Author Archives: valvelde

Inspired by “Grit” by Angela Duckworth, as recommended my VP at Land O’Lakes Growing up, no one read to me or helped with homework—math facts were my responsibility alone. From first through third grade, I was labeled “behind average,” not because I lacked effort, but because of circumstances at home. My mother worked the secondContinue reading “A Grit Story: A Journey of Determination”

I came across this today, James wrote this when we got back from a mission trip three years ago. It’s powerful. This trip carved the path he wants the follow the rest of his life but more on that later. First his reflection statement: Written by James Velde in 2022: Jesus stood for helping theContinue reading “13 yr olds view… on poverty”

This is my second mission trip to Guatemala. On this visit, we were helping build a classroom onto the school, but let’s be real: our physical labor is not the real value we bring. The true value all happens many months before back at home with fundraising at our church. This entire classroom build onlyContinue reading “Guatemala Mission Take Two”

I’m hanging out at the Mayo Clinic. Three appointments to prepare for surgery next week. One week from today I am getting surgery to hopefully fix my cancer caused Lymphedema. On one hand 🤚 (did you see what I did there) I’m excited for a fix; on the other I’m so over pain and healing.Continue reading “Mayo Clinic Magic”

I’ve attempted to start this post multiple times but it’s been a hard week so just getting back to it. Here it goes. June 11 at Piper Breast Institute I was hoping to have a Diep Flap surgery but ended up with a Tram. What’s the difference? Muscle. They had to use some muscle, aboutContinue reading “Tram Flap”

Hi Friends! So I’ve been on a chemo pill for 3.5 weeks now and it’s been challenging. I was expecting the fatigue, nausea and diarrhea but in the past three days I’ve been increasingly struggling with shortness of breath, mild dizziness when I change positions, and my heart was beating fast if I did justContinue reading “ER Visit Leads to Treatment Change”

I’ve been enjoying the relative calm of no active treatments over the last couple of months. I take daily Tamoxifen to reduce Estrogen. And go into the Doctor to do an injection to further suppress reproductive elements of my body. This past week it was time to up the game and add a Chemo pillContinue reading “Next Step Chemo Pill”

I’m so glad to be back to work full time and back to most of my previous volunteer commitments and just loving life again! Very short hair and one boob, don’t care! It’s all good! The main thing I need to deal with now is hormone therapy. I’m on taxol and get monthly injections toContinue reading “Hormone Therapy- Be Careful;)”