"What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it."

"What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it."   J. Krishnamurti

I am learning an old lesson in a new way.  If you have been following my blog for the past two months you know I have been on a journey with breast cancer.  After the bilateral lumpectomies on September 28th I felt wonderful within a few days.  So good in fact I cut down a tree in my garden along with the assistance of my senor citizen neighbors Gaylen and Barbara and my daughter Kara using an electric power saw.   With my usual Ultra Feminine Warrior strength I bounced back to focus on life leaving the past two month is the rear view mirror.  As a reward for myself during all of the mammograms and ride in the MRI machine I promised myself that my birthday would be celebrated with both of my children.  We all enjoyed a lovely weekend in West Chester, New York.




Here I am wearing the new Breast Cancer Awareness Statement Necklace I designed for rice rafferty celebrating birthdays with Kara, Barry and Meghan outside of the church where Meghan and Barry are making plans to marry each other ;~)

 

After birthday celebration mass with my family, Meghan and I are bookend birthday Libras, Oct. 9th and 17th ;~)

On the drive back from Barry and Meghan's the doctors office called to ask why I missed my appointment that day.  Kara thinks it was accidentally on purpose as I was so excited to put all of the medical procedure's in my rear view mirror.  I am usually organized to a fault for appointments and responsibilities. Today I will attend a new appointment with destiny.  After speaking with my surgeon over the phone at my insistence she had the unenviable task to break the news cancer cells were found in the biopsy of my right breast.


Doctor said it is not her practice to give patients news like this over the phone but after getting to know me she thought it best to tell me sooner rather than let me wait until today in her office.

So far I learned I have stage 0 Breast Cancer known as DCIS or Ductal Carcinoma In Situ http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/types/dcis/

I designed the  rice rafferty Breast Cancer Awareness Statement Necklaces for women Inspired by the Look Good Feel Better  http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/   I took the training certification classes for Look Good Feel Better  as part of my continuing education while we still lived in Pittsburgh.  The first two statement necklaces I designed I offered to a charity fundraiser in Buffalo, NY and Pittsburgh, Pa.   The people from Viva for Life http://www.roswellpark.org/calendar/2010-09-24/viva-life sent a nice young man out to my home to pick up one necklace.    I did not hear from the Pittsburgh coordinator until she wished me Happy Birthday after their event was over.   Little did I know when I thanked the Creator for health and healing during morning mass for my birthday as I wore this statement necklace, it was not accepted because I would need this one for myself.

I believe in a divine Higher Power who loves all of us and is greater than all of us.  The older I get I am learning everything happens for a reason.   Most importantly I believe in the words of Julian of Norwich   "ALL SHALL BE WELL"  http://www.umilta.net/julian.html

This statement necklace will be with me on my journey inspiring me to look good and feel better.

Forgive me as I have to jump on my stationary bike for 9 kilometers, read from my meditation literature and get ready for my visit with my surgeon at 1:00 today.

As I prepare myself for this journey I remember the words spoken to me often by my mother during the three years I took care of her and daddy before they died seven months apart.
" A gals got to do what a gals got to do."    Velma Rice

Right now I have to go and take care of myself. Thanks for reading my blogs ;~)  Please come back to spend a little time with me as I share my experience of my journey.

Now go make yourself a VERY CREATIVE DAY ;~)   Carol Ann Rice Rafferty

“Almost all words do have color and nothing is more pleasant than to utter a pink word and see someone's eyes light up and know it is a pink word for him or her too”

“Almost all words do have color and nothing is more pleasant than to utter a pink word and see some one's eyes light up and know it is a pink word for him or her too”     Gladys Taber

In the Pink Collection was inspired by Breast Cancer Awareness and the Look Good Feel Better programs to promote breast health and wellness for women of all ages.

This one of a kind In the Pink Statement Necklace will be available tonight at

http://www.vivaforlife.org/Celebrations.html

 ViVA for Life, 

 an evening of celebration, is a Creative Black Tie Gala

" Breast cancer has touched many lives in our community. ViVA for Life, an Evening of Celebration was created to help generate much needed revenue and to celebrate living. All proceeds from this event benefit the WNY Breast Resource Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and will stay right here in WNY to assist in this daily fight and impact many lives. "

                            2010 Celebration on Friday, September 24, 2010 from 8pm to 12am.

 Kara and I of ricerafferty designs donated this pieces with hopes it is purchased and treasured by someone who is thriving not just surviving the battle against breast cancer.

                                                  Look for more ricerafferty
                               In the Pink accessories as they become available.

                                Check our websitehttp://www.ricerafferty.com/

                                                 In the Pink Collection

The color pink is named after the flowers called pinks, flowering plants in the genus Dianthus. The name derives from the frilled edge of the flowers—the verb "to pink" dates from the 14th century and means "to decorate with a perforated or punched pattern" (possibly from German "pinken" = to peck).[11] As noted and referenced above, the word “pink” was first used as a noun to refer to the color we know today as pink in the late 17th century. The verb sense of the word “pink” continues to be used today in the name of the hand tool known as pinking shears.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink

Pink is a pale red color. The use of the word for the color we know today as pink was first recorded in the late 17th century.
Although the pink is roughly considered just as a tint of red in fact most variations of pink lie between red, white and magenta colors. This means that the pink's hue is somewhat between red and magenta
Roseus is a Latin word meaning "rosy" or "pink." Lucretius used the word to describe the dawn in his epic poem On the Nature of Things (De Rerum Natura).The word is also used in the binomial names of several species, such as the Rosy Starling (Sturnus roseus) and Catharanthus roseus. In most Indo-European languages, the color pink is called rosa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink

                   Embellish yourself with a gift of PINK or give as a gift to someone you LOVE ;~)

 Don't see what you want yet ???  Each piece is handcrafted from hand dyed tulle, silk, handmade Polymer Clay hand painted Rose and up cycled jewelry items.

               Choose from our luscious Blessing Basket full of shades that will make anyone feel
                                                              In the Pink

" Fashion is in my blood. Growing up, I was always clacking around the house in my mother's shoes. "

" Fashion is in my blood. Growing up, I was always clacking around the house in my mother's shoes." Sophia Bush

I inherited my mother's hazel eye color.
 
Her good taste for expensive fabrics, color, and fashion.
 
Her ability to listen with empathy during a conversation. 
 
Her excellent cooking, decorating and entertaining skills.
 
 This week I am waiting to see if I inherited her gene for Breast Cancer. 
 

My parents first Christmas in their new home 1952

My doctors have kept a watchful eye on me since I found the first lump in my breast at age 29.  Every year since then I have gone for annual mammograms. Some years they found a cyst that was easily aspirated with a needle using ultra sound technology.  I had a sense of joy and relief as I watched the cyst collapse when drained. 
 
For the past few years tiny white specks of calcium were pointed out to  me on my mammogram films. Often I got as far as the last office to the exit only to have to go back for another mammogram just to make sure it was all clear.   I am no stranger to wondering which way the door would open.  For years I wondered would I be spending the fall at Buffalo State College or would I go directly to Roswell Park Cancer Institute?  Believe me, it was with a sense of joy and appreciation when I made the calls to loved ones from the parking lot waiting to hear I got the all clear.
 
This summer has been a little different.  Since August 3, 2010 things have begun to change.  This time the doctor said, " Carol, I have a little concern about the growing cluster of calcium specks showing up. Let's get a needle biopsy today to be sure."   She said the was no lump but to be on the safe side I needed a Needle Biopsy to examine a little tissue.  Since I have been proactive about my health in general I was happy to work with the technicians to make everything go a quickly and smoothly as possible.
 

This image was taken in 1959 when my mom was 35 the year she found breast cancer.

                   Fred was 5, I was almost 3 and Mark was just under 1 year old.
My mother went on to live 35 more years after her breast cancer treatment and she did not die from cancer.  This information has been a message of hope and inspiration to many women in their battle against cancer.

Yesterdays my MRI showed a small lump, not fluid, this time in my left breast. 
Tomorrow morning I will have a MRI Needle Directed Biopsy will let me know if the cells in this lump are benign or not.  

Among all the other characteristics I inherited from my mother I possess her Courage as well as her ability to make lemonade when life throws me lemons.  During all of my hours of waiting for medical test I have been kind, caring and courteous to the other women who are anxiously waiting for what comes next.   No matter what my outcome is after tomorrow MRI guided Needle Biopsy, I am overwhelmed and thankful for the family and friends who have expressed care about me.  Three women have already offered to help me any time I need them. I am also thankful that I feel so strong and healthy right now. Each day I either walk three miles or ride my stationary bike 8 kilometers in addition to other daily household chores. 

Early detection is the best offense we have in any women's fight against breast cancer.

Remember

Most cases of breast cancer occur 'by chance'. However, breast cancer does occur more often than usual in some families because of their genetic make-up.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/genetics/breast-and-ovarian/HealthProfessional
 
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Cancer-of-the-Breast-Hereditary-Factors.htmber

Barry, Kara, Me and Jim   September 1, 2010

I was trained through the American Cancer Society in Pittsburgh with Look Good Feel Better http://www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org/     This wonderful program provides free cosmetics, skin and beauty care treatments to anyone healing from cancer treatment.  

Inspired by the Look Good Feel Better concept Kara and I will be working on a series of  ricerafferty Breast Cancer Hope Statement Necklaces with a portion of the our sales going to cancer research.