About the Bikin' Grama

Hi!  I am known as the Bikin' Grama.  My son, Aaron and his family came to visit us for Spring break in April 2013.  He himself, had started cycling only 7 months earlier.  He took me on a bike ride one day, and I was HOOKED!!  The above picture is me with my new bike on the very first day I started my biking journey.  If you look really close, I look like the Pillsbury Dough Boys' Grama!  At this time I didn't realize that within 4 short months, I would be graduating to a "Road Bike!"  But that story comes later....

In January 1997, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I had a mastectomy and went through chemo-therapy and radiation.  The good news is that the treatments worked and I was cancer free!   But because of the drugs and treatments I went through, I gained a lot of weight.  A year after my treatments, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Depression.  With the help of caring doctors, they were able to treat me for both, and I was finally feeling like my normal self again.   In 2000, I had to have a left knee replacement.  That surgery also improved my quality of living.   Now don't think this is a pity party...because it's not.   This is an important part of my journey.   I have condensed it so not to bore you!   But...the weight didn't go away, and so for the past 16 years I have had a battle with weight gain.  Then in 2010, I was diagnosed the second time with breast cancer.   This time, they said, they caught it early.  I was told no treatment was necessary.   But not wanting to go through it again, I chose to have a second mastectomy.  So now, 3 years later, I am once again, CANCER FREE!:)

I have a wonderful life!  I have been happily married to my husband, Glenn, for 21 years now.  We have a blended family of 10 children.  We each have 4 boys and I have 2 girls.  8 of our children are married, and from those marriages we have 19 awesome grandchildren!  So what does a mother and grandmother do with most of her time since most of our children live outside of Utah.  We have 4 living in Salt Lake City and Bountiful.  Unfortunately we only have 1 grandchild living close.  Two years ago I decided to start a Bakery in my home.  Baking is a passion of mine, so it was easy to get started!  I didn't want to get too busy, cause I travel often to visit our long-distance grandbabies!  It's been fun having a bakery, and I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful people.  My weight has bothered me and I have tried many different forms of exercise and diet.   In October of 2012, I had to have a right knee replacement.  Thanks to an awesome surgeon, Dr. Adam Bergeson, six months later I was on a bike!

On April 15, 2013, began my biking journey, and it continues!  This post will contain pictures, and personal thoughts, and all the wonderful experiences I've been having since I became the "Bikin' Grama!

If you have any comments or questions...I am here!:)