She who inspires!

Malisa of Moonlight Hollow and The Renaissance Chick honored me with the Renee Award. 

This award is presented in honor of Renee, not the JunkQueen but a woman fighting stage 4 breast cancer. It was created by Renee's friends Bella and Ces, to be given to people who inspire us, who help us grow into who we are today and will be tomorrow. 

Here's what they have to say about their friend:

"Renee is one human being who has made such a difference in the lives of many just by being. Her honesty, wit, intelligence, and grit are a tremendous source of inspiration. She can elicit raucous laughter and guffaws in her banter, and then turn right around and offer the most heartfelt, gentle words of wisdom and emotional support. She is a spreader of love, simple and true. And her love is infectious."

Now I'm suppose to turn around and present this award to eight blogging friends who have inspired me. Instead, I'm awarding eight of these awards to my own sister!

Or fifty of them. Or maybe a hundred of them. She deserves them all! 

Sis has stage 4 ovarian cancer. She's had it off and on (mostly on) for TWELVE YEARS. This Friday she will once again stick her hands and feet into ice for three hours as a potent poison drips into her body. 

If I haven't lost count, this is the seventh type of chemo Sis has received, plus radiation and multiple surgeries. Yet I've never talked to her when she was down. Throwing up, yes. In bed so weak she couldn't lift a book, yes. But feeling sorry for herself? Never. In a bad mood? Never.

Sis is a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who is battling a disease that scientists are slowly conquering. In ten years, she feels woman will have more options against all types of cancers.

But that's in ten years. Sis, though, is determined to be around to see that happen, to watch her grandchildren graduate and marry and become mothers themselves. 

I told her once that I admired her. She replied "Why? It's not like I have a choice."

But she does have a choice. In her circumstances, she could be a grumpy, bitchy, and demoralized human being. Instead, she's a joy and an inspiration to be around.

I love ya, Sis!

Me on the left and Sis on the right,

when my hair had color

and...well...when she still had hair!

Don't bother sending my computer a card!

My laptop’s been in ICU at the local hospital. It wasn’t visiting either. It was sick!

Luckily for me, the ICU is located at IT Guy’s office down the hall at our house so I could visit my computer often, monitor its care and feeding, and take it heart-shaped lollipops for Valentine’s Day.

It’s now back in my writing area where it belongs, which makes me so happy and makes IT Guy happy as well. I’m off of his computer, for one thing, and out of his office for another.

The dogs are happier too because they both like to sit beside me or on me when I post, sometimes even trying a little typing themselves, and they can't do that when I'm on his computer. I think I’ll rename my little doggies Typo and Miss Print.

My sis is out of MD Anderson as well and back home in Denver where she belongs, which makes her and her IT Guy (yes, he’s a computer doctor too) happy as well. She had good news and bad news this trip, plus a new course of chemo to occupy her time.

I’m sure she wishes she had a different hobby, one of her own choosing, instead of this one which consists of fighting Ovarian Cancer for twelve years now.

On the way to drop Sis off at Bush Intercontinental yesterday (a two hour drive one way), we stopped by the Junkin’ Yaya’s in Houston.

Oh my, oh my, oh my. What a grand woman and studio! If you haven’t been there (and some of you that should have stopped by there, haven’t, if you know who I mean, Theresa! I was forced at gunpoint by the Yaya to say this, T.), do make an appointment and stop by to have a look-see at Debi’s new shop! Wonderful stuff in that there place!

Before we hurried home to Bryan where the dogs were crossing their legs to keep from wetting something, we stopped for some BC Powder, or legal cocaine as IT Guy calls it, for a headache. Upon backing out of the parking place, IT Guy almost ran over a street walker.

I knew she was a street walker because of the height of her hair, her tight gaudy clothing, and a complete lack of underwear. With one quick glance we were able to see where her appendix had been removed, various vaccination locations, large love handles (which obviously come in handy during working hours), and three hickies.

I wish I could say I saw this near accident coming but I didn’t. She carelessly arose from out of nowhere. Luckily for her and her clients, It Guy was quick on the brakes and she was a nimble thing, jumping out of the way with a pirouette that would have done her pimp or madam proud.

But even if I had seen her abrupt appearance forthcoming, I probably wouldn’t have said anything. I hadn’t gotten IT Guy anything for Valentine’s Day and letting him practice his former fire-fighting and first responder skills on this gal was a freebee gift I just wouldn’t have able to pass up.