2003 I had a lump growing on my left hamstring. My "Alien Baby".

I met with Doctor Joyce at the Cleveland Clinic. Biopsy, then walk across the hospital into the Tausig Cancer Center. Biopsy came back Round Cell Sarcoma. Stage 3, it had invaded other parts of the limb.

Dr. Agewall asked, "Do you understand what you have? Do you know you may loose your leg? Do you know that you may DIE? Are you in denial?" Me, No because death is a part of life, but I don't plan on laying down to die, and I don't want a pity party.

He said, "We are going to make you sicker in order to make you better, and there is no guarantee. You are one of 4000 in the world with this type of cancer. It is aggressive. We are going to treat it aggressively. It will return. A 75 to 80% chance."

Diagnosis guarded, I would under go MAIDS chemo and I would have to be hospitalized because of the seriousness of the Chemo treatment. One week of chemo followed by 2 weeks of radiation. Before they started the chemo, they made sure my heart, lungs and kidneys were in good shape, the chemo was going to damage them.

I had my waist length hair cut first. When the hair started to fall out, my husband helped me shave off the rest.

In and out of the hospital because the chemo killed off my immune system. But, I always found ways to laugh. Like when we would sit in a restaurant and someone would stare, I would take off the skullcap and put it on the table.

I wouldn't wear a wig, girlie, frilly covers, that wasn't me. Skullcaps with flames, skull caps with flags. Caps with Snap on or Mac Tools. I was a tomboy growing up, guess I still am one at heart.

May 16th 2003, surgery. I told the doctor not to leave me with a bum leg. I woke up in recovery, moved the leg, and said,"I guess you can't call me stubby."

The 2nd surgery they removed the latisimas muscle from the right side of my back to fill in and protect the bone and nerves. Now I am missing a muscle in my back, and a hamstring, remember that the muscle they put in is totally useless.

Seven surgeries in 5 months. Counting the emergency surgery that stopped the bleeding into my lungs. A week on my stomach. I couldn't get out of bed. Then the skin grafts started. Nothing stinks worse than a skin graft that fails. You smell like rotting meat.

When I got out, I couldn't walk, in a wheel chair. June 21, I could use crutches. How I walk with no hamstring? I don't know,I fall.

I survived. I had attitude and laughed. ALOT.