Hey girls! I'm here! This is super! I love reading all about each and every one of you. Getting to know all of you on a more personal level is so exciting!

Oh, me? Ok...45, divorced the bum who got a girlfriend when I was dx'd w/mets (lung) in Aug. 04...Raising his two kids (his thru a prior relationship with a junkie who's now in an institution)...I have joint legal custody of the children and sole physical custody. I have been raising Richie, 16, and Dawn, 11, for the past 9 years. And for the past 2-1/2 I've been doing it alone. They are the greatest blessing ever bestowed upon me. I love them dearly. I did not give birth to them, but I am their Mom.

They have chosen to stay with me and really do not want to be with or talk to their Dad, although I try (really have to try) to encourage them to have a relationship with their dad...ok, he's a moron, so he can learn from them! hahahahah.....As for their bio mom, she hasn't even seen them in about three years and doesn't send a dime...

Things I love: family, summer, the NY Yankees, the Jersey Shore, swimming, the sound of rain on the roof, birds, singing cicadas at night, the roar of a Harley and riff from any type of guitar...talking, reading, daydreaming, sleeping, oh, good TV: "Dancing with the Stars," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "American Idol," "Law & Order SVU," "Grey's Anatomy," "The Office," to name a few hahahah...also love movies, righting a wrong and overturning an injustice...and food...yes, I'm the cancer patient that never loses weight...

I was an active substitute teacher until I had to start chemo...then, in order to hold onto NJ Medicaid, which picks up the 20% that Medicare doesn't pay, I have to work, so I started selling Avon...

The past 2-1/2 years have been difficult...the divorce...six months after I learned of my ex's affair, my dad (my hero) died, and now my mets are progressing. But I feel good. I am learning to nurture my soul and really start doing things I've always wanted to do.

I've started regular Reiki treatments and journaling. After chemo last Thursday, I made it thru the weekend without one nap...I just kept pushing myself...ran the kids around to their jobs/sports and attended a church carnival with Dawn and my BF...

Today, I spent 5 hours cleaning and cooking for my mom, who lives 45 minutes away. Came home exhausted and body screaming for pain meds...but she's my mom and she needed me, so I did what I had to do...and my kids helped...

Oh, going to the Yankee game tomorrow wooo hooo! Finally made it to my first bc get-together two weeks ago. That was a lot of fun...and the Martha Stewart show for bc survivors (audience members all of us) on Thursday in NYC...so I had to push chemo back a day. Big whoop...

Ok...need to sleep...see you all tomorrow...love, Linda M...xo

       

OH Linda, it's me and yes, I'm barefoot



Glad you are here, I'm gonna add more of these smilies for the group