we installed all the insulation and have started on the sub wall installation.

Thankfully John’s incredible skills as a curved stair builder is paying off because the interior of the van walls are not straight, but actually curved. He knows all the tricks and I stand in awe of the gift he has. 

Also this week I got to start choosing the wood pieces for what will be our flooring. That was super enjoyable as it’s like creating a piece of art! We won’t install that for a while yet but I got to select and arrange them at least. 

On a much sadder note, this week we went to a funeral of a 36 year old woman/mother/wife of dear friends of ours. Lauren was diagnosed with cancer about a year after I was initially diagnosed in 2016! This week she went home to be with Jesus. While everyone is so grateful she had such a positive outlook on life, and was a follower of Jesus, it about broke my heart to see my friend at her daughter’s funeral. That’s not how we ever want to experience life. No parents should have to bury their child! Yet it happens and it’s deeply heart breaking to watch that level of grief for one’s child. There’s a part of me that’s so thankful I read that book called Imagine Heaven by John Burke because it really has given me a stronger eternal perspective again that’s refreshing and necessary to remind myself of what’s coming! Maybe not this week or next but none of us know the time. I just want to be prepared! Having Jesus is my only hope in that reality. 

Lately I’ve been listening to a pastor who does videos where he fields questions on college campuses from students. They are a lesson in how to stand firmly on apologetics. The guys name is Cliff.  https://www.facebook.com/askcliffe?mibextid=LQQJ4d 

As for how I’m feeling, mostly amazingly great!! The skin on the back of my neck is incredibly itchy from the medication I get for my infusion. This round it seems to be more intense than usual, but it’s tolerable. Also, I find myself having to regularly take Imodium a few times a week, unfortunately. The biggest downside to all of that is with the side effect of my electrolytes being off and I continue to have Charlie horses that can jolt me out of a deep sleep. I think I’m going to go downstairs right now and chug some dill pickle juice in hopes that I won’t wake up with spasms tonight.

Mostly they’re in my legs and often, if it’s bad, they will be in my muscles around my left ribs as well. I have that sinking feeling it’s going to be a night of Charlie horses!! 

As for some follow up on my Gratitude Bell…The company is making the first 15 and we wanted to buy the first several. They were being shipped this week so I’m hoping they’ll arrive by Monday!! Once they’re available on the website I’ll promote it fully so everyone can get one!! 🔔 🔔 🔔! 

Grateful for My Regular Life

Since arriving back to the USA, life has carried on without any major interruptions from my normal for which I’m grateful. 

I have continued selling more of our household items on Facebook in preparation for our eventual move into the WonderVan. Many ask and, no, isn’t done yet, but John and I continue to prioritize working on it in between Mountain Biking, infusion days, my visits to Florida to see my granddaughter, closing down John’s business, a little Special Olympics floor hockey, doctor appointments, funerals, visits with friends and just life. Yes, it’s slow going, but I’m not concerned, nor frustrated. I realize just how much goes into the details and prep, drawings and design, and the frequent interruptions. Now I say that it’ll be done when it’s done. In the meantime we have no problem dining on a card table, often eating off paper plates, sitting in our living room on camp chairs, putting guests on the floor or on the one couch to sleep, and walk around packed plastic bins that are neatly labeled with the things we are keeping. Welcome to my living room!!😂

I have enjoyed listening to a book recommended by my friend, Deb S. that’s called Imagine Heaven by John Burke. This is one that I think has continued to positively shift my perspective of death and dying. The peace, acceptance, anticipation and gratitude it offers me is something I hope for everyone as each of us grapples with our own mortality and all too often, the demise of loved ones who go before us. It gives me confident hope!

Physically, I continue to praise God for how most excellently I’m feeling. I have energy with only a minimal need for midday naps. I have had yet another rash on my skin that, at first, I thought was poison ivy around a bug bite but now I’m beginning to believe it could be a side effect from the infusion medications. It presents very much like the rash I had in August. Thankfully it only itches slightly and I think it’s going away as I regularly apply a steroid cream. 

The sweetest gift I have enjoyed last week was time. Time with my son-in-law, daughter and my baby grand. I can’t thank God enough for the time I get to hold her and snuggle that sweet frame as she giggles and smiles and reaches out to be held!!

As for my Gratitude Bell that will be available very soon, I’ve spoken to the amazing Bevin Bells president and they’re in the process of photographing and marketing it for the website. I’ve informed her that we would like to be the first ones to buy a few so that my oncologist, my Stephanie Spielman cancer center, and my local mountain bike trail where I was first inspired to create it came to me can have them proudly hanging for many others to ring in more gratitude!! I would LOVE to send one to Brandon Lake who wrote and sang the song Gratitude that inspired me daily for the past 1.5 years but I have no contact info for him. That’s the problem with fame. Regular people become untouchable.

My friends, Liz and Jake have offered to make the first donation toward a bell for me too!! I’m so grateful. My plan as to how I’ll promote them hasn’t yet unfolded. I think until they’re actually available for sale, it’s going to be on pause. But I can visualize being asked to share my story with administrators and patients in different cancer treatment facilities as we ring in their Tricia’s Gratitude Bell. I can leave my readers with this teaser. As you may already know, I have started a new blog specifically for the Gratitude Bell where I hope others will share their story with me and I’ll get to post more reasons why people rang their Gratitude Bells. Here is what information will be inside every box when someone purchases one of the bells. My poem on a nice 5x7 card stock so people can easily frame it near their bell should they choose to and a little snippet of my story with contact info to my blogs!

A Day of Miracles

Bring 57 isn’t a bad number when it’s chock full of blessings and miracles!!

This will be short and sweet as I’m writing this after a full day of traveling and I’ve been awake for 17 hours and my body is screaming that it needs some sleep! 💤 

My sweet hubby drove me to the airport, leaving at 6:30 am for a 9:00 am flight which got canceled by 9:40. Then my daughter bought me the next best ticket for today, but it was to arrive in Ft Lauderdale by 8 pm and then I’d have to drive 3 more hours to Naples, FL!!! I was so grateful for Sarah finding a way to get me to Florida on my birthday!! But then…. This happened!

My son-in-law’s mother, Lorna, aka, the Birthday Fairy 🧚 gifted me with one of her passes on Delta! But this wasn’t just a flight for this afternoon, but a FIRST CLASS ticket which had me in Florida before dinner!!!!!

And then another divine thing happened…a woman I met in February on a flight that I became friends with “just happened to be on that same flight in first class and we got to sit next to each other. 

I then arrived in Naples and I was greeted by my daughter, son-in-law & granddaughter whom I haven’t seen in 2 months which for a baby is a long time!! She is my delight and being with them all tonight was truly a sweet and blessed birthday gift! 

God clearly was in all those details. 

Can’t keep eyes open….. good night and goodbye 56!

Thank you to all those who made today a dream!!❤️

Scotland

Where to begin? Since my last post I’ve only really done one thing…

I just returned from checking off the trip of a lifetime to the Highlands of Scotland for the past 3 weeks!! Our trip started and ended in Edinburgh and we put 1577 miles on a rented camper van.  

How grateful I am to have seen such lush natural beauty, met the most hospitable Scots that puts the word ‘welcoming’ on a whole new level, hiked to many cascading waterfalls, walked through ancient castle ruins and cathedrals that transported us in time as we learned about Scottish history, mountain biked trails that put to shame anything I’ve seen in the US, and tasted bizarre and unusual foods such as Cullen Skink, Scottish Tablet, haggis, black pudding, neeps & tatties, Iron Bru drink, sticky toffee pudding and langoustines… just to name a few. 

We wanted to see a mountainous area called Glencoe but the midges, or no-see-ums, were too bad to warrant going there at this time of the year. But we did spend 6 days on the Isle of Skye, and drove most of what’s called the NC500 or 500 miles of the Scottish North Coast. We went inland to the Cairngorm National Park region & all the hills and mountains were full of blooming heather so the hill sides were purple pink and green! Next we drove to the coasts where we saw lighthouses and quaint fishing villages that were postcard perfect.

We spent an entire day watching and listening to one of the Highland Games which is like a county fair but includes competitions of bagpipers, pipe and drum bands, Highland dancers, Caber tossing, relay racing, bike racing, long jump, strength competitions with Scottish hammer throwing, stone put, throwing a 16 lb weight over a bar, etc. And it all takes place at the same time in one big outdoor area. The Scottish Highland Games date back to 1314 AD!! 

John had his 59th birthday while we were in Scotland and he got in the North Sea that day. I encouraged him to buy a real Scottish kilt and new jacket while in Scotland. We were informed that the best weavers in the country are from Lochcarron weavers. Since we were driving through the village of Lochcarron, we stopped in and he was measured for a custom kilt. I may have purchased a few tartan patterned gifts for friends and family Christmas presents as well!!

We went to many off the beaten paths and drove on extremely narrow, pot holed, one lane roads with cows and sheep roaming freely all over the place in the country.

Our weather was mostly perfect. It only rained 3 of the 19 days, which is unusual for Scotland, so we are told. But if one is prepared for any weather, it is no issue. 

We were surprised at the copious number of German speaking tourists we encountered, but really we heard everything from Swiss to Italian and German to US/Canadian accents. 

Back home in the US now and working through only mild jet lag. 

This Friday I have another infusion. I’m so grateful that all my previous skin issues reported last time are totally healed up. 

I tried at least 8 sticky toffee puddings in 3 weeks. My favorite is when it’s served with warm custard, but vanilla ice cream is the more common way it’s served. 

Cathedral where Mary Queen of Scot’s worshipped and baptized her son who became King James. 

Stirling Castle

The mountains and rushing rivers were all over the place

This is what I call fireweed in the US. It is known as rosebay willowherb. It’s everywhere!! But notice the purple tint to the mountains in the background. 

Saw these magnificent creatures while driving on a back country road on the Isle of Skye in Sleat Peninsula. 

Waterfalls are everywhere in the Highlands. 

Woke up to these friendly cows walking around the parking lot right next to our van. They belonged to the local fisherman/farmer. 

Lakes in Scotland are referred to as lochs. They almost never had any boats on them so they are peaceful and clean. 

A local fisherman’s wife, Hermione, sells her husband’s catch of the day in a food truck in Elgol on the Isle of Skye. Shrimp, crab and langoustines. 

This is the ONLY Cullen Skink I loved in Scotland. Made in Killin at the Falls of Douchart Inn. 

Yet another sticky toffee pudding. 

The famous Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye is a long series of waterfalls that create pools and flow into another. Best to get there early before the throngs of tourist buses. 

Fairy pools

Cows and sheep roam all over Scotland. It’s way more agricultural than we realized. 

Lighthouse at Neist Point, Isle of Skye

Near Uig on the Isle of Skye is Fairy Glen that looks like something I imagine is in Lord of the Rings or where gnomes live. 

Portree, Isle of Skye. We didn’t spend much time here but this is the iconic photo of the town. 

These are on the Isle of Skye too. The Old Man of Storr. Hiking it was steep and windy with rain much of the way. Well worth it!

Shopping for the new kilt!

A wild red deer buck grazing in someone’s front yard near Applecross. 

Driving along the NC500

We parked along the side of the road one night and saw this view. One of the most beautiful landscapes. 

A typical little harbor town. 

Deserted castle ruins are littered all across Scotland 

Shocked to see the amount of farming all over. 

Quaint little town of Tain on the east coast. 

Tarbat Ness lighthouse. 

The iconic Highland cow, but one must pronounce it as He-lin coo. 

The most picturesque mountain bike trail. Literally it was slightly slipped so one could coast for miles going down without using brakes! 

Pitlochry Highlands Games

Saying good morning as we woke up off a country road outside Pitlochry. 

Dinner nightly in pubs where the best food is served. 

Our favorite cafe is in Pitlochry called Cafe Calluna. 

Here’s the owner, Tracy, who made the best scone I had in Scotland and gifted my hubby with a free baggie of home made shortbread cookies. 

Pitlochry had the most gorgeous hanging baskets all throughout the village. 

Falls of Bruar are not to be missed. The stone bridges were hundreds of years old. 

Dunnotar Castle

Sunrise at Dunnotar 

Churches never cease to amaze me with their architectural talent and history. 

Aberdeenshire coastal fishing villages

More waterfalls. They never get old to find and listen to. 

The Cullen Sink in Killin was so delicious at this pub that we drove back there on our way back to Edinburgh just to have it one more time. 

I believe this was St Giles in Edinburgh. 

The gate at Edinburgh Castle. 

Only at the Highland Games and in places tourists go would we hear bagpipes. 

Edinburgh 

Fairy Pools

Fairy Glen 

Dunrobin Castle

Loved riding these trails. The owner of the bike shop personally rides with and is friends with Danny McGaskill!! 

Scotland is a place where one doesn’t need a church to sense God’s beauty and presence. I’m grateful I got to experience it all.