Merry Christmas

Hello Everyone,

Before the week gets to much busier with Christmas just a few days away, I want to take a minute and wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!!!!!

I also want to thank everyone who has followed my blog and my journey with breast cancer. Things are getting to a point and have been for a little while that there is not much to report. This is a good thing :)

December 18th was one year since I totally completed cancer treatment. I am cancer free, but still suffer from fatigue and some lower back/pelvic pain. I am very, very thankful to have made it through all of this as a Survivor!!!!

I will keep this blog up for a while but I probably won't post much unless something new comes up, but we'll hope it does not!!!

Please feel free to email me if you ever want to and you can always check my photo blog for current stuff I'm working on. Here is a link for easy access if you are interested Wild Spirit Photo

Again, thank you all and God Bless,
Wendy

Photos of my Granddaughter-Paige

Hello Everyone,

There is not much to report as far as my health goes. I see the doctor in a couple of weeks and have some test scheduled. I'll let you know how that all turns out, closer to the end of the month. I was just thinking and realized that next month on Dec 18th, it will be a whole year since I finished all my cancer treatment. WOW, it's amazing how fast time flies!!!!

The below photos are one of the many reasons I am so grateful for being a cancer survivor and also for finishing up my treatment when I did.

My granddaughter Paige . . .

I took some photos of my granddaughter last week and want to share them with you all. She is the cutest, sweetest thing and I just love her soooo much.

Whenever I would get the camera out and take photos of her she would get real serious and not smile or anything. Well, that all changed last week and I'm so glad it did. She was actually quite the ham and seemed to have a real good time!!!

These first photos are before she started smiling for the camera. She is wearing her bunny outfit for Halloween.

You can click on an image to view a larger version of it, then just click your "back" button to return to this page.

Quite the little Model :)

Sitting up with a little help

I think she's ready to be done with photos!!!

The next day, this is when she started smiling and making all kinds of goofy faces for the camera!!!!

These are a little serious
I love the bottom one!!

The below collage shows the many silly faces
she was making for me. She was all messy from
eating her cereal and seemed to love it!!

More smiles and funny faces!!!

What beautiful eyes she has!!!

Keep Smilin'
Wendy

I'm going to have money to donate!!!!

Hi Everyone,

As I previously mentioned I will be donating a percent of net profit sales from my photo business for the month of October, since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Although the month is not over yet, I am happy to report that I have been getting orders from my photo business and I'm calculating the figures and will be making a donation on or around November 1st!!!!

Once the final numbers are in, I will post the info on here. I know it won't be a huge amount, but I'm very excited to donate whatever I am able and I realize that even small donations add up and can make a difference!!!

Well, I better get going . . . . I have some more orders to work on. For any Draft Show people who have placed orders this month, making it possible for me to make a donation, I Thank You!!!

Remember, anyone can go to my Passionately Pink for the Cure page and make a donation!!!! The link to my page is in my previous post. If you have any questions, please just ask!!!

I may write again before the end of the month but in case I don't, I want to wish everyone a fun and safe Halloween!!!

The below image is one I took many, many years ago when my children were small.

Keep Smilin'
Wendy

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Hi Everyone,

October is a huge month for breast cancer as it's the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Although fund raising occurs throughout the year, there is a huge push during the month of October.

Again this year I have joined the Passionately Pink for the Cure program in hopes of helping to raise money for breast cancer research.

You all know how important this is to me. I can't imagine where I'd be today if it were not for all the donations people have made in the past, that have made incredible improvements in the testing, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Therefore I feel it only right that I do my part to help others in any way I can. The donations we make will help fund research that could save more lives and possibly find a cure for this horrid disease that effects more people than most of us realize.

I will be donating 10% of profits from all sales from my website Wild Spirit Photo during the month of October 2009!!! If you are not interested or able to make a purchase, you can simply make a donation yourself!!!

Here is a link to my Passionately Pink for the Cure Personal Fund Raising Page. There you can make a donation, learn more about the program, etc.

If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to ask!!!

Thank you and
Keep Smilin'

Wendy

Quick Update

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry, I realize now that I said I'd write and let you know how things went at the hospital regarding my kidney infection.

I ended up going back a total of 3 times for antibiotics. The first 2 were through an IV and the 3rd one I opted for a shot in the hip. It was supposed to be a much quicker treatment, getting me out of there sooner, but it didn't end up that way. One thing about the ER is that you never want to be in a hurry when you go there!!!!!!!!!!

Thank goodness that within a couple days after the last treatment I was feeling much better. I saw my regular doctor on Monday to get my urine re-tested to make sure the infection was gone, as recommended by the hospital. The infection is gone but he said I still have some blood in my urine and it may just be the tail end of the infection but he wants me to get it checked at the lab next week where they can do a more thorough testing on it.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Sandpoint, ID for the big North Idaho Draft Horse and Mule International Show. I've been their photographer for several years, except last year when I was going through treatment. I committed to this years show much earlier this year when I thought I'd surly be feeling a whole lot better by now where the fatigue and weakness is concerned. This is a 3 1/2 day show with 2 of the days being about 14 1/2 hours long!!!!!!!!!! I'm already exhausted just trying to get ready for it!! I keep telling myself . . . I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!!!!! Wish me luck.

If I get a chance I'll post while I'm up there and let you know how it's going, but if not, I'll post for sure once I've recovered from the show and post a couple pictures too.

Oh, speaking of pictures, I just did some new one's of my granddaughter Paige so I will leave you with a collage I did with some of those photos. Hope you enjoy!!

Keep Smilin'
Wendy

Been Sick with a Kidney Infection

Hello Everyone,

Boy has it been a rough week!!! Last Sunday I felt the first signs of a urinary tract infection . . .burning when I went to the bathroom. It only happened once and then went away. Monday it happened a couple of times and then stopped again. I called to make an appointment with my doctor but he only had one opening and was at the same time I was supposed to be at my oncologist.

Tuesday morning I was feeling pretty bad so I canceled my oncologist appointment and went to the immediate care center for my bladder. At this time the only symptom I had was burning when I went and needing to go A LOT!!! I got a prescription for antibiotics and was on my way.

By Thursday afternoon I was feeling worse, much worse. Now my bladder and kidney were hurting and having muscle spasms every 5-6 seconds. I went back to the doctor and he changed my medicine saying what I was taking obviously wasn't working. By this time I was feeling really, really bad and it hurt to even walk!! The doctor said he was going to send some of my urine in for a culture.

By Saturday afternoon I was even worse!!!! I felt so awful and it felt like my kidney was going to explode, it hurt so bad. I had my hubby take me to the Emergency Room at the hospital. They hooked me up to some liquids, did some blood test and were able to look up the results of my urine culture the other doctor had sent in. Ends up I have a type of kidney infection that is resistant to 3 different antibiotics, 2 of which I'd already been given. So they put in an IV and gave me a different antibiotic through the IV and wrote me a new prescription for pills that should work this time.

The doctor mentioned me staying the night at the hospital and the look on my face must not have been a good one, so then he said OR you can come back tomorrow for another IV antibiotic. I said I'd come back 'cuz, I did not want to stay the night there. While I was a the hospital my temperature spiked to 103.6

Well I went in yesterday for my 2nd dose of IV antibiotics and because I wasn't much better than the day before the doctor wanted me to come in the next day for another IV dose!!!! Although my kidney was not killing me like the day before, but I guess my blood pressure was pretty low, which they say is better than being high, but still not sure why it was so low.

So I woke up this morning feeling like crap. I took my temperature, not bad, it was 100.1. I had a cup of coffee, took all my medicine and got ready to go back for another dose of IV antibiotics. During check in the nurse gets all my vitals . . temp, blood pressure, etc. My blood pressure was back to normal but I was shocked when he said my temp was 103!!! When the doctor came in to see me he said he wants me to come back AGAIN tomorrow for another IV dose. Oh my gosh this is getting old and frustrating, but still better than staying at the hospital. He said he doesn't know why my temp is still so high but he doesn't want to stop the IV antibiotics until I no longer have a temperature.

So, all I can say is I better not have a temperature tomorrow or I might just scream!!!!!! What a wasted week this has been!!!

I'll write again and let you know what happens tomorrow.

Keep Smilin'
Wendy

Vacation Photos - - Lots of Photos!!

Hello Everyone,

I had a great time on our vacation to South Dakota. I hate to admit it, but I didn't realize just how much "history" that part of the country holds. It was very fun and educational. We broke the drive there into 2 days and stayed the first night in Billings Montana. The next morning before heading to Hill City, where we stayed in South Dakota, we went to Zoo Montana. Zoo Montana is a non profit, natural habitat zoo. Some of the images below are from Zoo Montana.

We stayed at a really nice, comfortable hotel in Hill City with owners that are really down to earth and terrific people, it's called the Lantern Inn. It's not a fancy place, but very clean, very friendly and like I said the owners Charlie and Janet are the best!!! Hill City was a perfect place to stay as all the great attractions we wanted to see where all in close proximity.

We hit about 2-3 attractions a day while staying in Hill City. We stayed there for 3 days before heading back home. We visited the following attractions and towns; Mount Rushmore, Keystone, Rapid City, Sturgis, Deadwood and Lead, which are both old mining towns. My hubby is an ex miner so this was great for him to visit. We rode a tram to the top of a mountain and could see Mt Rushmore from there also. We visited the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, the boys (hubby and step-son) really enjoyed this. We went to the Reptile Gardens and saw many, many reptiles!!! I do NOT like reptiles, but it was still very interesting.

And last but not least, was my favorite thing of the whole trip . . . we went to Bear Country USA. If you have never been there, it's a must see if you are ever in the area!!! This is a drive through wild animal park. The animals roam around free and you have to stay in your vehicle. At times the animals would be in the road and/or crossing the road and you just get to sit and watch them and take pictures, etc., until they decide to move. Unless you are the big black bear that seemed to like licking the dead bugs off of peoples front bumpers. One of the workers had to come in his truck and make the bear move out of the road so people could continue on. At the end you park and get to go to Baby Land and see some other animals and the baby bears!!!!

I am such an animal lover to begin with and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed seeing such a variety of animals all in one place. Most of them I would probably never see in my lifetime if I had not gone to Bear Country USA.

Below are some of the pictures I want to share with you and I've written above them where they were taken.

Reptile Gardens

Reptile Gardens

Bear Country USA.
This little guy was amazing and
I couldn't get enough of him!!!
He was up about 20-30 feet in a tree
sitting on a small branch and sleeping
most of the time. He woke up for a minute
looked around and went back to sleep.

Sleeping. He is so relaxed,
not a care in the world!!!

Soooooo Cute!!!! Look at those ears!!!

Another cutie!!

Momma Buffalo nursing her baby.
This and the next few images were taken
as we drove through the wild animals.

A Black Bear enjoying the water.

Arctic Wolf.
There were 2 young wolves,
probably a year old that were
running and playing and having a
great time. They ran back and forth across
the road several times, jumping on
each other and having a blast.
They were so fast that I was not able to
get a photo of the two of them together,
but they put on quite a show for all of us
that were watching!!

Rocky Mt. Elk

Mount Rushmore Photos
This gentleman worked on
Mt Rushmore from 1938 to 1940.
I bought a book he wrote with
Q&A about the making of Mt Rushmore.
If you purchased a book,
he signed it inside for you.

What a piece of history!!!

Me at Mt Rushmore.
Although I live in Idaho
I was born in Washington so I
thought it would be cool to have
a photo with the info about
the state of Washington.

Mount Rushmore

Zoo Montana Photos
Bald Eagle

Siberian Tiger

Old Wagon Wheels

Old Wagon

I hope you enjoyed seeing the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them :)

Keep Smilin'
Wendy