Cancer Sucks

At the beginning of August our older dog Drake was diagnosed with cancer. The vet couldn’t ever get a good sample to send off to the lab so she basically told us it was the worst. It’s in his mandible he’s 10 years old. I ask the vet what she would do if it were her dog. She told us to manage pain and make him as happy and comfortable as possible.

The Vet said that this form of cancer is generally in limbs of animals. If they amputate from where the tumor is then they usually only give them 6 months tops to live. Since it was in his head then it would spread quicker. We have been preparing for the worst. I have never owned anything long enough for it to die on me. I haven’t had to deal with death and watching something die ever. I have technically been with the dog longer than my husband since he’s been on many deployments. I have never seen my husband so upset. Which is understandable.

Last Friday we took Drake in to get a check up. The Vet honestly looked surprised that he was doing so well. Since the initial diagnosis our female Kali has gone in heat. We are hoping that we get a Drake Jr out of the bunch if she is prego. The Vet is now thinking that it might not be the ‘bad’ cancer that she originally thought it was. I’m just happy that we are going to get to keep him around a little longer than we had hoped in the beginning.

Since we have found out about our dog. Several people who I ‘know’ have gotten some of the same news. I had no idea that cancer was this bad in dogs now days. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Whatever we are doing seems to be working so I’m just going to keep on doing that.

I just wanted to share what I have learned from this experience. Don’t ever let a day go by with out you letting the people or pets in this case not know how much you love them. Give them that extra hug and scratch. They will love you even more for it.

xoxo
Ash

Take away this ball and chain

I know addicts. Hell I probably use to be one even. I think everyone has been addicted to one thing or another at least once. Could be food, someone else, your hair, the interwebs, or even yoga. Some of these aren’t bad but most of them are. I use to drink to much and party a lot. I don’t any longer.

This morning I was watching the Today Show this morning and Keith Richards was on doing an interview promoting his new book . I had to sit down and listen. I grew up on The Stones. Everytime I hear ‘Shattered’ I think about my mom driving me to school and singing it for the first time that I had ever heard it in my life. I was shocked and amazed at how cool she was for knowing that song. I know from that day on. My mom was cool. My dad had always listened to them too on vinyl.

Anyhow as I listened to Keith talk this morning about his book, Mick, and their baby The Rolling Stones. It was amazing to listen talk about his battles with drugs. Mick then went on to say that he had been off ‘junk’ for 30 years and how he can’t escape the ‘ball and chain’ as he put it.

I know how he feels. I have been clean since the week before Thanksgiving of 2003. I don’t have the urge to do ‘junk’ anymore and haven’t since I decided to quit. I come from a very small town where everyone knows everyone elses business. It just happens like that in small towns. It has taken me years to not be the ‘party girl’ I once was.

Since I have began looking to fix the things that led me to that life. It wasn’t necessarily the drugs it was more the life style that went along with it. Walking in to clubs everyone screaming your name, drinks were free, and you were everyone’s best friend. Even if just for a night. You felt awesome. One night something truly horrible happened and I was there to witness it all. This is why I now have PTSD. I went home. Never treatment of any sort. I just knew I needed my family. I have never looked back. This changed my life.

This is what led me to yoga. Wanting to be a better person and have a healthy life. Today Im now a yoga instructor, married to a fantastic man and healthy. I have no desire to do the things that I use to do. Yoga has made me more aware of myself and how to listen to my body.

As I listened to Keith say the same things almost this morning its one more reminder that Im not alone and neither are you. Everyone has their issues. You just have to be willing to ask for help when you need it the most.

**I would like to add that ‘junk’ to Keith was cocaine in the 70-80’s and heroin at some points too. ‘Junk’ is junk doesn’t matter what drug really it was just ‘your’ junk.

If anyone that reads this and wants to know more about my own personal things let me know we can talk. I may talk about it later too. Who knows it just depends on how I feel at the time.

Namaste

A few of my Favorite things..

Here is a few of my favorite things that I own. Some of them are yoga related some are just cool. Well I think some of them are.

My first good yoga mat was a green Jade Harmony Yoga mat. Its eco-friendly and very light to travel with.

I also have a Manduka Black Pro Mat. It’s the best I have found for practicing on carpet. I have 2 dogs so I keep my mats in bags so they don’t get animal fur all over them. So I have the Manduka mat bag for this one since its so big. I have traveled with this mat but I doubt that I do again. I really like the mat bag because its big enough for a change of clothes, a medium-sized notebook, and has a pocket on the inside for your keys and phones or what nots.

my husband got me a couple of pairs of Shining Shakti yoga pants. I freaking love them.

My bolster that I just picked up in Asheville from Inner Space Yoga its beautiful and you can take the cover off and wash as well. I also bought a weighted eye pillow made of silk that is fantastic.!

Hula Hoop.. I think that everyone needs one. They are fun and make great pictures at parties.

These are just a few of my favorite things. I’m sure that I will add to this list. This is just some of the things that I wanted to share with you all.

xoxo
Ash