Update on interview results

With the CMS job interview two weeks past, and no word, it's been hard to stay positive ALL the time. The interview seemed to go so well, and I really liked Jay (the boss)... what's going on? Did I misread the signals? Should I be looking elsewhere? There are several other jobs that sound really interesting, and I don't want to let opportunities slip away. I've done a lot of praying about it, asking for God's direction. And all along, before, during, and since the interview, I felt strongly that God wants me to be at CMS. But as the days passed, I've struggled with doubts.

Then this afternoon I received a call from Jay. He explained that the three open positions were all filled by promoting from within. I said, that's great, I can appreciate hiring from within rather than going outside. Then he said, "But people like you are always an asset," and he has more opening(s) coming up. Jay said he had spoken with HR and gotten their approval to call and alert me when the positions are posted. Which if I understood, will be in about 2-3 weeks. Anyway, he repeated that he will call me back when the jobs are posted.

Need I say how happy I am? No more wondering and worrying. It's great to know they think well enough of me to give me advance notice of the upcoming posting. It's even better to know that my faith wasn't misplaced, but that I've been hearing God's still small voice loud and clear.

Highs and lows this week

There's never a dull moment around here. Here are the highlights from this week:

• Monday - My niece Felicia sent advance wedding invitations to her Big Day next April 14. I couldn't be more thrilled for her. After all she has endured, no one deserves happiness more than Felicia. This is one wedding I'm really looking forward to.
• Thursday - My nephew Matt and his wife Allison were blessed with a beautiful, healthy daughter, Sadie Allyn. They are calling her by both names, which calls to my mind the old Southern tradition of girls named "Mary Ellen" and "Betty Lou", to name two. Sadie Allyn was 20 inches long, and 7 lbs, 8 oz (give or take 2 oz), and has a head full of blonde hair. Everyone agrees she looks just like her big sister Sydney, who is 3 and a real beauty. Mama and daughter are both fine and came home from the hospital yesterday. My nephew has emailed pictures, and I'll post them when I figure out how!
• Friday - The week ended with a real treat, an afternoon with my dear friend Carolyn. She had come down to Charlotte for a scrapbooking convention, and I snatched at the chance to spend some time with her. Carolyn and I hadn't seen each other since I moved away from Winston-Salem almost 1 1/2 years ago, but in many ways, it was like I had seen her just the day before. I hold Carolyn so close at heart that physical distance can't separate us. Besides, we've shared too many secrets to let one another go! :-) As the song goes, "make new friends/ but keep the old/ one is silver / the other gold."
• Saturday - I received the completed Free Trader Agreement. My attorney mailed a copy of the document that was filed with the court earlier in the week. This is the document Jerry's mortgage company required from me as a condition for extending him a loan on the new townhouse he wants. This should get him off my back. He's going to reimburse me for the attorney's fees, and that money will surely come in handy now.

There were bumps along the road this week, too.

• I still haven't heard anything after my interview, now 2 weeks ago. I felt so sure an offer was forthcoming. But as the days have gone by, I must admit some doubts have crept in. Could there be a last-minute hitch with getting funding for the position? Is the School Board simply swamped with filling 10-month positions for the coming school year that starts later this month? I called and left a voice mail with Jay, who interviewed me, asking for a status and whether I am still under consideration for the job. I hope to hear something soon.
• My nephew Gary has developed a problem with the knee that was operated on, years ago when he was in the Navy. They had put all kinds of "hardware" in there, now it seems he has an infection. My sister Frances is nearly beside herself with worry that the doctors may have no resort but to take out the hardware, leaving Gary unable to walk. So as not to distress her further, I didn't ask for details, but presume she means Gary doesn't have the insurance to reconstruct the knee, put in new hardware. Not being Gary's mom, although he is a favorite of mine, I can be a little more objective. I just don't see Gary going through life as a cripple, but I have faith everything will work out somehow. Please keep Gary and the family in your prayers.

You don't have to have a lump to have breast cancer

The kind of breast cancer Mama had is the common form we've been taught to check for -- she had a lump. But did you know there is more than one type of breast cancer? You don't have to have a lump to have breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most aggressive form of breast cancer. It is usually not detected by mammograms or ultrasounds. IBC tends to develop as a "sheet" instead of a lump or tumor.

Inflammatory breast cancer is the least common type of breast cancer. Some women who have IBC remain undiagnosed for long periods of time -- even while seeing their doctors about their symptoms. This is because the symptoms of IBC are similar to those of mastitis (pronounced ma-sty'-tis), a breast infection that is treated with antibiotics. IBC does not respond to antibiotics. On the IBC Research Foundation website (link follows), I also read of women whose rashes were misdiagnosed as insect bites, allergic reactions to food or detergents, shingles, even reactions to wearing underwire bras.

Until this week, I had never heard of inflammatory breast cancer. I learned of it when a friend sent me an email containing a link to a news channel story about IBC. Then of course I googled to find out more about this rare form of breast cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic (link follows) and the IBC Research websites, signs and symptoms of IBC include:

• A breast that appears red, purple, pink or bruised ("bruise" does not go away)
• A tender, firm and enlarged breast. Also according to ibcresearch.org, swelling is usually sudden, sometimes a cup size in a few days
• A warm feeling in the breast (breast is warm to the touch)
• Itching of the breast
• Breast pain (from a constant ache to stabbing pains)
• Ridged or dimpled skin texture, similar to an orange peel
• Thickened areas of skin
• Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm, above the collarbone or below the collarbone
• Flattening or retraction of the nipple
• Swollen or crusted skin on the nipple
• Change in color of the skin around the nipple (areola)

Here are links to the websites I mentioned.

IBC Research Foundation http://www.ibcresearch.org/ This site includes pictures and several video and audio clips, including "IBC: The Silent Killer" from station KOMO News 4.

Mayo Clinic www.mayoclinic.com/health/inflammatory-breast-cancer/DS00632