First I want to say I am sorry for such a long pause between post, there is a good reason. 

I’ve been in the medical field for a long time and had aspirations to become a doctor.  Well, a genetic defect took that dream away when I lost my hearing.  So I stuck with home health care.  I found that I loved this form much more.  It allowed me to get to spend more time with patients and really get to know them better.

I’ve cared for a lot of folks over 20 plus years with a myriad of conditions and diseases.  And over those many years my road has finally reached its end.  Well, end in that I am no longer searching for my place in the medical field. 

I found it!

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a retired fly fishing guide and teacher.  I’ve been blessed to be able to make money from a passion for fishing and teaching and thought it odd that when I retired, it just ended.  I know, that’s what retiring from something is supposed to be.  But it just didn’t seem right; something was missing, incomplete.

Until recently.

I have been working for a small medical equipment company as their sales and marketing person.  I love my job!  The company I represent has a mastectomy boutique that they are trying to grow.  So, like all good sales people, I researched the products and the conditions that we sell them for.

That’s when it hit me…hard!

I was running numbers on the viability of such a company and through my research, I was startled at what I found…okay, sickened and then saddened at what I found.

My research took me to places such as breast cancer centers, plastic surgeons and hospital “navigators”.  What I found was …well, I already covered that.

Turns out that many of the women, not just in my area but nation wide do not have the funds necessary to take care of themselves as they are going through cancer.  Money for things like gas money, mortgage payments, groceries or even follow-up visits and medications.  I also found that almost 50 % of women going through breast cancer are receiving calls from collection agencies or worse, in foreclosure.  That sickened me…to the core.

So I decided, this has to stop like right now!  These are grandmothers, moms, sisters, daughters…I have all of theses and I don’t even want to think of any of them suffering physically or financially because of cancer.

I put together a group call Lady Long Rodders (ladylongrodders.com).  It is a fly fishing club where the membership dues go directly to the non-profit to help folks, men and women, struggling because of cancer.  Breast cancer is our banner but we will not turn our back on anyone in need of help.

So while I have been away, it was for good reason.  I hope my explanation exonerates me…at least a little.  Please, look at the site and find and like the Facebook page and please spread the word about what we are trying to accomplish.

The club is awesome, so much more than just a “gathering”.  We have everything from college level fly fishing classes to casting demos and guest speakers, dicounts at local retailers and shops, monthly meetings, fishing buddy lists, and sponsored  outings.  Very exciting!  We want all skill levels so come join our family!

Our name is copyrighted and so is our art work but we are selling tee shirts and auto stickers to help support the cause.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly, my contact information is on the Facebook page.

So please help me spread the word, it would be greatly appreciated!

Tight lines!