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Christi Diggs
on May 23 2013 - 06:00 AM
A drop of spin, a cup of deception and tsp. politics=Apathy
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Lindsay Metcalf
on May 22 2013 - 06:00 AM
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mara williams
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
Summer break has this mom on a house upkeep war path.
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- mr. stinky feet - Profile | Pictures | Blog
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Lisa, Josh, and Lilli
Welcome, and thank you for dropping by. I'm honored to part of Mom2Mom, and I must confess I'm feeling a bit out of place because...well...I'm not a mom. But I have a mom. I'm married to a mom. My kids often call me "mom." And in my business I get to know a lot of moms. Not that all of that means anything, but I'm thrilled to be here to share bits of our life as the "Stinky Feet Family." I'm eager to introduce you to many of the very cool places we visit and many of the inspirational people we meet...people like Lisa Fiatte.The first time I saw Lisa was in the audience at one of my shows a couple of years ago. She wasn't just another mom rockin' with her kids. Clearly, she was different. For starters, she wore a bandanna that covered a very obviously bald head. But what really made her stand out was her bright eyes, her smile, and her enthusiasm -- not what I expected from someone slogging through the nausea and exhaustion of chemo-therapy.
Lisa and her kids, Josh and Lilli, became regulars, showing up at performances all over town. As my wife Jeni and I got to know her, she shared more of her story. First the diagnosis, then the treatment -- 16 rounds of chemo, then the strain it put on her marriage, then the divorce, then the double mastectomy -- followed by 33 rounds of radiation, then the joy of re-emerging health and re-emerging hair. Through it all she showed patience, strength, and determination. Not that there weren't ever a few bitter words thrown in now and then, but almost always she beamed with confidence and enthusiastic presence. I'm pretty sure they call that "grace."
In August Funky Mama and I played a fundraiser for a man who was going through prostate cancer treatment. And here comes smiling Lisa bounding through the door, without her children. Her ex had the kids that weekend, so she came by herself, to "show support," she said.
Then her smile turned to a determined grimace and she said,"I got some bad news yesterday. The cancer is back, and it's in my brain. They found 60 little tumors."
Before I could respond, she took a deep breath and said, "But I start a new treatment on Monday and I'm gonna beat it, because Josh and Lilli need their mom."
As she was heading in to take a seat, she said, "I didn't know you did these kinds of fundraisers. Do you think you could do one for me and my family?"
"You bet I will. Anything to help," I said.
"Good. I want to do it in February."
That was the last time I saw Lisa. She finally was relieved of her pain and led home by her angels in November.
In her last email to me she requested that we do the concert whether she's there or not. So, for Josh and Lilli, we're on for February 27. Funky Mama will be there, too. Here's the info:Live, Laugh, Love
Family Concert Celebrating Lisa FiatteSaturday, Feb. 27 -- 10 a.m.Pine Ridge Presbyterian Church
7600 NW Barry Rd
816-741-5118
$5 per personPeace to you, graceful Lisa, and to all of you who face the challenge of cancer.
Thanks for sharing Mr. Stinky Feet. Lisa's story is an inspiration. Fantastic that you're doing a concert in her honor. She'll be attending from a cloud in heaven. BTW, although we've outgrown you (Rosie is nine and we've dumped you for Nick Jonas), we sure enjoyed you when we were little. You're truly entertaining and a KC treasure.I have read this three times now and I am so touched that I can't find the right words. But, the concert sounds awesome, and yes, she will be looking down beaming.JIM! Welcome to M2M! I'm be-bop dinosaur excited to have you on board! What a great thing you and Krista/Funky Mama are doing to help Lisa's family.Thank you all...and Thank you, Jen...Yes, the show is at 10 a.m. I'll change that in the blog copy. See you then...
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