BATON ROUGE, La. ?? Kasie Coleman is like a buzz saw no stop switch now, whirling from one task to another, dust, leaving in its wake and anyone trying to follow two steps behind.
She slower not negative thoughts, the side effects of chemotherapy or go to the doctor behind schedule. Too busy for that.
Coleman has children to raise, a husband to love, to help parents, a God to worship, to write a blog and a bakery business booming building. It is supported by a life that barely acknowledges the peritoneal mesothelioma cancer now in remission, but still quietly brewing within her womb.
The 38-year-old business opened its third Sugarbelle Bakery in Baton Rouge last month, only years after the inauguration of the first store. It develops quickly with a concept not to be missed. The best made-from-scratch, all-natural, melt in your mouth goodies from personal recipes of her grandmother
"The plan is now to help this thing [business] grow", said Coleman during a short, catcher's breathtaking, late afternoon lunch break in a Cajun seafood shop nearby. "They asked me if I go to the franchise, but I ' that have been too busy to even research. For now, I just want to build something that will last here. "
Coleman date does not appear, act or even sound like someone affected by cancer that has no cure. However, there are times when the burden overwhelms, that she details in her blog for Asbestos.com.
she is more concerned now with the construction of this shop Bundt cake, making gooey Whoopie Pies, Gourmet Pralines and delicious tea cakes that are unmatched in Baton Rouge.
"I try to live now as [the cancer] never took place, as much as I can," she said. "I do not think too much. Just give me 60 more years of life to everything, and I'll be happy. I told my oncologist a few times that I do not have time for all that, he wants to talk. "
Treating the ups and downs of life
Coleman was diagnosed nearly four there for years, suffered twice most cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC ) hyperthermia procedures.
She also has been through several postoperative cycles of chemotherapy that made her unhappy, and later a hypochondriac stage where every pain or pain caused a panic attack that gave him a rash zoster-like skin.
Coleman still moves cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Oklahoma, once every 0 days for precautionary tuneup, ensuring no new disease develops. It still learning to block anxiety until just before each journey. it does this by staying busy.
"Around day 88 or 89, which is when I think about it again, almost obsess over. It's frightening. And when I get to Tulsa, I'm like a car pulling up to the vacuum pump. I'm on fumes, "she said." But when I go there, and the results are good, I have a full tank and I'm ready to roll. I'm the Energizer Bunny again. "
As a business owner, her days start early and usually end up late. Although his bakers arrive in stores, it is not too far behind after his two young son, 11 and 6 at school.
a Baker who wears many hats
it could be in the back sift flour, cracking eggs and wearing an apron. it could wipe the counter to the front, taking a special order by phone or by filling staff schedules to his office. It leads from store to store, but uses his mobile phone to stay in regular contact with everyone.
"I do not have a manager or assistant manager. I'm just about everything. I am HR, marketing, baker, cashier, customer service, runner," she said. "I try not to micromanage, but it is my nature."
Her husband, who works for AT & T, also serves as a maintenance man-hours after Sugarbelle. he built some of the furniture in the new store, which opened in a more upscale neighborhood. They also add the cream and ice house menu donuts.
"I'm used to working. I worked all my life. I worked in high school. I had three jobs at once while going to college. I work in fast food outlets, pharmacies, a service company, clothing stores, "she said. "I probably had 40 different jobs in my life. You name it, I did. "
grandmother Set the scene
The idea of the bakery was innocently planted long ago, even if she never wanted to do it professionally. As a child, she grew up baking cookies with her grandmother, leaving him good memories and an appreciation of the old merchandise, southern baked style.
After graduating from the University Louisiana Tech, Coleman began a promising career in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, taking advantage of its release, the nature personable. it was natural charm and disarming health professionals.
Then came the pain stomach, multiple cycles of misdiagnoses and finally the news that this rare and aggressive cancer had attacked him out of nowhere.
the typical mesothelioma patients is 30 years older, has a history of exposure to asbestos, and do not survive as long as Coleman already has. And they do not have their lunches interrupted by an urgent phone call asking what kind of alcohol to be used in a special order Booze Bundt Cake Collection.
"I am particularly with the ingredients we use," she said. "And I've been known to improvise."
After his first surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, she was fired from her pharmaceutical job, even though his recovery time was half that of the typical patient Needing an outlet. - and work - she found a folder of recipes his grandmother compiled before his death
One of these handwritten recipes -. for butter Pound Cake - is proudly displayed in each store, along with the photo of her grandmother having tasted the real thing, the. customers often stop to read, jotting down before leaving.
"I know the original Sugarbelle, Mary J. Davenport, is in the sky, beaming with pride, because I'm still cooking she shared with everyone, and following in his footsteps ?? "Is part of the tribute framed Coleman wrote.
Sugarbelle the menu includes categories such as bundt cake Signature Classics, Fantasies Fruitful, Booze Collection, Junk Food Classics and Chocoholics Anonymous, and a rotating menu other favorites.
"A few days is really fun. It is good to see customers smile and tell you how much they like what we did. Some days the corporate side can be frustrating. It can wear you down, "she said." I am an impatient person, and I wonder when it might get to the point where I can really take a day off and do not worry. That's why I burn the candle at both ends now. I'm still looking light at the end of the tunnel, but I do not. "
Its purpose is to continue to develop, design more creative packaging and move in outlets outside. It also remains committed to having the best and freshest cakes everywhere outside the home.
"Being in business helped me mentally with this [mesothelioma]," she said. "The first thing I say to someone else facing the same is" Ask your pity party. It can make you afraid, but then surround yourself with people who believe that you can fight. We all have an expiration date, but I never felt like I'm dying. I have too many things. "
