October 9, 2013 - Part I

In my last blog I posted on October 1, I mentioned my plans to do something this month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Well, in addition to joining Melinda Hickerson’s challenge to encourage everyone to wear pink every day this month, and yes, our family has so far managed to meet that challenge, plus my husband came up with a really neat and cute idea. The “Three P Challenge” – Paint a Pumpkin Pink.

As you’ve probably seen photos on my Facebook page, Scott surprised me last Friday afternoon with a beautiful, fall decoration in our front yard, complete with pink pumpkins to honor me and in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a result, it has garnered a lot of deserving attention locally and throughout East Tennessee as he worked very meticulously to ensure the utmost perfection of this project . . . and he did. A picture of it even won the Pal’s Photo in a Flash last evening on WJHL TV 11! Reminds, me . . . we need to go get his winning coffee mug!

So, I too encourage you to take on the “Three P Challenge” and send us your pictures by posting them on Susan’s Circle of Courage page on Facebook! If you haven’t liked my page yet, please do so, as I want to be aware of all of our friends and family who are supporting us in various ways during our “Pathway to Recovery”. After we tried to create Susan’s Cancer Fighters using a blog, it didn’t work out as easy as I had thought. So, we created Susan’s Circle of Courage on Facebook and it has seemed to work much better plus Scott continues to remind me how much courage it takes to be courageous. And to those of you not on Facebook who have notified us you want to be a part of the “circle”, please know you are included, and we appreciate all of you very much!

By the way, do you know what tomorrow is? Yes, it’s Thursday. And yes, it is Brett Favre’s birthday. But more importantly, it is our two-month anniversary! Two months ago, Scott and I were united in holy matrimony at sunset on the beautiful Wrightsville Beach in Wilmington, NC with Austin and our best friends by our side. After having my deserving meltdown days before we left from the traumatic news, I even contemplated whether or not we should still get married or postpone the wedding. But then I regrouped. The wedding was on as planned! We were going to enjoy our time together at the beach as a family then later with our dearest friends while our fairy tale wedding played out just like a movie . . . and that’s just what happened.

We lived every moment to the fullest, from the time our toes hit the sand the first of the week, until a white, stretch limo took us, separately, of course . . . the boys, then the girls and Austin, to the entryway of our storybook wedding. We never imagined our grand entrance would have been in front of not only our cherished friends but to a surprisingly show of hundreds of strangers gathered all around who were apparently enamored by the colorful display of the military regime. Yet, only four of the guests in addition to Scott, Austin and me, knew the battle awaiting us upon our return as Mr. and Mrs. Scott Teague.

After we returned, Scott contacted his dear friend and fellow comrade First Sergeant Ken Pike to share the news about my breast cancer.  First Sgt. Pike, who lives in Wilmington, had been the go-to man during the planning of the wedding. When I thought about doing this or that as part of the wedding, Scott would call First Sgt. Pike, and it was done. First Sgt. Pike could not believe I had been diagnosed with breast cancer just days before we left as I couldn’t have been any more radiant and happy as I was on the evening of August 10. He also commended Scott for staying with me as others would have bolted under the remarkable transformation of circumstances. Scott assured him he didn’t bolt; he stuck.

Two months later a lot has happened, but I am grateful to God for giving me Scott . . . my soul mate, my best friend . . . my super glue! He has been by my side through it all, along our “Pathway to Recovery”. At times, he’s been in front of me, pulling me through, and sometimes behind me, pushing me in the right direction. We’ve laughed. We’ve cried. Whatever the emotion is at any given moment, we share it together. He has brought to my life so much love, joy and contentment and to Austin’s, as well. Even though we’ve only known each other since the end of February . . . that’s what? Not even eight months ago? I feel like I’ve known him forever.

So, in honor of our two month anniversary tomorrow, I reeeeeally encourage you to wear pink :), even if it’s only a splash, i.e. lapel pin, paint your nails, etc., and think about two people who have recently inspired you and let them know. Today, I posted on the Cancer Treatment Center of America’s Facebook page as they too asked readers to acknowledge someone who had inspired them this week. I listed four :) They included Jennifer Tipton and Jeana Helton, who I had the pleasure to officially meet on Sunday, plus Scott and Austin :) You don’t have to post on my blog or FB page who they are, but at least let those people know who they are and they have inspired you.

Remember, to be inspired motivates us to achieve what we thought was unattainable and it helps us to not only dream but dream big. Because of all the inspiration I am receiving during the most difficult time in life, I know I am going to beat breast cancer because my inspirers remind me . . . I’m in it to win it!

P.S. It’s going to be a beautiful weekend to take on the “Three P Challenge” and Paint a Pumpkin Pink!