News from Erica: 12/18/08

December 23, 2008

12/18/08

I have no real pending news at the moment...i just want to say, merry christmas and have a happy new year eveyone! I feel verry blessed to have all of you on my side praying for me and sending me your good thoughts....you are the reason that i am getting better...thank you all...have a wonderful holiday season....erica

1 comment:

Priscilla said...: Merry Christmas to you honey. I pray for you every day, you and your family. I am glad you are gaining weight and doing better. I am so sorry about your pony.

My Dad died December 2, 1984 of a massive heart attack in his sleep. He was my very best friend, and I thought I would never hurt that much again, but then December 31, 1997 my Mom died after a year of battling cancer.

For most of the year that she was sick and could not stay by herself, I stayed with her, during that time I discovered that even though we didn't always agree with one another she was really a wonderful person and was also my very best friend. I have missed her much more than I ever thought was possible.

I really enjoyed your web page, and I know I will be back many times before the holiday season is over! May God bless you!

Wanda

FAREWELL

The sand of time are running low
And soon my children I must go
My heart with love for you is filled
But soon its beating must be stilled

I leave no treasures of any kind
Only my love I leave behind
Take it and share it between sister and brother
And always be kind to one another

Weep not beside the grave for me
Don't bring me flowers I cannot see
Only ashes lie neath the cold sod
Just pray that my soul has gone with God

Some of you perhaps may weep
When my eyes are closed in eternal sleep
But try to remember it won't be forever
For God can bring our spirits together

I pray that I go to a world far above
To be with the others that I love
And to wait awhile on that Heavenly plain
Until the day we shall meet again.

The poem was written by Florence McInnes (my mother)
Sent in by David Richard

I believe that a lot of what we carry around is grief for those people and things that we haven't yet let go of. I guess that's from personal experience. Anyway, here's a quote you can use anywhere you wish, as if you needed more . . .

"If you were once connected with someone, does it make sense that the connection is broken just because of a physical death? No, the connection stays. You may just have to listen differently. You may just have to talk differently. The truth is: the connection is never broken. It's quite impossible to break the most powerful connection in the universe. As long as you exist, the connection stays."

Copyright © 1998 Chris Collins

If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane,
We would walk all the way to Heaven, to bring you home again
No farewell words were spoken, no time to say good-bye
You were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why
Our hearts ache in sadness, and secret tears will flow
What is meant to lose you, no one will ever know

Priscilla; 12/24/2008 9:12 AM

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A little history

23 year old Erica Tomsha was born and raised in Fairbanks. Parents Mark and Anita are also long time Alaskans. Anita’s grandparents (Carlson) moved to Kodiak in the 40’s to work on WWII construction projects. From there the lure of gold drew them to Fairbanks. Anita’s dad followed and opened up Music Mart in Fairbanks 60 years ago. Mark moved to Fairbanks in the early 70’s.

From an early age Erica shared her mothers passion for horses. Learning to ride when she was 4 she quickly figured out she had to make sure her pony knew she was the boss. In elementary school she joined the Golden Heart 4-H club to continue to learn. As she got older she expanded her perspective to include IHA, ACTA, IHC, Pony Club, 4-H community service and leadership activities. She was an active member of the Tanana Whirlwinds 4-H group in high school and helped to advocate for and pass the limited liability for livestock bill which helps to insure personal responsibility for accidents occurring around livestock animals. That exposure to politics led her to an internship with Senator Stevens.

After attending UAF for a couple of years she decided to move to California where she could pursue her dream of working with horses. She has been actively training horses and riders and enjoying being around magnificent Grand Prix horses.

Although Erica had to move to Seattle for her cancer treatment she has continued to work and learn, giving riding lessons and training horses. She moved into an apartment of her own. Her father has been able to stay with her through most of her chemotherapy. Erica has lost her hair from her treatments but does not try to hide it. She encourages people to ask her about her cancer and is anxious to share her experience in the hope of teaching or providing comfort to others.Erica remains positive and upbeat. She appreciates all the concern and well wishes from her friends.

From Erica on December 6th

I want people to know that I found a lump last December that was about the size of a pencil eraser. I went to the clinic the next day and the nurse told me it was probably nothing, and because of my age it was very unlikely that it was serious. So naturally i believed her, and I continued on with my life as usual. However, 6 months later the pencil eraser grew to be the size of a golf ball in a week! So I went back to that clinic and the same nurse agreed that I probably needed a biopsy! DUH! 2 days later the same nurse told me I had Invasive Ductile Carcinoma, (I found out later that I was a stage 3a, 4 is terminal), and she told me this while crying. 2 days after that I came to Seattle because not having insurance limits my care options in California, and plus Seattle has better cancer hospitals, unless you go to UCLA or SanFran and being 300 miles away is just as hard as being 1500 miles away from home.

Being here has really changed my life; it has forced me to live in a different way (I have learned a lot about myself), it has forced me to DRAMATICALLY change my diet (which is the most important thing a cancer patient can do). I have had to watch my spending, it's hard to work when you're getting chemo once a week. I am working a little, and in return my boss (whose ex husband I live with) pays my rent. But there are so many things that the charity care program at Swedish Hospital does not cover, such as supplements and alternative treatments like acupuncture, vitamin infusions, and the cancer vaccine. It also doesn't pay for things like reconstructive surgery (which unless I want to be the one boobed wonder I will need to get). I don't have the price for this yet but i will get it as soon as I can. I have also definitely learned who my real friends are, the ones who care.

News from Erica

December 23, 2008

12/18/08

1 comment:

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