Penny For Your Thoughts
An idiom that means “Tell me what you are thinking” or “What’s on your mind?”.
It’s used when someone seems pensive or hasn’t said much about a topic. The phrase suggests you’re interested in their thoughts and willing to offer a small amount of value (a penny) for them.
With pennies about to be obsolete in 2026, I thought this may be a perfect way I could ask for help when that may be the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. I am a quiet person when comes to my personal life and struggles. I know many of us are. Therefore, sharing this with all of you is difficult in itself but necessary and very much needed!
If you are unable to give a penny, believe me, I get it! However, please just leave your positive thoughts. I may not be able to give you a penny for them. (That would kind of defeat the purpose of this. Lol)
Your prayers, thoughts and kind words add up to more pennies than the world has to offer! They don’t have to be online. If you think of me and are able to smile, you’re sending a positive thought into this universe for me! That is all I could ever ask for! Please keep me in your heart, mind and prayers. Believe me, if your soul had danced with mine if even for a second, you are loved unconditionally by at least one person! Me! I hope I made you feel at least a penny’s worth of that love while we were in each other’s presence!
Hoping my thoughts are worth your pennies!
In February of 2023, almost every co-worker of mine became very ill. It was the back-end of COVID-19, but a crazy bug went around the office. I did my best to just cover for everyone because they were all so sick and I was not. All I had was a sore throat that would just not go away. Being the customer service rep on the phones all day was a challenge. However, that’s what we do, right? When one of us goes down, one of us stands up and pushes forward harder.
Everyone got over their illnesses and returned to work and all was normal again. However, for me, it wasn’t. My throat was still sore. Not like strep or anything just one spot that was painful when I swallowed, talked or coughed.
If you know me, I hate doctors! Not the humans that create miracles every day. They are Rock Stars! Just the whole sitting, waiting and please tell me what’s wrong with me now scene. I pretty much have to be on my death bed to even consider going to the ER!
However, September of 2023 came around and my throat was still hurting and getting worse. Yes, 6 months of having a sore throat. Told you I hate going to the doctors. I knew it was time to go and figure out what was needed because whatever it was, clearly it was not going to heal itself or go away on its own. I went to the doctor and was referred to an ENT Specialist. A biopsy was scheduled and from there, this crazy journey began.
In October of 2023 I was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx. That’s throat cancer in layman’s terms. I was then referred to “THE” Best Hospital in the land! Lol THE Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital at THE Ohio State University. I pray you never need them!!! However, if you do, you will not find more devoted, caring and compassionate people to help you though your ordeal.
After all of the appointments, scans, tests, you name it, my best treatment plan was made. I began radiation 5 days a week and chemotherapy once each week. That lasted for 7 weeks. 33 sessions of radiation and 7 rounds of chemo. On Valentine’s Day 2024, I got to ring the bell commemorating that I had made it through treatment and was now able to focus on healing. Treatment was over!
6 months later, August of 20024, a scan showed I was cancer free. YAY!!!
I won’t go into the whole healing process other than to say, it was rough, and I was blessed to have the people around me that were there for me! I lost my taste completely, 40 lbs. and the ability to swallow without choking. Yet, cancer was in remission. I made it!
October of 2024, I learned my mother was declining quickly from Dementia and Alzheimer’s set in fast. We lost her on January 15, 2025, after many years of us being estranged. Lucky again, I was able to thank her for being my mother before she passed and we were able to spend time laughing and crying together. She was a great mother that did the best she possibly could. I wish I would have had her to go through this all with me. However, I am grateful for the moments we had!
At the end of December, I started feeling like shit and was in a lot of pain. It just kept getting worse and it was at that point where I finally said, I am going to the ER today! Enough is enough.
I was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a Pleural Effusion. That’s where fluid has built up in the sac that surrounds your lung. I spent the next 12 days in the hospital with chest tubes to drain all of the fluid and ease the pressure it was putting on all of my organs and spine. Not a fun experience. However, they did several CT scans and daily x-rays to show the progress of my treatment. This would lead me to the reason for my fundraiser and frankly, the ability to catch the necessity for round 2!
The CT scan showed a nodule on my right lung. The effusion was around my left lung. Within just a few months the nodule almost doubled in size. Of course, there were then several scans and another biopsy. As of today, I am diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma of the lung. Yep, now Lung Cancer and a completely different kind of cancer. In no way related to my throat. This lucky girl right here hit the cancer lottery twice all within less than 2 years! Hahaha
If you are still reading, through all of this, I lost my job due to not being able to return in the capacity I was hired for and I no longer had a vehicle to get there anyway. The bank tends to not care why you can’t make your payments. I started Door Dashing at night because that’s when I had transportation. However, that too had to end when my sciatica kicked in and has been rearing its ugly head daily for months now. I was dropping orders and falling and getting in and out of car was not something I could continue to do.
David has taken care of me though all of this. Now, he too has been laid off. While he looks for work and something that can get us back on track, our house is about to go into foreclosure. I am $14,000 past due. I truly don’t know how they’ve allowed me to stay this long. However, I purchased this home in 2001. My 25-year-old son, Alex had his 2nd Birthday Party here. Meadow, now 22 and Trevor, now 19, were brought home from the hospital to this house. I am afraid I am about to lose it and am asking for help as hard as that is for me!
I have applied for Social Security Disability. However was told, a decision could take up to 220 days. Yikes!
Even if I cannot raise enough money to save my house from foreclosure, I am still in need of help relocating and paying my medical bills. I have tossed this idea around for months because I in no way want to ask for charity. However, one of my closest friends reminded me……
People are put on this earth for us all to use.
Use the people you have been blessed with and
allow them to use you for what you have to offer.
Just Don’t Misuse them!
If you can spare a penny or 2, I would be so grateful. If not, I totally understand! However, your positive thoughts and energy are most welcome at any moment of any day!
Thank you, my thoughtful friends! Hoping “This too shall pass!” I Love You!
