It is a compact
Has surround around windows
It’s top speed is… 15MPH
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
New "CAR"
Living here in Thailand and having Ron work for Coca Cola has its perks, like having a driver; except that I only have a few talents, one of which is driving. I would never want it to be said that I don’t practice my God given talent – so I had to get a “CAR”
It is a compact
It is electric!
It is a compact
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
20 Years Ago
Twenty years ago I was in St. Francis Hospital holding a new baby girl, Laura Irene. Since that day she has been a source of pure JOY! As I have watched, taught, held, mothered and love Laura over the past twenty years I marvel at how much I have grown. She is the peacemaker in our family, she is the one that never asks for anything so it is easy to want to give her things but I have learned that what Laura really wants is time...time with me. Having her living here with us in Thailand the last four months have been a great blessing to me. She has been my traveling companion, my decorating advisor, my navigational compass, my personal assistant and most importantly my friend.
Happy Birthday Laura!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
SURVIVOR
Survivor…
Ten years ago this month (October 2000) I was chosen to play a tough game, Survivor. It was a little surprising that my name came up to play as I never even submitted an entry form. Nevertheless, I received a phone call, on September 4th 2000 informing me that my number came up, I was going to have the chance to play – CANCER SURVIVOR!!
As with any reality game, one must be selected based on certain criteria like; history in family, smoking, lack of exercise, not nursing your babies, and overweight. I fortunately meet none of the criteria but that didn’t’ matter when one is playing the BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR game. My name was called and I was in the game, like it or not. At first it was a mind numbing feeling and I kept asking why was I chosen for this? A few weeks after the initial call I was put into the game with meeting the “TEAM” of doctors who would help me win the game.
My first challenge was to tell my family. I remember sitting the children down, Audrey 16, David 13, Laura 9 and John 5 and trying to explain to them what was wrong with Mommy. Once I said the word ‘CANCER” the kids faces hung and tears flowed. Each child reacted in a different way. Audrey took charge and held John, David said that he would always be my sunshine boy and make me smile even when it got hard and Laura just got quiet. Laura’s concept of CANCER was a death sentence – so she had already went to the end of the game. I explained to her and have used the same phrase often over the years with all my children for other trials, “What is the worst that can happen?” Laura answered, “You will die” – to which I replied, “ maybe but I will be in Heaven and I can’t think of a better place to end up” – She understood that Heaven is a beautiful place where God is and God is good, kind and loving so all would be okay. My fist challenge was hard, but I SURVIVED.
No sooner did I complete the first challenge did the next one come, “TEAM PINK” had decided that surgery, lymph node dissection, 8 weeks of radiation followed by 6 months of Chemo therapy would be how the game was to be played. Why couldn’t I have been stranded in the Outback , like my favorite Survivor Episode? I would have gladly taken on the bugs, dirt and possibility of being voted out then to have had the game I was getting set to play.
I was physically fit going into surgery, but that didn’t matter – what was supposed to be an outpatient process turned into a three day hospital stay due to a challenge with the anesthesia and medications that they gave me. Turned out that I was so healthy I didn’t need as much as the “Normal” person and I had a adverse reaction. But, I passed that challenge and moved on to the next. Missing a big part of one’s body – can make one feel a little shy and uncomfortable but I just jump right in, to the pool that is. I begun to swim to improve my muscles in my arm, I needed full extension and rotation – so as soon as I was able I jumped. I received immunity from ‘TEAM PINK” and took the month of October off, which was National Breast Cancer Awareness month – so “GO PINK”
November and December brought the challenge of Radiation. Talk about being out in the elements – My skin was burned in a place that had never even seen the SUN – and I didn’t even get to enjoy the SUN, beach or a book. It was a big sterile room with a large X-Ray gun pointed at my chest! No sand, surf or suntan lotion. The other challenging fact was that my home life was a little crazy. I had lost my ability to be independent. Radiation makes one extremely tired, Ron was working and traveling for Washington Mutual (Killed by the feds in 2008), Audrey was in High school, David was in middle school, Laura was being bused to a school across town and John had just started kindergarten. I was the person who always was helping others, I had a real hard time asking for help. But, sometimes you have to create alliances’ with others in order to stay in the game. So, I learned to reach out, ask for help not just from my family but from friends also and much to my surprise they were willing to help me play the game and were praying that I would WIN!
During the last weeks of December I was granted immunity again by “TEAM PINK”. It was nice to be home and spend the holidays with the family. I tried to put on a good show, but I knew what challenge was coming and it weighted heavy on my mind that Christmas. I received some welcomed council from an Elder in my church. He told me that I would live to see my children raised to maturity and that was the hope that filled my heart as I entered into the next phase of the SURVIVIOR GAME!
I don’t think that if anyone was offered a challenge they would pick – Chemotherapy treatments! They are just plain HARD! Between the “HORSE” pills that I had to swallow, the injections, the implantation of a port catheter, the nausea and vomiting (the toilet bowl became my constant friend) and the out of control feeling – it was definitely a challenge that stretched me far beyond what I thought my limits were. This was the longest challenge, six very long months. I was not left alone, although my family and close friends were there to help pick up the pieces of everyday physical life – the real challenge was mental. I can remember just holding the tablets in my hands knowing I had to take them knowing that they were going to make me sick. With tears streaming down my face I would pick up a glass of water and swallow! For six months, Jan through June, I took pills with tears flowing, had injection with tears flowing and tried to cover up the tear stains with laughter. I would put on a smile and try hard to keep being a mom and teacher. Most days, especially as the months wore on, I would find myself in bed at least 2-3 weeks of the month. It was an exhausting treatment, especially for one so active.
In July 2001 my treatments were finished and so were my challenges in this SURVIVOR game, so I thought! Little did I know that the biggest challenge was still ahead of me. I found out that I was allergic to 2 of the drugs used to help prevent a reoccurrence- and that is when the biggest challenge started. I had to explain to my doctors that I was DONE with treatments; it was hard to be an advocate for oneself. Going against the advice of doctors to try more drugs for prevention was to them just plain crazy, yet I knew that it was the right decision for me. I need to get on with my life, I need to believe that I was a survivor and move on. So in September of 2001 exactly one year from my surgery I had my last visit with my oncologist and doctors. I was on my own. The big challenge now was to try to get my life back, which was mentally hard. For a whole year the doctors had control over me and it was difficult to remember who I was, for I was not the same young woman and yet I hadn’t had the time to figure who Heidi Gailey was now.
I am proud to say that now after a TEN years, a lot of self discovery and introspection I found myself, a SURVIVOR of cancer – but more importantly a better person then I was ten years ago. Cancer was a blessing in my life, I learned what is important and what is not. I learned to LOVE much and fear LITTLE. I am proud to be a SURVIVOR and would like to this month to thank everyone who has touched my life – you are important, you matter and I am grateful for you.
To all the other Breast Cancer Survivors – I like “TEAM PINK” –Lets hang out next October.
Ten years ago this month (October 2000) I was chosen to play a tough game, Survivor. It was a little surprising that my name came up to play as I never even submitted an entry form. Nevertheless, I received a phone call, on September 4th 2000 informing me that my number came up, I was going to have the chance to play – CANCER SURVIVOR!!
As with any reality game, one must be selected based on certain criteria like; history in family, smoking, lack of exercise, not nursing your babies, and overweight. I fortunately meet none of the criteria but that didn’t’ matter when one is playing the BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR game. My name was called and I was in the game, like it or not. At first it was a mind numbing feeling and I kept asking why was I chosen for this? A few weeks after the initial call I was put into the game with meeting the “TEAM” of doctors who would help me win the game.
My first challenge was to tell my family. I remember sitting the children down, Audrey 16, David 13, Laura 9 and John 5 and trying to explain to them what was wrong with Mommy. Once I said the word ‘CANCER” the kids faces hung and tears flowed. Each child reacted in a different way. Audrey took charge and held John, David said that he would always be my sunshine boy and make me smile even when it got hard and Laura just got quiet. Laura’s concept of CANCER was a death sentence – so she had already went to the end of the game. I explained to her and have used the same phrase often over the years with all my children for other trials, “What is the worst that can happen?” Laura answered, “You will die” – to which I replied, “ maybe but I will be in Heaven and I can’t think of a better place to end up” – She understood that Heaven is a beautiful place where God is and God is good, kind and loving so all would be okay. My fist challenge was hard, but I SURVIVED.
No sooner did I complete the first challenge did the next one come, “TEAM PINK” had decided that surgery, lymph node dissection, 8 weeks of radiation followed by 6 months of Chemo therapy would be how the game was to be played. Why couldn’t I have been stranded in the Outback , like my favorite Survivor Episode? I would have gladly taken on the bugs, dirt and possibility of being voted out then to have had the game I was getting set to play.
I was physically fit going into surgery, but that didn’t matter – what was supposed to be an outpatient process turned into a three day hospital stay due to a challenge with the anesthesia and medications that they gave me. Turned out that I was so healthy I didn’t need as much as the “Normal” person and I had a adverse reaction. But, I passed that challenge and moved on to the next. Missing a big part of one’s body – can make one feel a little shy and uncomfortable but I just jump right in, to the pool that is. I begun to swim to improve my muscles in my arm, I needed full extension and rotation – so as soon as I was able I jumped. I received immunity from ‘TEAM PINK” and took the month of October off, which was National Breast Cancer Awareness month – so “GO PINK”
November and December brought the challenge of Radiation. Talk about being out in the elements – My skin was burned in a place that had never even seen the SUN – and I didn’t even get to enjoy the SUN, beach or a book. It was a big sterile room with a large X-Ray gun pointed at my chest! No sand, surf or suntan lotion. The other challenging fact was that my home life was a little crazy. I had lost my ability to be independent. Radiation makes one extremely tired, Ron was working and traveling for Washington Mutual (Killed by the feds in 2008), Audrey was in High school, David was in middle school, Laura was being bused to a school across town and John had just started kindergarten. I was the person who always was helping others, I had a real hard time asking for help. But, sometimes you have to create alliances’ with others in order to stay in the game. So, I learned to reach out, ask for help not just from my family but from friends also and much to my surprise they were willing to help me play the game and were praying that I would WIN!
During the last weeks of December I was granted immunity again by “TEAM PINK”. It was nice to be home and spend the holidays with the family. I tried to put on a good show, but I knew what challenge was coming and it weighted heavy on my mind that Christmas. I received some welcomed council from an Elder in my church. He told me that I would live to see my children raised to maturity and that was the hope that filled my heart as I entered into the next phase of the SURVIVIOR GAME!
I don’t think that if anyone was offered a challenge they would pick – Chemotherapy treatments! They are just plain HARD! Between the “HORSE” pills that I had to swallow, the injections, the implantation of a port catheter, the nausea and vomiting (the toilet bowl became my constant friend) and the out of control feeling – it was definitely a challenge that stretched me far beyond what I thought my limits were. This was the longest challenge, six very long months. I was not left alone, although my family and close friends were there to help pick up the pieces of everyday physical life – the real challenge was mental. I can remember just holding the tablets in my hands knowing I had to take them knowing that they were going to make me sick. With tears streaming down my face I would pick up a glass of water and swallow! For six months, Jan through June, I took pills with tears flowing, had injection with tears flowing and tried to cover up the tear stains with laughter. I would put on a smile and try hard to keep being a mom and teacher. Most days, especially as the months wore on, I would find myself in bed at least 2-3 weeks of the month. It was an exhausting treatment, especially for one so active.
In July 2001 my treatments were finished and so were my challenges in this SURVIVOR game, so I thought! Little did I know that the biggest challenge was still ahead of me. I found out that I was allergic to 2 of the drugs used to help prevent a reoccurrence- and that is when the biggest challenge started. I had to explain to my doctors that I was DONE with treatments; it was hard to be an advocate for oneself. Going against the advice of doctors to try more drugs for prevention was to them just plain crazy, yet I knew that it was the right decision for me. I need to get on with my life, I need to believe that I was a survivor and move on. So in September of 2001 exactly one year from my surgery I had my last visit with my oncologist and doctors. I was on my own. The big challenge now was to try to get my life back, which was mentally hard. For a whole year the doctors had control over me and it was difficult to remember who I was, for I was not the same young woman and yet I hadn’t had the time to figure who Heidi Gailey was now.
I am proud to say that now after a TEN years, a lot of self discovery and introspection I found myself, a SURVIVOR of cancer – but more importantly a better person then I was ten years ago. Cancer was a blessing in my life, I learned what is important and what is not. I learned to LOVE much and fear LITTLE. I am proud to be a SURVIVOR and would like to this month to thank everyone who has touched my life – you are important, you matter and I am grateful for you.
To all the other Breast Cancer Survivors – I like “TEAM PINK” –Lets hang out next October.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Lost and Found
When something is lost, is it really lost or just misplaced? I was thinking about "LOST" things today and also about the JOY that comes to us when the item is "FOUND".
In the eternal scheme of this life, I am grateful that there is a "LOST and FOUND"
- I have been known to say, "I have LOST my keys", which is really not true as I have just misplaced them and it is just can't remember where they are.
- Over the years I have "LOST" weight - actually I think that I have just misplaced it because I always seem to find it again!
- Many of you think I have 'LOST" my mind, but fortunately it is still safely stored in my cranium.
- Like so may others American, my vote gets "LOST" in the politics of a nation.
- I would like to say that I have never been "LOST" while driving, but I am an honest person who now owns a GPS.
- My favorite is when I am "LOST" in a book, that is when I think I find myself the most.
- The worst is when a child is "LOST" whether that is physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.
- In my 50 years I have "LOST" contact with friends and that is sad on so many levels.\
- I have "LOST" a tooth only to find that it has been replaced by a new one, unlike someone who has "LOST" an arm or a leg.
- I have not "LOST" my husband, children or parents to death, but I have "LOST" friends and other relatives.
- My faith, love and testimony in my Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ
- My belief in my religion and respect for all things that are good.
- My love of service to others, especially my family and friends
- My talent to converse with people, and even myself on occasion.
- My capacity to learn from life, even those things which are hard.
- My skill of laughing at myself - even when I am crying.
- My gift of trying always to look at the big picture.
- My desire to improve each day, to be better then the day before.
In the eternal scheme of this life, I am grateful that there is a "LOST and FOUND"
Monday, October 18, 2010
Moontrekker 2010
Dear Blog,
I am sorry that I have been ignoring you these last few days. I have a really good excuse, I have been in Hong Kong for a charity endurance competition race, called the Moontrekker. It is at night and allows some crazy hikers and the insane trail runners to compete against the minds, hearts, and legs of other Hong Kong adventurers through the sleepy Po Lam Zen Monastery in Tai Tong Tsai and leads hikers up Hong Kong second highest peak on Lantau Island, 3064 feet.
My fellow crazy hikers, Kim, Denise, Marj and I stared our adventure by taking a 30 minute boat ride to Lantau Island to start the "amazing" race. We got there with plenty of time for us to stretch and then watch the RAIN start. It rained for about an hour before the start time of 11:20PM, but then the gun went off we started hiking and the RAIN stopped. But it left the trail wet and muddy in a lot of places. Whichmade for some interesting stepping ( the cow pies didn't help either).
I have to say that it was pretty interesting hiking on a trail that you are unfamiliar with in the dead of night! Only about 700 crazy people ventured out to participate in this event. Half of them thought that it would be a good idea to run or hike the 40K route, I showed a little more brains and decided that 25K was good enough for me.
Since I had been running in Thailand, the distance was not difficult for me, the stairs were another matter altogether. We reached the start of the last section at about 6:00 AM - and in one of the pictures above you can see the SUN just getting ready to rise and we still have to climb to the top of that mountain. At this point we have been hiking for 6 1/2 hours in dead of night with an elevation gain of about 1500 feet. We now have to make an elevation climb of 1500 feet in less then 2K - that is a lot of steep stairs, which is why we called our team "STAIR CRAZY"!!
I am sorry that I have been ignoring you these last few days. I have a really good excuse, I have been in Hong Kong for a charity endurance competition race, called the Moontrekker. It is at night and allows some crazy hikers and the insane trail runners to compete against the minds, hearts, and legs of other Hong Kong adventurers through the sleepy Po Lam Zen Monastery in Tai Tong Tsai and leads hikers up Hong Kong second highest peak on Lantau Island, 3064 feet.
My fellow crazy hikers, Kim, Denise, Marj and I stared our adventure by taking a 30 minute boat ride to Lantau Island to start the "amazing" race. We got there with plenty of time for us to stretch and then watch the RAIN start. It rained for about an hour before the start time of 11:20PM, but then the gun went off we started hiking and the RAIN stopped. But it left the trail wet and muddy in a lot of places. Whichmade for some interesting stepping ( the cow pies didn't help either).
I have to say that it was pretty interesting hiking on a trail that you are unfamiliar with in the dead of night! Only about 700 crazy people ventured out to participate in this event. Half of them thought that it would be a good idea to run or hike the 40K route, I showed a little more brains and decided that 25K was good enough for me.
Since I had been running in Thailand, the distance was not difficult for me, the stairs were another matter altogether. We reached the start of the last section at about 6:00 AM - and in one of the pictures above you can see the SUN just getting ready to rise and we still have to climb to the top of that mountain. At this point we have been hiking for 6 1/2 hours in dead of night with an elevation gain of about 1500 feet. We now have to make an elevation climb of 1500 feet in less then 2K - that is a lot of steep stairs, which is why we called our team "STAIR CRAZY"!!
The views were amazing...
Once to the top we had a short 2K down the other side...it was a most "EXCELLENT ADVENTURE" and we finished...
So, Blog as you can see I had a wonderful crazy time with some pretty amazing women, thank you Kim, Denise and Marj!!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Lifes a Beach
Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a few weaknesses (notice that I said a few, some of my family might think that it is more like many) and the one that is on the top of my list is...I love a good BEACH! Growing up I spent my summers on Whidbey Island. My grandparents had a two bedroom cabin on the beach. It was built the year that I was born, so it is 50 years old too! My parents own the cabin now so I still try to spend time over there when I can. I love the sand, surf and sun. I read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, my favorite book, for the first time while sitting in the sun at the cabin when just a young teenager. In those early years I would take the dingy rowboat out, anchor it about 20 feet from the shore and sit and read with the sun shining down on me and the boat rocking me almost asleep. I loved the beach then and it hasn't changed - this weekend I rediscovered that....
LIFE IS A BEACH
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Koh Samet Weekend Trip
Welcome to another adventure in Thailand with Heidi and Laura, oh and we had to bring the boys, Ron and John, this time. It was a great two days of no work and all play. Here is a short video of our adventure. Thank you Laura for doing the "filmography". I LOVE the SUN!!
Jealous YET?
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