Help support my team

I recently decided to participate in the 10th Annual Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk & 5K Run event on Saturday, September 14, 2013.  I would love to have any family and friends available on this day to please join me for the walk or the run or both...I have signed up to do both :-) 

If you're not able to come out that day you can still help support my team by making a donation.  My mom was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer on February 20th, 2013 so this event really means a lot to me, I want to be a part of a great cause, and everyone's support means a lot to me, her, and my family.  The money we raise for this event will help support research and awareness of ovarian cancer.

We need your support, so please do anything you can by joining my team or by making a donation to my team! Any amount, big or small, will be appreciated.  Please spread the word and help support my team:
WOMAN OF TEAL

You can click on the tab at the top of this page
"Support My Team" and it will take you straight to my page.  Or you can follow this link: 
http://dccc.convio.net/site/TR/Ovarianwalk/General?&pg=teamlist&fr_id=1160

Brief Update

Our last doctor appointment was Monday, March 18th and unfortunately we received additional news we didn't want to hear....the cancer has spread into her liver now. So Monday was another shock and Tuesday was a pretty emotional day for me...sometimes it doesn't quite hit me until I leave her side and come back to Greensboro.  But I'm feeling a little better now that my dad and I have figured out how to proceed with her treatment, care, etc.

Since my mom has a rare form of ovarian cancer called carcinosarcoma, we've decided to take part in a clinical trial at Duke and she'll start chemo on Monday, March 25th.  The chemo treatment will require her to stay in the hospital overnight Monday-Thursday and returning Friday for a shot....repeating every 3 weeks for the next 18 weeks. 

I know this will be a tough process but I'm happy to be right by her side each step of the way and do all that I can for her.  My dad and I are going to do everything that it takes to get the best treatment available and search all options.  So I have also been researching and reading about other treatment centers and will probably be looking into getting a 2nd opinion from MD Anderson in Houston, Texas who are ranked #1 in the US.  I can honestly say I'm glad we only live 15 minutes away from the top treatment center in NC: DUKE HOSPITAL!

Facing the unknown is really scary so if anyone reading this can offer any advice, tips, suggestions, etc please do so.  Once again I appreciate all the calls and messages, thanks for the prayers and support.  Everyone please keep praying for my mom through this journey.
Thanks!

"Woman of Teal"

Some of you might be wondering why I chose the name "woman of teal" and the meaning behind it.

Well it’s a play on words for “Man of Steel”.  I really wanted something meaningful, powerful and something that would incorporate the ovarian cancer awareness color which is TEAL.  But most importantly something that would represent my mom’s strong and powerful will so that’s how I came up with name “Woman of Teal”.  In my eyes my mom has always been as powerful as a man of steel.

My mother is such a strong individual so I know she will fight and give it her all to get through this.  I will also give it my all and give her all the love and support she needs at this time as she has ALWAYS given me!!  I'm so thankful and blessed for the SPECIAL mother/daughter/bestfriend BOND that we share.  There's no greater feeling in the world than to have a GREAT WOMAN in my life to call MOMMY and yes I still call her that to this day.  My mom has done so many great things for me and she takes so much pride in her family, she is truly the backbone for each of us. Anyone that personally knows Tina knows that she LOVES her FAMILY UNCONDITIONALLY...she will talk you to death about us :-) My mom is a great and wonderful person but unfortunately cancer does not choose good or bad people....this is the hand we were dealt but with God, faith, prayer, love, and support we will be winners at this game.

Love you mom; love you more than I could ever love anyone!

P.S. There will be an Ovarian Cancer Walk in September in Raleigh that I will also blog about soon with additional information. I'm looking forward to creating a team of supporters!

My team name will be Woman of Teal :-)

The words that changed our lives...

On Wednesday February 20th, 2013 at about 1:30pm my ears witnessed the most devastating news ever "I'm sorry but your mother does have cancer"

It's now been 20 days since her surgery and I've decided to be more open about this new chapter in my life.  I realized that in the last couple days I’ve been reading other people's stories who are dealing with similar situations and it has helped a little because this is all very new to me.  Just reading the progress and improvement of others, but most importantly the success of others in their recovery through this battle has really been comforting.  So now I've decided to share my story through my mother's journey in hopes of helping others and to bring more awareness to ovarian cancer.  Unfortunately it is such a "silent" cancer in the sense that there are no screenings or testing that can be done early on and most woman who are diagnosed already has the cancer spreading. But I'll save more of my research for another day.

There are still so many thoughts running through my mind each day, some days are good, some days are bad, and some days I can go from good to bad in a split second. Church has been so much help for me, I know I will always hear great words and comforting words to help me get through this.  And more than ever I know I need God to help my mother and my family get through this journey, he is the only one that can determine the outcome.  I try not to read too much of the statistics related to this cancer and I try not to replay those words from the doctor “some of my patients with this cancer have been able to live up to 10 years”.  Those words were truly a sword to my heart but I know with God’s help my mother will be able to live a much longer life.

I’ll keep it short and simple today.  But I do want to thank each and every one of my friends that already knew about this and have been checking up on my mom's progress since her surgery and also simply checking up on me.  Thanks for all your prayers, support, and love!!