if you want to help… together we shall make a difference

 Kristi and I have been "together" so long its hard to remember just how many years. I'm guessing close to 30 plus years, or so. She has been my "forever" friend from the very start. I loved stumbling across this photo in particular. How do you like the acid washed jeans? Our 80's hair? I'm pretty sure if you could hear it, the radio on our friend's porche would be playing "I wear my sunglasses at night," by Corey Hart.

This picture marked the beginning of our "magical" summer together. For some reason we were the golden girls that summer and had the time of our lives. Around my job at a daycare center we went to the pool every day and the lakes on the weekend. We went out together every night of the week and just managed to have a good time no matter what we were doing. We had tons of friends, lots of time, plenty of energy and the mindset that we may never have a summer like it again, which was truer than we could have possibly known. 

Since that time we've been through weddings and births. Boyfriends and husbands. Mortgages and diapers. Dogs and kids. Breast Cancer, and illness.  We climbed the hill together and persevered, our friendship intact, and growing deeper each day. 

What she is currently undertaking, should come as no surprise.  What hasn't Kristi accomplished over the years?  She is a wife and mom with two young children, who is also an attorney, who runs her law practice out of her home, while also teaching college classes.  She is also an amazing seamstress and artist, and yet as full as her plate is, she has never stopped looking for the next challenge to tackle.

And that challenge?  Well, she says the idea hit her when I was telling her about my Mepilex wound care dressings, costing too much money. We had ordered a supply of them only to discover a few boxes would cost close to 200 dollars and would only last a few weeks.  My new insurance was not covering them.  What becomes a challenge, is when we're paying for special health insurance for me, plus a family policy for Rick and the boys (Rick is self-employed), plus pharmacy costs, cancer-medical- care costs, and then adding in wound care supplies at an extra 200 dollars. 

We have felt so blessed to somehow, have made it through the past 3 years, with tons of help from others.  We have always managed to pay our medical bills and we are so thankful for that. But we continually have to try and be creative in figuring out how the next bill is going to get paid. 

Recently, I stopped going to wound care. They gave me wonderful care, but couldn't give me supplies.  So I cut all my bandages into pieces and  used corners of them to piece together adequate protection, and have gotten by.

And then I stopped having to take the Tykerb, and the wound, while still full of scabs and bright red colored tissue, has remained stable these past couple of months.

But Kristi?  Was shocked at the cost of the Mepilex.  And the wheels started to turn. So...

That is when THIS started to form.

So Kristi?  Became a Mary Kay consultant- for the sole purpose of fundraising for Rick and I. 

If you click the link it will take you to a Facebook page she created for the cause.  (Maybe you would help us by liking it?)

Kristi Mingus- Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant

Kristi Mingus- Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant

Over the course of the last few weeks, Kristi has been attending Mary Kay meetings, designing the flyer, and setting up an online site for anyone who wants to help, and spreading the word.  And this is my way of helping her do just that.

I am more humbled than I can adequately say.

So maybe you need a year end teacher appreciation gift?  Maybe you're  in need of some sunscreen for the summer months?  Lotion?  Make-up?  

I was so pleasantly surprised to see how much Mary Kay has to offer.

But the best part, is that Mary-Kay is generously allowing Kristi to donate all of her earnings, to me, to help us defray our medical costs.  

We're only running the event until June 15th.  

As Kristi has said- "even if I can just make enough to pay for a box of bandages for you, I'd feel like I helped." 

I hope everyone has a beautiful Memorial Day weekend!  I will be back with an update on my surgery consult this week and our plans for the big surgery coming soon!