Goodbye and Love to Susan/WhyMommy

It is as always with sadness that I tell you we have lost yet another amazing woman to her fight with cancer. Susan aka WhyMommy of Toddler Planet fame lost her battle with IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) on February 6th, 2012.

Susan was and will always be an inspiration to so very many women. Not only did she fight her own battle (through multiple recurrences) but she was also an advocate for woman, a scientist, a renowned blogger, and just all around amazing person. My own experience with her showed her to be helpful, kind, patient, and caring. I feel honored to have known her even the little that I did.

My heart and thoughts go out to her family. Nothing can take away the pain of your loss but know that Susan will be remembered by so very many as the wonderful person she was.

I would like to end with her mantra that is posted on her own blog

"All that survives after our death are publications and people. So look carefully after the words you write, the thoughts and publications you create, and how you love others.  For these are the only things that will remain." ~Susan Niebur

Goodbye And Love To Sarah of Spruce Hill Farm

It is with much sadness that I tell you we have lost another wonderful, beautiful, cancer mama. Sarah from the Spruce Hill blog's family posted this on Twitter just minutes ago- "Friends: Sarah passed quietly tonight after a long, hard battle. We appreciate all love/support/prayers. Thank you [from her family]". 

I want to send my thoughts, love, and condolences to Sarah's family. She was an inspiration to many many others with cancer and will be sorely missed.

I really hate cancer! Dammit!

"Average Joe" heroes

"Average Joe" heroes

 As a little girl, my heroes were Wonder Woman and my cool third-grade teacher with the wild hair. Later, they changed to people like Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, and Eleanore Roosevelt. Okay so I still thought Wonder Woman was da bomb too! When I became an adult though, I quit having heroes. There just wasn't anyone who inspired me anymore.

Then I read the story of Kent and Melony on a parenting board I was on at the time. Melony was the mother of fivc (three by birth and two adopted), a talented artist, and she designed the most adorable outfits for kids. From a distance this woman seemed to live a perfectly charmed life. She just seemed so happy and on top of the world. Soon though I found out how truly amazing her story and life really were.

You see, Kent was fighting a Stage 4 cancer and it had been a pretty rough fight for him. Each update told of a body that was getting weaker yet a soul that was still burning brightly and fighting for all it was worth. Neither of them ever complained about anything and Melony spoke of Kent with  so much love that you could actually feel it yourself. Kent showed his love by fighting and refusing to leave his family. All this and more is why they will eternally be my heroes.

Kent taught me that I can never give up because the bottom line is that it's not really about me. It's about my family and loved ones who still need me. I learned to always keep my sense of humor thanks to him. I know now that if he could laugh, smile, and joke with all he was up against then there's no reason I couldn't do the same.

Through Melony, I finally witnessed unconditional love, unwavering faith, and the very epitome of grace. She is the kind of woman I dream of one day being. She never spoke of how hard this must all be on her but instead told about every wonderful and encouraging thing Kent did. 

Thanks to Kent and his amazing sidekick, Melony, I have heroes once again. Even though they don't wear masks, tights, or long flowing capes, my "Average Joe" heroes still save the day. And the greatest part of all is that all they had to do was keep being themselves.

*Footnote* Kent passed away at home holding his wife's hand on September 23, 2005. He is sorely missed and will always be "Superman" to myself and many others.

Goodbye and Love to Rivka of Coffee and Chemo.

I am ashamed to say that I just found out today that the world lost a wonderful beautiful soul in Rivka bat Teirtzel from Coffee and Chemo on October 29th after a long battle with her breast cancer.

Rivka always made sure to be not only a mother and wife but also a friend, a voice for moms with cancer, and a shining example of how to fight cancer gracefully.


Rivka, you will be sorely missed and I thank you for reaching out to me during a time that I really needed it. Your example made me reach out to help others as well and I am so thankful for that. I am proud to have known you and will try to carry on your example in my own life.


Light and Love Sweet Friend.

Goodbye Daddy

At 1am this morning my wonderful father, Darling Vincent Smith passed away due to complications from his metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. I miss him already but I am so glad I had him in my life even if for a short time.

Love you and miss you, Dad. Thank you for being a part of mine and your grandchildrens' lives. We will always remember you.

Cancer Claims Another Wonderful Woman

Yes, I know I haven't written in many months and you have no clue how many times I have started a post only to delete it because my heart just wasn't in it. Blogging just honestly hasn't ranked very high on the priority list lately I guess and for that I apologize to those of you who read here.

Tonight though I read something that broke my heart and I knew that I couldn't just ignore it and not post.

Those of you who have followed my blog have read my posts having to do with Lisa from Clusterfook. The woman is amazing as she has been through cancer three times now. Her strength and outlook through it all taught me alot about how to handle living with cancer with grace and an immense amount of class.

Unfortunately I have just read that she is now in the final days of her battle and it breaks my heart. She was realistic from the beginning about her chances of making it through this time but I'll be honest and say I really hoped she would beat the odds and come out okay. She deserved a break this time, you know?

So my point of making my first post back blogging about Lisa is so that anyone who reads will add her and her family (she is leaving behind a husband and two young daughters) to your thoughts, prayers, loving vibes, or whatever you do as she is very deserving of them. From what I've read, she has fought as hard as she could and dealt with the pain long enough. Please hope she is finally able to be at peace as much as it breaks my heart to ask for her passing.

Lisa- I know you will never read this but thank you for sharing your life with us online and for the emails that helped me become better about living with my own cancer. Thank you for being so amazing, graceful, classy, and honest no matter what. I hope I can one day be even have the woman you are. You've set the bar very high sweetheart.

Go in peace, dear.