Melinda Marchiano

Lance Armstrong Endorsement for Grace

Now that Melinda has completed the photo selections and permissions for the new edition of Grace, she is working on obtaining book endorsements.  With all of the “Lance stories” in Grace, not to mention the treasured inspiration he unknowingly blessed  Melinda with during her cancer battle, Melinda would love to have Lance Armstrong endorse her book.  Just wondering if anyone out there in cyberspace might be, say, having dinner with Lance this evening?  How about riding with him tomorrow?  Okay, how about, is there anyone out there who can ask Lance if he will read an amazing book, written by Melinda Marchiano about her journey through cancer and recovery?  If you read this, Lance, thank you again for signing Melinda’s port jar…  it still makes her happy!  Hope the story about you makes you chuckle…

Hodgkin’s disease Commercial during American Idol

Were you watching American Idol last night?  Wow, wow, and I am not talking about the show itself!  What a surprise, and somewhat of a shock, to see the www.fight2win.org commercial asking for funding for research for Hodgkin’s disease.  The girl in the hospital bed looked just like I did two years ago!  What Alese began with this site is a fruitful seed that will help many other children… I am joining her in this quest for healing knowledge.  While she directs the quest from heaven, I plan on lending my helping hands here on earth.  Join me.

Submission of updated manuscript with photos!

Submitted the updated manuscript with photo insertions today.  Are you wondering if you are in one of them?!  Most likely so!

Photos in New Edition of Grace

Melinda has been busy selecting photos for her new edition of Grace.  This past weekend, Melinda went to San Francisco to dance the weekend away with training from professional dance choreographers in The Pulse Tour.  What an incredible weekend it was for Miss Passionate About Dance, Melinda!  Would you like to know who her very favorite choreographer was?  Mia Michaels!  Just to top off the fun, Joey and Madisen came from Seattle and Debi and Hilary joined us from Phoenix.  Melinda’s muscles were sore from dancing and her belly was sore from laughing– what could be better?

Another Quote from Grace

We could summon no power for ourselves, yet we somehow managed to muster up a speck for one another.

Ballerina back from PNB Audition

What an awesome weekend for Melinda!  On Saturday, she auditioned at the San Francisco Ballet for the Pacific Northwest Ballet intensive  summer program.  Ever since the audition, she will get a heavenly look on her face, and tell me, “That was soooooooooo much fun!”  After the audition, we traveled to Sacramento to see her brother, Nicholas.  We attended his amazing church with him on Sunday, and then he gave us a tour of Sacramento State Hornet Racing, and the mechanical engineering department.  Very, very cool! 

And today, Melinda enjoyed meeting Bryan, her Greenleaf project manager, on the phone.  Among the things they discussed is the addition of photos to Melinda’s new edition of Grace.  Also, Melinda turned in her manuscript to Greenleaf today.  Telling you that Melinda is excited to begin this project is an enormous understatement!

Greenleaf Book Group

Melinda has some very exciting news!  Greenleaf Book Group has accepted Grace for distribution with Emerald Book Company, and it will be released this summer.  This is an incredible opportunity for Melinda to collaborate with their professional staff to develop Grace into the finest book it can be.  Since Melinda will be very, very busy keeping up with school and working with Greenleaf on her book, I will post updates to let you know what is happening.  When Melinda was diagnosed with cancer at 13, she had no idea that, at 15, she would have her story published.  Staying positive really is a great thing!

A bit more of Grace

     I found our awkward relationship hysterical and couldn’t help but do some harmless teasing. 

     Putting on my best disgusted, threatening expression, and using my perfected New York dialect, I huffed, “Get outta here, ya Ketamine pusha!”

A bit of Grace…

     Wow.  It dawned on me.  I had cancer.  That was the first time that anyone, Dr. Dan, nurses, friends, or family, had ever used that word to refer to my illness.  I think that it was probably avoided and aimed more toward Hodgkin.  Hmm, that sounds like a cute, little puppy with floppy ears, compared to “cancer.”  They probably didn’t want to scare me, and I thank them for that.  I knew I had cancer.  I was getting chemo for goodness sakes, but never before had that word been directed toward me, describing me.  And, from that point on, a little tape played in my head– periodically rewinding itself, before repeating again.

     “I have cancer.  I have cancer.  I have cancer.”

      Still, after all that, my very next thought was, “Are you sure?  Cancer?!”

Quote from Grace

I thought, “What if God takes me right now?  Will I be naked in heaven?  Wait!  Let me put some clothes on!”