TEMECULA: Thousands turn out for hope and a cure
Melanie Russell is scheduled to undergo a double mastectomy in three weeks.
The 43-year-old Rancho Cucamonga mother of three, ages 12, 14 and 16, was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in May.
As she sat inside the "survivors' tent" at the annual Susan G. Komen Inland Empire Race for the Cure in Temecula on Sunday morning, she said her life has forever changed.
"I was in complete shock," Russell said about her diagnosis. "I still am. I feel like this is a bad dream."
In July, she underwent a hysterectomy to remove a benign tumor the size of a grapefruit. After she healed from that, she underwent chemotherapy. Her mastectomy is set for Nov. 7.
Russell said she has been able to handle everything thanks to family and friends who have embraced her with love and support. One example of that encouragement was the three dozen members of "Team Russell" who took part in the event Sunday. Team members wore pink T-shirts with the phrase "Hope for Melanie" on the front.
Choosing joy
Here, near the end, unable to walk for long periods or even know when he’ll feel like doing something as simple as catching a movie, Aaron Jamison spends most of his time in his hospice-issued, in-home adjustable death bed. The one with skull-and-crossbone-patterned sheets.
His most frequent companions are his wife, Kristin Jamison; their dog, Belle; his respite caretaker and best friend, Tim O’Donnell; and the hospice nurses.
Aaron Jamison has been dying for a lot longer than expected, and the visits and social invites from others have trickled.
“We are in bonus time right now,” he says.
From the time doctors found the colon cancer, the lifelong performer has been making jokes about his terminal condition. It still makes some people uncomfortable, Jamison says, but to him the choices are anger or humor.
In any case I've been feeling better over the past weeks, largely because I've eschewed anything acidic: coffee and tea (I drink hot water with honey in the morning), orange and grapefruit juice and all citrus fruit. I've cut down on tomatoes and soda
Their YouTube channel pages also now offer for sale downloads, T-shirts, concert tickets and even official Pomplamoose grapefruit soap. ___ Online: http://www.youtube.com/music Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Team members wore pink T-shirts with the phrase "Hope for Melanie" on the front. Hope, courage and camaraderie came in the form of an estimated 13000 pink-clad people who converged at The Promenade mall Sunday for the Race for the Cure.
You can't have fund-raising without T-shirts, and a company called Katydid has stepped up, producing pink-ribbon design burnout T-shirts. "Burnout tees are the hottest fad for those looking to combine fashion and comfort," says a press release in case
