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Wednesday September 6, 2023, while camping, I discovered I had a knot in my breast. At first I was just kind of taken back and thought what in the world is this? I literally woke up, rolled over and stretched. That’s how I noticed it. I immediately text my doctor and got an ultrasound ordered. The first available appointment time they had was on Friday September 8. That day I had a mammogram, ultrasound which lead to a biopsy all before luchtime. I pretty much knew as soon as they did they biopsy, I had breast cancer. But we had to go the whole weekend without the “official” diagnosis. That was torture. On Monday, September 11, the life I had known was gone. I was now a Cancer patient. I was devastated. I am a person who has to have a plan for everything! I had no plans. I am a fixer and a doer. I am certainly not one to sit and wait on anything. I am one of the most impatient people you will meet. But now I had no agenda. Nothing. I didn’t know what all goes into a cancer diagnosis. It’s not just, ok we will take it out tomorrow. It is a process and it seemed like it was all going to take forever for anything to get started. I had to learn that the hard way. Patience was not in my vocabulary lol! It honestly only took about 3 weeks to get in with a General surgeon and get surgery scheduled.

Not one time did I ever have fear. Of course I was scared, but I never let fear take over. I didn’t have time to be scared. I still had to be here for my family. I had a grand baby who was 6 months old! My husband had just lost his sister to cancer not even a year before this! My sister had just passed away 3 weeks after our grand daughter’s birth! I HAD to take care of everyone else. I didn’t have time for this! My family needed me and I did not want to burden them with a cancer diagnosis.

September 14 I had my first appointment with Dr. Brock. This poor man didn’t know what he was getting when he got me as a patient. I tell him every time, God placed him in my life for a reason. He was hand picked by God and given to me because He knew this was who I needed to get me going on this journey.

I truly believe the attitude you have is what either helps you or brings you down further than what you already are. I had some really dark dark days. I didn’t know how to function . I tried to be brave for my family but inside I was dying with sadness. Finally I made a decision. I choose to make fun of the situation. I named mine! Tumor Tammy was what she was given. I told Dr. Brock, September 25 was my birthday. And if I had to turn 50 with cancer, I get to pick when she gets evicted. September 25 was Tumor Tammy’s eviction day! Let's just say, Dr. Brock thought I had literally lost my mind! (He still just shakes his head at me and laughs at times). BUT the way I look at this is, I can do one of two things: I can be salty, kick, scream, cuss, cry and have the worst attitude about this, or I can still be sad and cry, but I can also smile, make fun of this, but find the good and bring something positive out of it BUT either way I chose to go, I still had to walk this road. I placed all my trust and faith in God. He knew this path I was going to walk long before I did. I just had to have faith and know in my heart He would take care of me!

I had my birthday party in the OR that day and we thought all the tumor was gone. Pathology had told Dr. Brock the margins around where the tumor was were clear and there was no signs of cancer left! GREAT! We had already planned on going to see our Grandbaby that weekend and he ok’d me to go as long as we stopped and walked about every couple of hours. Life was going great. Baby loves are magical! It’s the best therapy you can get! THEN Monday came... Dr. Brock called me and told me actually the final pathology report came back and the cancer was NOT in fact gone. There were still cancer cells left around the area they cut out. Talk about a kick to the gutt! OUCH!!! A week later, we are back in the OR getting more cut out. Thank the Lord this time the path report came back clear! Hallelujah!

Now during all this time, I can’t even begin to tell you the support we were given. People came from everywhere to help. My co-workers, David’s co-workers, our kids, their friends. I had never felt love and support as I did those days. That’s when I made the decision, no matter what the out come was with me, I was going to bring goodness to others who was walking the same path I was. I was gifted a bag with all kinds of goodies in it thru Venecia’s Foundation, out of Piedmont Alabama, and that is where I came up with this idea. God blessed me with support and love and that is what I wanted to give back. I got to thinking. I am originally from Rockmart, Polk county, and that is still what I consider “home”. I know there is Relay for Life, Susan G Koman organizations, BUT I couldn’t think of something just for local people where all the profits stayed local or close to home. There are so many people in Polk county and probably surrounding counties that don’t have support. I want someone to say hey! "_____ just got a cancer diagnosis". I want to say "give me their address! I am putting them something in the mail for them!" It is all some can do just to keep food on the table much less have a diagnosis and can’t afford to even get to an appointment because they don’t have gas. That is what I want to be able to do. HELP!

The day of my first radiation treatment, I was able to start giving back. I had mentioned to others my ideas and people just started helping! I told them the items I wanted to put in the bags and I literally had an "Army" helping me! People donated every item I had listed. I was able to give 8 bags to the treatment center in Rome that first time! Since then I have been blessed to gift more bags to others. It has been 3 months since I first started this, I with the help of others, have been able to bring a smile to others by gifting them with what started out as a "bag of blessings".

That is what Lolly’s Army is about. I want people to know they are not alone. I want them to know others care. Some people don’t have support, don’t have anyone to help them even get to a Dr. appointment because they can’t drive because they are so sick and can barely hold their heads up. I want to be able to give those fighting this an “ARMY BAG”.

Inside that bag I want to give them the following items they can use while going to treatments and having bad days.

Blankets to use in chemo treatment days because its cold in there for one and then just sometimes a blanket gives us security! Fuzzy socks… every ones feet gets cold sometimes and they are cozy too! Chap stick…with treatments your lips get so dry. Mints…can help with nausea and some meds leave a bad taste in your mouth. Lotion…your whole body will just be so dry sometimes. Hand sanitizer…cancer patients immune systems are low. Pens and notebook…you are given so much information and you need something to write it down on in case you don’t remember something that you talked about in a office visit. Calendar… there are so many appointments you will accumulate-you need a calendar with you! Puzzles, word search books…helps pass the time. I want to be able to stick a $20.00 gas card along with a gift card inside the bag for a meal if they need to eat before or after a treatment. Or if they just don’t feel like cooking them anything to eat one night.

I will never forget people just wanting to help. That is what all this is about. Just helping people and showing there is still good people out there! I think God puts you in a place where you are needed. He shows us where we can help and serve others.

The goal for Lolly's Army is to eventually become Non-profit. But for right now, I just want others to know, there is hope and there is people who care. I want to make someone smile even though they don't feel like smiling.

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