All posts by Sammi Jean

Excited to announce all!  I have accepted a position 2 hours north of Milwaukee as an Art Therapist/Counselor.  I’m super excited, I will be starting end of June so these next few months I get to work on packing and getting my name out there!  I’m excited to be official and to share my Marykay and jewelry in candles in my free time!!!

It feels like spring but it’s not supposed to! Here in Wisconsin, it tends to be winter from February to May. On top of that I’ve been doing night shifts so I’m all out of sorts!!

Wanted to share with you my LLS – Leukemia Lymphoma Society – Light the Night walk fundraising page.

I have joined another cancer survivor and her team for the second year in a row.  It’s an amazing night. They have food, different oncology resources set up to view, spin the wheel games to win theatre tickets, and best of all balloons of different colors to support loved ones lost, current patients and survivors.  Our teams get photos taken on stage and we all walk the park and end the night with fireworks! I definitely recommend going to one in your area or joining me if your local!!

I also want to share with you my young adult oncology groups fundraising page. We mainly want to share the page to spread the word we exist to other young adults living with cancer. If you know anyone, please share the link!  The fundraising page is for us to raise funds for events to bring us together and of course spread awareness to the local city that we are here, we have fun, and we want to share the love 🙂

https://www.crowdrise.com/youngadultoncologygr/fundraiser/yaog

Celebrate life with someone today.  Next week is my 6 year cancerversary!!  (no evidence of disease, my new life, my second chance).

Happy January! Almost February!!!  I started selling Jewelry in Candles this last week!  It’s super cool.  #soy #candles #madeinusa.  Many fun fragrances ranging from mild to intense, in wax tarts or candles and body butter!  Jewelry comes in everything!  And the scents are amazing. It’s the only type of candle that does not give my dad a headache.  I will post images about what JIC is later, if you’d like to see my Facebook page and website, here are both links:

https://www.facebook.com/shanson.candles/ – Facebook!

https://www.jewelryincandles.com/store/shanson_candles  is my store link!

I am doing fundraising with my local oncology group, we have a CrowdRise page to help raise funds for events! It’s super fun, I had originally been planning a big event until I found out we weren’t able to get funds for seed money :(.  We have a panel at the local hospital next week where a few of us will be talking about camps like #campmakadream and #firstdescents and #stupidcancer!

I went back to the doctor because I still have this nasty cough. I was freaking out about finding nodules on my chart thing that were never explained to me, but she set me straight.  However, she wants me to lose 30 lbs. in 6 months, see a nutritionist and obesity clinic, but I can’t even see them until March, and she wants me down 15 lbs. by our April follow up.  So, if you’re a nutritionist out there and willing to do a phone consult, please email me!!! hansonsj24@gmail.com

2015 was an interesting year.  I had health problems which sucked (still no reason as to why or how but I seem to be stable at the moment for my unknown but severe acid reflux) but I was able to travel the country! I went to Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota and out to Canada for an annual fishing trip!  I learned to kayak, I met many other young adult cancer survivors and attended camp where I rock climbed, and zip lined! Amazing!!! I’ve got lots of anxiety, so to do these things without giving up because of fear was awesome!  Lately I’ve been getting involved with my local oncology group for fundraising which is pretty exciting.  I crocheted a bowser for my nephews Christmas present, and I’ve been trying to do more coloring and painting.  This weekend the nephews are over and we’re having good times playing in the snow, board games, playing pool and watching movies!   I also received my certificate for “art therapist registered ” and “licensed professional counselor”!!!!!! Woohoo!!

OMG all, I am Super excited!!!!! This week I received my ATR and LPC certificates!!!! (Art Therapist Registered and Licensed Professional Counselor.)  This means I can officially see clients privately, as opposed to going through a facility. I can also bill for services under LPC at facilities!  I have waited years to become “official” and now I am!!! I am in the process of creating a website for services to those interested. In the meantime, if I have not shared this before, I do have my Art Therapy Information station business page on Facebook in which I list different articles on mental health and art therapy.  Feel free to ask questions about what art therapy or topics you want me to find articles about and I’d be glad to share!  If you’d like to contact me personally either go through this blog or Facebook 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/shanson.ATPY/

My summer of adventures is behind me 🙁 I miss my #firstdescents group and my #campmakadream people!  It was scary but super exciting to travel across the country to hang out with complete strangers knowing we’d have to talk about our histories of cancer in between fun new thrilling activities.  I have lost two of my new friends since camp in June, may they rest in peace pain free with no more oncology visits in their futures.  Since starting these adventures, I have found a bunch of new adventures!!! I will post my list of young adult cancer survivor groups when I complete it, otherwise www.stupidcancer.org has a nationwide list of camps for children, young adults, adults, and families sorted by state.

For anyone interested in skincare, cosmetics, fragrances and more I will be hosting an in person/online open house the week before Thanksgiving!  Time to prepare for Christmas all 🙂 I have past limited-edition products which I will have discounted, new limited edition and winter products!  It’s super exciting!!!!! Our new apple and pear lotion lip balm combo smells amazing.  And our new cityscape perfume is super fine!
https://www.facebook.com/events/448603838656875/

In November if you have heard of the Trees of Hope Wisconsin fundraiser, I am donating a Mary Kay tree!  You could be the lucky winner if you go and bid on November 21st while enjoying the banquet and other activities being held to support the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. I will post photos and more when I have them available!
https://www.facebook.com/TreesofHopeWI/?fref=ts

I am also considering starting jamberry. I was considering starting paparazzi ($5 jewelry) but then I realized I break out with jewelry, and I would have to wear it to market sell it as a consultant. Which I’d love to do! Except my sensitive skin does not work.  Jamberry is a type of vinyl nail that sticks onto your nails with heat and pressure!  OMG amazing.  So addicted now, taking time to enjoy using them before I decide if I want to sell them (but if you’d be interested in buying from me, just let me know!)

– was not to excited about those rocks, and now I have the bruises as proof I did it.  First big crashing wave I was down for the count, but I learned quickly! Don’t stop paddling and lean into the scariness.

Day 6. Final day, was awesome but sad. Started out bright and early to the big or level 3 rapids. I got squashed at the first turn. But I was then given the option to stay in my kayak or sit in one of the ducky boats (big inflatable kayak) with a camp mom or myself or a fellow participant, or the big giant Cleopatra float. I chose to sit with a fellow participant, and after a few minor communication issues we had it down! Was awesome riding the waves, still got hit cause there were 6 footers, but not near like when I was in the tiny kayak. We lunched on a giant rock/sandy area in between rapids, and then continued on through the big kahuna and the graduation rapid. We each went one by one down our own rapid with no assistance (but the guides were about every 20 feet alongside it just in case) and we all rocked it! (Including us in the double, which those big ones are not easy to maneuver, can’t use our hip power, it’s all upper body strength. I now have arms of steel). After rafting we had to hike up a partial mountain to the vans, had a dance party in the lot and came back to camp for relax time. We wrote thank you cards to anonymous donors, packed up and added each other on Facebook. During bonfire time we gave away our awards and did some traditions. One was tying a string around each other’s wrist to help keep the good spirits with us during our travels and give kind words from our week to the one receiving the string. Then we went across camp to a kayak next to candles in cups and each put a candle in the kayak filled with water for ones we have lost. We said goodbyes to each other after moments of silence and then went back to lodge for a slideshow from our photographer, who is amazing! We celebrated a few birthdays happening this week for dessert and then headed to bed to finish packing and sleep. Flight out is early afternoon tomorrow, arrive sometime at night.

This week was amazing, made a new family with my wolfpack, delivered luggage to our local friend and will be visiting her later this week, and learned to kayak in Wyoming!!!!! How awesome is that?  If you’re in the Milwaukee area Midwest, and kayak comment here 🙂 I heard kayakers are a rare breed.

As for my health. I’m sick of docs. I saw a specialist last week before I left and have a probe test this Tuesday to check my acid reflux. Little probe down my nose and throat for 24 hours >.<  ick. If this cough wasn’t so nasty with flehm and vomiting I would say screw it, but it’s been going on for months :(.  I will keep you updated!

Ahhhh. So, I have had this cough, which after I went to Montana and after my Minnesota national art therapy conference, got really bad. Like OMG I’m throwing up a throat bad (not lung, my throat) which really started to creep me out.  I took the first available doctor I could get, she listened to my lungs, checked my nose and ears, and on my request took a lung x-ray (side and back view). Besides the cough I felt ok, and the cough itself wasn’t all phlegmy like I’m used to, over all just dry. The doctor stated that the x-ray was clear, and she was 99 % sure it was acid reflux (which made sense with my history, have had scope tests done for an irritated stomach and during chemo I obviously had a lot of vomiting which affected my throat not so good). She prescribed antibiotics just in case it was bronchitis because I did have a bout of that during school out East (and apparently once you start getting it your susceptible).

The antibiotics helped a bit, cough wasn’t so bad but still consistently throughout the day and worse after meals. After that ended, I started on my infamous ant-acid pills, which over the course of the week did not seem to make a difference so I got back into the doctor this week (my own doc/physician’s assistant because the initial one was on vacation) my doctor asked me what I was told. I repeated the above and she went into the x-ray notes/radiologist and said no, you were diagnosed with pneumonia!  She ordered a new set of x-rays, listened and so on so forth.  Sure, enough she showed me the before and after x-rays and I had a hazy spot on the upper right lung.  Get this, there was even a bright red oval around the hazy spot on the initial x-ray stating there was something there!  (was told it was clear) the new x-ray was less hazy, much smaller area, but I was obviously still having issues.  Was given new antibiotics, a new ant-acid pill and prednisone to help with the coughing because all the normal over the counter stuff did not help.

I was warned the prednisone would make me shaky and all energetic wooooo!  And that the antibiotics should help.  I did not agree that it would, but I was willing to try anything at this point.  (work with very anxious young ladies who do not like seeing sick staff around every day).  OMG by that afternoon yes, I noticed I had the shakes, but I have never had more energy!!!!!!! I didn’t yawn once!!!!!!  I also noticed I didn’t cough more then maybe 5 times all afternoon.  I felt almost human, granted my memory was sucking so horribly it reminded me of chemo brain but thankfully my coworkers did not give up on me and were helpful with that part even though I asked one like 15 times about medication questions and she had to keep repeating she wasn’t med certified and so on so forth. And then I completely blanked out as to where one resident was for 3 hours until same staff helped prompted my memory and it came back to me. Luckily today I’m a swing shift so I don’t have to be in control of the medication keys, just kind of have to hang out and help keep things going smooth. (residential unit for mood disorder).

But don’t you just love when one doctor tells you one thing, completely disregarding the big red oval marking the hazy area?  Yay for paying for double the x-rays.

Super excited y’all!  I received my travel information the other day for my first descents kayaking trip in Wyoming!    (FD is another young adult survivor program- adventure program, they have surfing, rock climbing, ice climbing and kayaking throughout the country and some international for young adults and adults over 40 – free to cancer survivors, first timers like me can get full travel scholarships based on need)

I am super excited for this kayaking trip, granted Montana was amazing in itself. I met many wonderful people and I feel like their motto “come to camp, it could change your life” is true on many levels.  Knowing that I can do things like rock climb again and be active is amazing!  I was feeling so worthless because my exhaustion was getting to me, and I felt no one understood.  Montana was a week of self-care and realizing that its ok to take my nap and to take a day in between. Other people don’t understand because they haven’t experienced (and I hope you never have to go through chemo or radiation) and being around others who have really opened my eyes. I don’t feel alone anymore. I know I wasn’t before, but to have met people who had a similar situation and to see the side effects and hear their stories made it seem real.  Made me feel not so different. I’ve always felt different because I was “a sick child”, and “different sense of humor ” – the list goes on. And then I went through chemo. – like really, what next???  lol.  I can laugh now.  But now I’ve seen what I’ve felt in others and knowing we can commiserate together makes things easier, and easier to like myself on days when I’m totally exhausted, I can’t get off the couch to do more than change the channel and use the restroom.

Kayaking though – WOW I never thought I’d make it back to Wyoming (family trip to yellow stone when I was like 7) but to go kayaking?? And with fellow cancer survivors?  I’m excited to meet this new group of individuals, but also to learn kayaking. They said they treat everyone as if they have never seen a kayak outside of the TV. (they do have more advanced groups that people can join after their first year or if they have experience prior to the first camp).

I was very nervous about going to the first group though.  “Will it put ideas in my head? ” – it did sort of but in a good way- made me aware of follow up tests I should consider from the chemo/side effects. Like I am freaking nervous about the idea of relapse even though my doc said I have a very, very, very, small chance. But I never thought about getting chest x-rays or heart stress tests and some of the chemo side effects could be damaging those areas and that’s one way to monitor.

Will it be sad the entire time? – it had its moments. We had “campfire chats” like twice in the week where we specifically talked about something that we needed to vent about or to share stories from the “older survivors” to the “young survivors ” – or like 5-year remission compared to 1 year remission.  Other times, we talked about it freelance. Like, while waiting for rock climbing some of us talked about being exhausted and not sure if we could do it and the tiredness, we shared experiences of that and how it sucks and what we do to bypass it. (positive talk), the first night a couple of us sat around the hot tub and talked about what type we had and how long our treatment was and how we all need to start working out again because we’ve gotten exhausted and too tired to exercise.  Plans for the future and where we want to be next summer when we meet again.   There was a ceremony that celebrated life of those who passed between camp due to relapsing.  It brought up the idea of who chooses for me.  Who chooses who lives and who dies?  I was able to bring this up to others and find out what they thought.  Some go off of, when it’s their time, it’s their time. (but again, who chooses?) Others didn’t want to think of “who chooses ” and stated, it just happens. Sucks but it happens.  Luck of the draw?  IDK, I think it’s something I’m going to have to ignore and move on, because I don’t even want to think that there is someone or something that says, ok this father of 3 is going to die and this girl of 18 is going to live. Next!

Will I be able to do anything??? What if I’m too tired?  – I was so scared of this, I even asked on the phone to the kayaking place what would happen if I couldn’t participate.   I ended up being so energized from people around me, that I did not need too many naps.  Eventually I did pick and choose which workshops/activities I wanted to do and did take afternoon naps (the week felt longer than a week) but I was able to participate in almost everything I wanted to do mostly because the energy was addicting!

Before kayaking though, I’m going to Canada with dad for our yearly fishing trip. Yay!  Then 3 or 4 days later I fly out to Wyoming 🙂 (have it in my date book so I won’t mistake that lol)

My Warm Fuzzies Bag

Amazing Sunset