GIVING BACK

 

MY FIRST WALK FOR BREAST CANCER

 

I joined the American Cancer Society for their "Making Strides" walk for breast cancer in Santa Monica (5k) this past Saturday. I went by myself and donated $100. I met other survivors and friends/family of survivors. I was hugged, randomly :) and had a great time! What better view than the one to be had along the Santa Monica beaches? The sun was shining, people playing beach volleyball while others were playing roller hockey in the parking lot and lots of people jogging and riding bikes as we became a sea of pink swarming along the oceanfront. I felt good and finished in the front of the pack. :)

 

I was interviewed by a very sweet young woman, Kelly, for her CSU project. She filmed me as she asked questions and then hugged me and told me I was an inspiration.

 

I don't know what the numbers are for the event; people attended, money collected, etc. I know that one group contributed $70,000! Amazing!

 

 

I am jogging 3 to 4 times a week, now and doing well! I am so proud of myself! I can jog the entire path that I mapped out for myself. I don't stop. Yesterday, I, even, made it up the small hill on Wylie Canyon (where it connects to Calgrove). I feel that I need to master this loop before going to a longer distance but, I have the extra miles, already, mapped out. I feel good when I am jogging (no more crying from pain) and I feel great when I am done!

 

I have sugar cravings like I have never had before!! I don't know where it is coming from or why. I'll as the nurses and Dr. Glaspy about it when I see him on Thursday. The cravings are unbelievably strong!

 

Yesterday, after church, Natalia suggested we go to the Grove for lunch. I was tired and had school work due but, from past experiences, I know Natalia's suggestions turn out to be something great! I don't know how to illustrate the awesome relationship we have. I wish I could share her Snapchat stories - for me, as well as, everyone else to see. We have a great relationship that includes loving, learning and laughing. The 3 most important aspects of being a mom. Natalia is a wonderful person; she's mature, intelligent, respectful, caring and has a great wit! I love spending time with her and am sad as she breaks away more and more to her independence. But, that's the life cycle, right?

 

I was upset a couple of nights ago because Joe has been standoffish lately (no more than usual but he had warmed up a bit). He explained that he is distracted by work and trying to master the stock market, family issues, and my health. He doesn't want to be intimate because it will make me "sick". I told him he either has someone else or he is, just, repulsed by me. He said, neither. The following day I apologized to him for having the discussion and told him I understood why he didn't want to be close to me - it must be very difficult for someone like him to love me the way I am, now.

 

I finished the last class with a D. Yes, a D. The instructor refused to grade my late assignment and gave me a zero. Wanda Fernandopulle is her name I am hopeful that she will be removed. She is tarnishing the, otherwise, awesome image of Ashford University Online studies. Several of the students have reported her for a variety of issues. For instance; she told the class to submit their final project (20 points) via the 'dropbox'  not 'waypoint' and if we failed to submit to the correct location we would receive a 'zero' (she like giving zeros). She advised us to contact our tech team if we had problems with the dropbox. I noticed that I didn't have a dropbox so, I contacted tech via instant messaging and was advised to tell the instructor that she didn't order the dropbox for students, therefore, it isn't possible for us to use it. I copied the thread and sent it to the class and the instructor. She, immediately, sent an email out saying that we were to submit our final via 'waypoint' as 'we always had' - as if she never said the work dropbox! LOL Al Gore wannabe (although, his word was 'lockbox'). She low-balled my final and I passed with a D. It's going to take some work to build my GPA back up from that one D.

 

Well, I'm off to jog :)