P!NK for PINK

It is my guess that unfortunately, everyone knows someone affected by cancer.  It may not be a family member or even a friend, but a co-worker, a fellow parent from your child's class, or maybe even just someone you don't know but you know their loved one/friend/co-worker and you've heard about them.  

I had a co-worker who I adored and loved working with lose his fight to pancreatic cancer.  He was 39 years old and healthy.  When I heard Shawn was sick, I was devastated.  When I learned that less than a month later he lost his fight, I was angry and confused.  The only question I had was "why" and of course, no one knew the answer. 

Cancer had always sucked but it was my first real up-close encounter with cancer.  It made it suck even more. 

Not too long ago I was on Facebook and read a status update that brought me to tears.  The amazing nurse who was with Shaun and I through my scary heart situation said she had breast cancer.  And while I didn't understand all the medical lingo, it sounded bad.  How was it that yet again another young (younger than me!!), healthy person was given such terrible news?  

Christie is a fighter and being a ridiculously smart nurse, I knew she was not only going to fight her cancer, she was going to go into an all-out battle with it.  Sure enough, it sounded like war was raged reading her updates.  

Rewind for a minute.  Not long after meeting Christie I heard about the P!NK for PINK ride that she helped create.  It sounded like fun - an hour of spinning to music by Pink.  I was intimidated and never rode because I hadn't been on a spin bike in forever.

Fast forward to about two weeks ago.  Christie updated everyone that "in spite of our best laid plans, it would appear that the cancer in my breast had spread to the lymph nodes by the time of surgery. The meaning of this isn't entirely clear just yet, other than a fairly aggressive surgery to remove more lymph nodes under my right arm is going to happen in the next 2 weeks or so and that aggressive chemotherapy is a given."   Ugh!  Really? 

Around the same time they announced the dates for the 2012 P!NK for PINK ride.  I decided that instead of being angry and confused about Christie's update, I decided I was going to ignore my intimidation and fear and ride.  The ride benefits an organization called Cancer Patient Support Program.  "The CPSP are the folks that have support groups, therapy, emergency funds, all sorts of things set up for people who don't have the kind of support I do. They meet you on your first day at the Cancer Center a

nd make sure your aren't alone."

I may be close to dead after being on a spin bike for an hour, but I'll be really proud of myself AND hopefully I'll have helped raise some money for a great program.  So, help me raise some money and by doing so, you'll be helping me remind myself that I CAN get through the hour.  I may not be able walk for the rest of the weekend but that's another story!  ;)

The ride has set-up an online donation site through inlu.com.  To donate, click here and if you don't mind, send me a note on Facebook or email me so I can keep track of what donations I brought in.  I'm not totally familiar with INLU so I don't know if I'll see your contribution or not.  I would love to raise at least $250 and it would mean a lot if you helped me reach my goal.

NOTE: Don't think that cancer in young kids doesn't piss me off or that I'm not affected by other illnesses/diseases/etc.  I support many organizations in several different ways.  I just felt this is a great way to support the fight against breast cancer. 

Potty Training!

On Monday, August 27th Amelia wore undies to school.  It was our jump-feet-first introduction to hardcore potty training.  I say hardcore because in the past she's sat on the potty and even gone potty, but we hadn't really put any dedication into the attempts.  If she peed on the potty, she got a pull-up and one Reece's Pieces.  Looking back, it wasn't really the most effective approach as it wasn't making much of a difference.
One of her teachers suggested just making the jump straight to undies.  I was SO nervous and didn't know how well Amelia would take to the idea.  I decided I better go into the week with the something motivational.  Yup, we bought Disney Princess panties!  I sent her off to school and told her that she shouldn't pee on her princesses and she needed to tell her teachers she had to go potty. 

That afternoon I picked her up and she had had three accidents and hadn't peed on the potty once.  I decided we were in for a LONG week.  That night when it was time for bed she hadn't peed since her last accident right before I picked her up.  I made her sit on the potty and finally, success!  I made sure I did a huge happy dance and praised her with lots of positive words as I sent her off to bed (in an overnight diaper!).

The next day she didn't have ANY accidents and I was floored.  WOW, maybe it wasn't going to be a LONG week afterall.  I decided to reinforce the awesomeness a potty chart was required.  Everytime Amelia went on the potty she'd get a sticker and after 15 successes, she would earn a Potty Prize.  The next few days were a roller coaster of accidents and successes. 

On Sunday we had a break-through!  After a fairly decent accident at naptime (no, she was not asleep so it could have been avoided), she was very good about telling me she needed to go.  That night while I was gone she disappeared.  Shaun said he heard her call out, "Daddy, I peed" so he went to inspect.  There she was sitting on the potty smiling like a Cheshire cat.  All by herself with NO help!

Monday started off with another all-by-myself moment while I was in the shower. It was also the trip that earned her her 15th sticker and her first Potty prize.  Her Potty Prize was a pair of princess shoes that Amelia calls her "Fancy Princess Shoes."  They are a little small for her chubby feet, but she loves them.

That afternoon we went to a bike race for our neighbor in downtown Burlington.  She did not want to use a bathroom in a local bike shop, but luckily I had brought one of her small potties.  She had no qualms about pulling down her pants, peeing and going right back to cheering in the middle of a large crowd on Main Street.  Ahhh, what a story that's going to be when she's older!