Quote Of The Day

"Having courage does not mean that we are unafraid. Having courage and showing courage mean we face our fears. We are able to say, "I have fallen, but I will get up."
                                                           -Maya Angelou

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is breast cancer awareness month, so I thought I’d share some facts directly from The National Breast Cancer Foundation website.

-One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

-Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women.

-Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.

-Each year it’s estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 women will die.

-Breast cancer in men is rare, but an estimated 2,150 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 410 will die each year.

  Breast cancer is the most common cancer among woman not only in the United States, but worldwide. Breast cancer is serious and it appears much too often in women, so please get annual mammograms and it is recommended that you self-exam at home at least once month. Our lives are far too valuable and delicate not to do our best to stay healthy and do what we can to live longer, and happier lives. Please take time to take care of yourself I know life is tricky and we get so caught up in having to work and making sure everyone else is okay that we more than often forget to take care of ourselves, so take a break and take care of you, you’re important too.

You can get tips on how to self-exam at home by clicking the link below.

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam

                                                       Isamar 

Quote Of The Day

"Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!"

                                                          -Humbert Wolfe

Happy October!

It's here, October has finally arrived. After months of constant fear and the unknown I am ready for some excitement. I'm ready for pumpkin flavored everything (even though I'm not a big pumpkin fan) I'm ready for black and orange Oreo's (my favorite cookie) I'm ready for Disney Halloween movies, specially because I'm a big chicken and scary movies scare me to death and of course I can't wait to go trick-a-treating with my nieces and nephews a tradition that we started when my very first niece was born eleven years ago. We go as a family, we never miss a year and the kid's look forward to it every year. October is the beginning of the holiday season, and I'm welcoming it with open arms. I hope you all have a great month.


                                               Isamar

Quote Of The Day

"I'm thankful for my struggle because without it I wouldn't have stumbled across my strength."
                                                     - Alex Elle

A sigh of relief

  As of yesterday my dad has completed chemotherapy! YAY! I can't begin to express just how happy and excited I am that my dad has reached such an important and crucial step in his journey to a healthier him. This entire process has been heartbreaking and stressful, oh so stressful. I lost count of the amount of days that I had to hide and cry because I didn't want my dad to see me break down. I lost count of the amount of times that I wanted to pull my hair out because I couldn't handle the pressure, I lost count of the amount of times I was and frankly I still am terrified. I'm afraid that his scan next month is going to show that the cancer is back. I'm terrified that the 40% chance of it coming back comes true. Seeing my dad go through something so scary and....heartbreaking. That's the only way I can express this horrible situation, because that's what this is. This is completely heartbreaking. From the moment I heard the world cancer I knew things would never be the same again I knew that from that moment on that my dad's life and are time with him was uncertain, from that moment on I held me breath and for the first time in a long time I can finally breath. I know that my dad's battle is far from over and that he'll always be categorized as a cancer patient but someday I hope and pray that he'll also carry the remission label.

                                            Isamar

Quote Of The Day

"One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn't fall apart."

                                      -Linda Poindexter

Third round of chemo update

These past weeks have been, trying. My dad had his third round of chemo a couple of weeks ago and for a while he was feeling okay. And then it hit him like a ton of bricks, he slept all day, he didn't eat and he was really tired. My mom did everything she could to help him not feel so horrible this time, but chemo is a big jerk, and will do as it pleases. Thankfully lately he's been feeling better, his anxiety however has been kicking him down, but he's chugging along. September 14th is his last round of chemo! I hope that he never has to go through this again and above all I hope his cancer never returns.

                                                   Isamar

Quote Of The Day

"Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack"

                                                            -Unkown

Just keep swimming!

  Today was supposed to be my dad's third round of chemo, but it was cancelled because he needs a hearing test. Now you might be asking yourself why would they cancel chemo if he just needs a hearing test? Well, chemo can affect many other parts of your body including hearing, so they have to check, well everything. Maybe it's a good thing his chemo was rescheduled he hasn't really bounced back from his last round of it. Watching my dad go through chemo every few weeks is difficult. He sleeps a lot, he can't keep food down, he can't sleep, and he's always in pain. It's painful not being able to help other than to do your best to keep your loved one as comfortable as possible. Some days are good and others not so good at all, everyday is a gamble and an entirely new unknown. Hopefully his next chemo will go fine and then we're on step closer to my dad being healthy once again. But in the mean time and in the famous words of Dory from Finding Nemo "Just keep swimming"

                                                                

                                                Isamar

P.S

If you haven't seen Finding Nemo, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? It's a great movie and Dory is adorable and so funny! So go, go watch it. You won't regret it!

(Image from Disney.com)

Cancer Awareness Ribbon Colors

Here is a chart of  cancer awareness ribbon colors. I currently have a white ribbon pin on my purse in support of my dad. 

Quote Of The Day

"A strong person is not the one who doesn't cry. A strong person is the one who cries and sheds tears for a moment, then gets up and fights again."
                                    -Unknown

A long journey ahead

When someone is sick what do we do? We usually wish for them to get well soon, we baby them, we even make them chicken soup. But, what do we do when our parents are sick? I don't mean the flu, or a cold, I mean serious sick, like cancer. My dad was diagnosed with late stage 2 cancer on April 5th, 2015. I remember when my mom sat me down and told me that my dad had cancer, my heart dropped and I began to cry, hearing that someone you love is really sick is beyond heartbreaking. My dad has gone through so many test and procedures, surgeries, collapsed lungs, and constant pain. It's frustrating, painful, agonizing, and at times it feels completely hopeless. As we grow up our parents grow older and unfortunately the topic of when our parents are no longer around comes up more often. I find myself praying that the day never comes and my parents tell me more often that its just a part of life. And lately it really is a part of our lives because as much as we hope and do the best we can to make sure my dad is healthy, that fear is always present and always terrifying.  Everyday is unknown. We never know if my dad is going to have a good day or a really bad day. We never know if the chemo is going to make him really sick or if he's going to be lucky and this round isn't going or affect him so much. We never know if at 2 am we're going to have to rush to the hospital because he has a bad fever and can't breathe. Our lives now revolve around medicine schedules, appointments, chemo rounds, and whether my dad can keep food down or not. It's not easy waking up and realizing it's not a nightmare, it's reality. It's hard seeing my dad so sick, because as much as I don't want to admit it, he is really sick. And even though he makes me mad and still  treats me like a baby even though I'll be 25 next month he's my dad, and I'm so thankful that he's still here with us because the simple thought of one day having to part with him is the worst pain I've ever felt. Today is a good day for my dad he woke up with some energy and that alone is great. His next chemo is on the 24th and hopefully he won't get as sick as the last one made him. I'm sorry if this was all over the place and chaotic, but that's how I feel lately and I felt like writing this exactly as I was thinking it was the best way for me to get my feelings across. I'm trying my best to keep up with my blog and just my normal routine but these past months have not been easy. But I'm trying and that's all I can do right now. Thank you for baring with me and taking time to read the craziness that's going on in my life. And to everyone that is battling cancer or any other illness I hope that you kick your sickness to the curb and come out healthier and stronger than ever.  Please take care of yourselves! Do what you can to live longer and most importantly healthier lives.

                                                 Isamar    

   

Quote Of The Day

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies."
 
                                          -Unknown

When will we change?

  As the world changes and people become more open minded, it oddly seems that they also become more close minded. As the new generation continues to grow, as parents, guardians, and teachers, we should instill basic decent morals, and values in our children. Like being kind to others even when others aren't. Being tolerant and respectful of others choices and beliefs. Lending a helping hand when someone is in need. Always remember your manners and never make someone feel unwanted. Stand up for what you believe in but always be respectful in doing so. But most importantly remember that everyone is human. We all make mistakes, but we're all searching for the same thing. We all want to be accepted for who we are. We want to find where we belong, we want to be happy. But most of all, we want to be loved. And it's in our hands to raise today's children into tomorrow's kind, caring, honest, and brave true versions of themselves.

  I hope the world that my nieces and nephews will someday inherit will be better then it is today. I hope someday they won't be judged for what they believe in, but rather they be judged for the content of their character. I hope someday they can freely express themselves without the fear of being discriminated. I hope someday they can live their lives as happy and authentically as they choose to. I hope someday my hope will become not only their reality, but the world's reality. I hope someday we can all change for the better. 

                                                                      Isamar

Quote Of The Day

"Courage isn't having the strength to go, it is going on when you don't have strength."

                                                 -Napoleon Bonaparte

Quote Of The Day

"Traveling. It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller."

                -Ibn Battuta

Where to next?

Do you ever get the urge to pack up and travel? Just you and a backpack with the essentials, and a hankering for adventure? I do. I'm always dreaming of foreign soil, of different sunsets and sunrises. I want to visit and submerge myself in different cultures and heritages. I want to learn traditions and customs other than my own. I want to see the world! I want to meet people from all walks of life, I want to experience different ways of life. I honestly think traveling is the best classroom. Think of all the benefits! You have the opportunity to learn foreign languages from actual people. You can learn how to cook local cuisine, you can learn their history you could even find a place where you want to lay down your roots. There are so many great benefits from traveling, it's truly an experience that enriches our lives. I have a long list of places I want to visit and experience. I want to step foot in Paris, and England. Greece and the Parthenon. I want to see Rome and the Collisium. I want to go to Brazil and be a part of Carnival, I want to see Germany, Potugal, Spain, India, I can go on for day's! But most of all I want to live in Scotland. There's something about Scotland's history and beautiful land that calls my name. If I had the financial resources I would travel to thousands of differet parts of the world. But Scotland is what my heart calls out for. We should all travel, there's so many different places to see and so many people to meet. One day I'll see the world, but for now I'll continue to dream of them. Where would you like to visit?

                     Isamar

Quote Of The Day

"To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world."

          -John Lennon

A simple reminder

My parents mean the worls to me!! I'm 24 and they still worry about taking care of me and giving me everything I want or need. Yes, I work I make my own money and yes I help my parents with whatever they need. And yet despite me being an "adult" I'm still they're baby. Parents really are the most amazing people in our lives, they loves us unconditionally even when we are not so lovable. They're our chofers, nurses, chefs, teachers and our biggest supporters. Treasure your parents because one day you're going to realize that while we are busy growing up, they're growing older. I don't know what I would do without my momma and my dad. And hopefully I won't have to for another thousand years. Go hug your mom and dad tell them you love them and how appreciated they are. After all they're the reason we are here. 👪❤

                   Isamar

Freedom!

Happy 4th of July!! Thank you to all past and present men and women, that have protected and bravely fought for our freedom.

                    Isamar

I'm back.....again.

I haven't posted in a long, long time. It really does seems like "when it rains it pours", true words. These past 4 years have been the hardest of my life. So much has happened, mostly bad but here I am swimming upstream like a salmon. Situations really have a way of changing you. These past years I've let life get in the way of my plans. I've stopped writing, I forgot all about my blog. I stopped doing things that made me happy. It's taken me a while to get back to the point where I want to write, but here I am ready to walk my own path again. It feels good to be back!

               Isamar