Thursday, January 28, 2010

Update!!!!

Well today is the best day yet!!!!!  I must apologize for the delay in providing updates on my condition….

 

1/12/10 I saw the oncologist and was told to be prepared for a possible mastectomy…based on the mammograms, ultra sounds and my physical breast exam. That day was not worse than the previous days only more of the same…My heart sank because I was hoping for something different …. A glimmer of hope..maybe

 

1/15/10 Surgery day!!!! Well the 6 inch wire is inserted into my chest (literally) sticking out with a plastic cup taped over it!!!! Wow…. I just wanted everything over and done with.   As they wheel me off to surgery  (in my thick pink robe) my mother, Dj & Cache’ (my kids) yell out..wait!!! we need photos…. Right then and there we had a mini photo shoot of me on my way in.. hahahahahah now that I think about it they were really funny,…..

 

It has been several hours and I am now out of surgery and in the recovery room…. I wake up… THANK YOU LORD… that is all I can think of to say…….. the next thing I remember is waking up in my own bed….

 

1/22/10 This is my follow up visit with my oncologist….. “Well all I can say is, your tumor has been removed with the radical scarring,” said the Dr.  At this time there is no need for any follow up treatment!! No Chemo…no radiation…. Nothing!!!!

 

I could hardly believe my ears!!!!! I cried again…this time with the joy of knowing without a shadow of doubt that God is real!!! Prayer changes things and by his stripes……. I am healed!!!!!!

 

Needless to say that 1/25/10… I was back at work!!!! Just praising god and rejoicing in the MIRACLE that he has brought me through….

 

The bills still remain… my preimums are still high ..the out of pocket is high but I am extremely thankful for being here to have any of those issues… Thanking him for the strength to come back ..better ,stronger, more faithful!!!! 

 

Thank you again to all who have prayed watched… wondered… I will keep everyone updated!! Love you!!

 

Cynthia R. Burt

Sr. Client Advocate

I/S Systems Client

P: 803-264-0456

C:803-873-7143

 

Friday, January 15, 2010

10 Rules To Live By

1.      Focus on what you want.

Do you focus on the road ahead or in the rearview mirror filled with the past? By focusing on the past, you tend to worry about the future because your focus carries the negative experiences from your past into your present. "Hold a picture of yourself long and steadily enough in your mind's eye and you will be drawn toward it." - Napoleon Hill

 

2.      Never give up.

Thomas Edison said it best -- ""Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

 

3.      One day at a time.

We achieve our dreams one day at a time, so set goals for each day that will take you, step by step, toward your desire. The pyramids weren't built in a week so learn to be patient. Do the best you can, enjoy this day, and be satisfied with what you've accomplished.  (This was a very difficult lesson for me to learn.)

 

4.      True happiness lies within you.

Don't waste time and effort searching for happiness, peace and contentment in the world outside. Reach inside yourself and pull out the better angels of your nature and give to someone else.

 

5.      Learn to be grateful.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melodie Beattie  (I am so grateful and thankful that I learned this lesson.  An exercise that helped with this was to keep a daily gratitude journal for 30 days.  That really works!)

 

6.      Expand your comfort zone.

Not a whole lot can change or happen when we stop challenging ourselves.

 

7.      You’re closer than you think.

There's an old Chinese proverb that goes something like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."

 

8.      Don't take yourself seriously.

Learn to lighten up. Life is a game. Don't sweat the little stuff.... 'cause it's all little stuff.

 

9.      Be nice.

What is that old saying? You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Just another way of saying you can win people to your side more easily by gentle persuasion and flattery than by hostile confrontation. (Sometimes my own nature is to just spit it out and keep it moving.  I didn’t realize that this is sometimes considered hostile confrontation to some people.)

 

10.  Get out of your way.

As Warren Buffet said to a University of Washington audience several years ago regarding how he and Bill Gates became so successful: "Everybody here has the ability to do anything I do and much beyond. Some of you will, and some of you won't. For those who won't, it will be because you get in your own way, not because the world doesn't allow you to."

 

~~Namaste

 

 

 

Cynthia update

I also got the following email from Mary Jo regarding Cynthia.  Please keep her in your prayers.  I think the key phrase in her email is, “The surgeon thinks.”  They’ve been thinking for a year and my faith in some of them is not optimistic or positive.

 

Please continue to pray for her and remember to check out the paypal Donate button in the right column of her blog.  You may have to scroll down to find it.

 

~~Namaste

 

 

-----Original Message-----
Subject: Cynthia update

 

Cynthia is out of surgery. The surgeon thinks it was contained therefore they did the lumpectomy. She will be going home in a few hours.

 

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

Mary Jo

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Cynthia's Story

I've been telling any and every body who would listen to the story about my friend Cynthia who was diagnosed with breast cancer in November.  I know most people wouldn't want to share something like that with EVERYBODY, but Cynthia's story is unique.  Please go read about it here:  http://cynthias-story.blogspot.com.

I'm asking each of my friends to find the donate button on this page and donate $1, $2, $5, $20, $50, $100. What can you give? She finally broke down and got the least expensive insurance she could find $720/month. But that still doesn't guarantee her doctor bills will be paid. She has a $1,500 deductible and has to pay $5,000 out of pocket before that kicks in.

Tomorrow is her lumpectomy. She will be out of work for at least a week. She doesn't have sick leave benefits, so she won't be getting paid for her time in hospital.

Please help my friend.

My Shameless PLUG!!!!!

January 15th is the LUMPECTOMY!

My shameless plug is to ask everyone who reads this to PLEASE go to Cynthia’s Blog, find the donate button, click on it, and DONATE something please.

Here’s why. She did find health insurance, but the monthly payment is over $700. Her deductible is $1500, and she has to come up with $5000 out of pocket before the insurance kicks in. Another kicker, when Cynthia misses work, she gets no money because she is an hourly employee with no sick leave benefits. That means while her doctor bills are accumulating, her paycheck is NOT.

Go find her donate button and help. If you can’t do that, at least leave a comment for her. She would really appreciate that!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

today 1/8/10

First of all I must say thank you to everyone that has been praying for my family and me.  Thank you to Keala who had the idea to journal my thoughts and feelings as I embark upon this journey.  Thank you to my co workers, family , friends and others that have been supportive of me through many many prayers…..

 

Words can't express how I feel.  I didn't know that so many cared. There are people who have been watching me come to work everyday in pain.  Trying to remain as normal as possible.  I know that they hear me whimpering sometimes trying to remain the strong "Cynthia".  It just comes over me so quickly.  I pray... I pray and I pray... soon the constant drainage,pain, wearing a bra 24/7 will soon be over........ 

 

This passed week has been crazy.  There are so many things going on at once that I can't help be think that God is working things out just as he promised.  What I mean is that even though I struggle to get up every day to come to work, the fact is.... that he allows me to get up.  There are some people that didn't make it through the night. Even though this insurance is extremely high and the amounts of my medical bills are even higher , God will make a way for those things to be taken care of as well.

 

 

1/9/10 I am counting down the days until my surgery. Six days and I will have this mass removed from my breast.. However,today I am spending the entire day with my daughter.   I am taking her wherever she wants to go.  This day is especially dear to me because through all that has happened over the last three months, she has been right by my side.  Never asking me for anything.  No shoes, clothes, jewelry, not anything has she requested.  Today she will get the most precious gift that I have ...... time.

 

We started the day early... we laughed and talked and window shopped.... the look on her face was invaluable. Che' kept saying that the loves spending time with her mom.  She made me feel really good.  Che' asked how long would I be down, unable to drive or have a girls day with her.  I told her that I will be up and moving around in no time but that today was just for her.....we spent quality time .... 

 

 

1/10/10 As I reflect over the last few months, I don't know how in the world I made it this far. Thank God... Thank God...Through the pain, many tears, I am very happy, loving my family and friends and prayer supporters ......just everyone!!!!  My spirits are high ...five days an counting...

 

Cynthia Renee

 

Friday, January 8, 2010

Tastefully Simple!!





Cynthia Burt
Tastefully Simple Fundraiser
Help the Fight Against
Breast Cancer
When:
Now

The Contribution:
25% of all sales will go directly towards defraying medical costs and other treatment related expenses for Cynthia Burt and her fight against breast cancer

How You Can Help:
Place an order today! Direct your friends and family to www.tastefullysimple.com/web/ssanchez. Go to ‘Searching for a Host or Party’ and enter Cynthia Burt-Fundraiser as the host/event when you shop our products. Share the fundraiser through your Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts.
TELL EVERYONE!!!

Placing YOUR Order:
Simply go to www.TastefullySimple.com
On the front page of the website, you will see “Tip: Looking for a Host/Event?  Find your Host/Event now.”  Click on this!  Then, you will type in “Cynthia” for the First Name and “Burt-FUNDRAISER” for the Last Name.  The fundraiser/party link will pop up on the screen for you to click on
Contact for Questions/Comments:
Mary Jo Dear (Fundraiser Coordinator)                      Susan Sanchez (Tastefully Simple Sr. Consultant)
mjdear@sc.rr.com                                                       #0017209
803-462-1333                                                              tastefullysusan03@yahoo.com
Margaret Bauman (Fundraiser Coordinator)              803-543-6534


For other donations, please contact a fundraiser coordinator. Thank you.

803-699-5270
Mary Tandberg (Fundraiser Coordinator)
803-467-3616

Thursday, January 7, 2010

A Word About CYNTHIA


Ok. A few words about Cynthia. I talk to Cynthia EVERYDAY! Everyday it seems as though she is getting weaker.

Here is the deal. For the past three years Cynthia couldn’t get affordable health insurance because of two pre-existing conditions. Fast forward to Spring 2009, Cynthia started noticing something very wrong with one of her breasts. Even though she had no insurance, she was able to go to the doctors and pay cash for her visits.
From Spring 2009 until November 2009 Cynthia was going to different doctors who could not tell her what was wrong. They ran every test BUT a mammogram. I guess they assumed a mammogram would not show anything since her last mammogram a year earlier was normal.

Well, finally in November one of those doctors had the sense to run the proper tests. Unfortunately they ended up taking 30 samples from her for her biopsy. They suspect that may have aggravated it. I suspect this bothers me.

Now that she’s had two biopsies, she is in more pain everyday. If a person has cancer is it suppose to hurt like that? Michael says she groans in her sleep and that worries him. I didn’t know cancer hurt like that.
The lumpectomy is scheduled for January 15. She will miss work. The bad part about that is she’s an hourly worker. If she doesn’t work, she doesn’t get paid. In my opinion, the worse part is that she works for a major health insurance company and cannot get any discount on health insurance.

I could get in much trouble for posting this. Cynthia could possibly get into much trouble for me posting this. I’m just so angry right now. Not as angry as I was earlier today, but I am still frustrated that she is going through this. What would you do if it were you or your best friend?

When Cynthia has her surgery next week and misses work, she won’t be getting paid. So not only will she be incurring a huge debt, but she will be missing out on her paycheck. What would you do if it were you or your best friend?

Back to Cynthia. Cynthia is usually VIBRANT, vivacious, upbeat, positive, and on top of everything. It takes a huge toll on me to see her pain increase everyday and her energy fade as a result.
Cynthia would do anything to help anyone. She is giving and generous and funny and loving.

Cynthia wants visitor to her blog to know that appreciates all of your support and words of kindness. When I read the comments to her tonight, she was too weak to pull out her laptop to read or reply. She told me that she really does appreciate all of your support. I believe when she gets a chance she will write an appreciation/thank you entry to all of you.

Please continue to pray for her and her family. I appreciate that as well.

~~Namaste

Keala Is Researching


Just thought you should know I am looking for resources to help my Cynthia.
Here is a list of sites I've found so far:

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

D Day is January 15, 2010


Cynthia has been in a lot of pain lately. I don’t like seeing her in pain. I am very uneasy knowing that she is feeling pain in the spot that supposedly has the cancer. It really does bother me. I think about it often and wish I could make all of it go away.
Her lumpectomy is January 15. I’ve been looking at google images of lumpectomies and they are not pretty. I guess the alternative is worse. The problem I have is that the lumpectomy is not considered treatment in her case. Her doctor is doing this to analyze the mass better. WHATEVA. I just want them to get it over with already. The waiting is hard.
I spent some time with Cynthia today. She is afraid. I wish I could do more for her. I wish I could make it all go away. I wish I could get more people to visit her site and offer support. I wish I wish I wish.
Well, God Bless Cynthia Renee Burt. I pray for healing for her and a full recovery.