Kristine
Our dear friend, Kristine, is currently at MD Anderson in Houston having a stem cell replacement procedure that should give her a chance to live the life she should be living after having danced with stage IV breast cancer. This young woman has enriched our lives--together with the lives of many others--ever since we met her at a conference this year. This gal’s spirit is the real deal!
Ruth and I admire Kristine—her wisdom and go-for-it attitude are amazing. I’ve heard much about stem cell replacement therapy, but never could I have imagined the complexity of the procedure. My own chemotherapy pales in comparison with what Kristine is going through in surprisingly good spirits. She journals almost every day and always leaves me chuckling. Her sense of humor seems to peak when her life is on the line. Something deep within is telling me that one day soon these “challenging” days will be in her rear view mirror as she cruses down the road to wellness with her husband, two children and dear friends right there beside her. Is there any greater visual than that for me today? I think not.
“There are two more major hurdles to overcome---the 96 hours of chemo and the subsequent stem cell replacement, remember those CD34's---those prize puppies are going to come back clean as a whistle and will grow and grow and grow and I will live, live LIVE!!! Yeah for them & yeah for me!!!” –Kristine’s Journal 7/23/08
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Stuff
Stuff
I was emailing with a friend, currently living with her family in Taiwan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Young Breast Cancer Survival Conference this past February. She recently moved from Macon, Georgia to Taiwan and hired an auction company to sell off all the things she, her husband and two children had accumulated over the years but could not take with them due to space limitations at their new home. The auction company has a website where you can view and bid on items you’re interested in.
As I was browsing the site, I couldn’t believe how many antiques and collectibles were among the many things they were auctioning. I sent an email back to my friend asking her how it felt to let go of all the memorabilia from her young life. Her reply was:
“We just never think one day we could accumulate as many things as we do now. After I had cancer, most of our value judgments changed, and nothing really meant anything anymore except our freedom to do whatever we want. Having a lot of stuff can only inconvenience the situation.”—Ishiuan Hargrove
Wow! How profound is that? Needless to say this weekend is dedicated to my dear friend Ishiuan and getting rid of stuff.
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
I was emailing with a friend, currently living with her family in Taiwan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Young Breast Cancer Survival Conference this past February. She recently moved from Macon, Georgia to Taiwan and hired an auction company to sell off all the things she, her husband and two children had accumulated over the years but could not take with them due to space limitations at their new home. The auction company has a website where you can view and bid on items you’re interested in.
As I was browsing the site, I couldn’t believe how many antiques and collectibles were among the many things they were auctioning. I sent an email back to my friend asking her how it felt to let go of all the memorabilia from her young life. Her reply was:
“We just never think one day we could accumulate as many things as we do now. After I had cancer, most of our value judgments changed, and nothing really meant anything anymore except our freedom to do whatever we want. Having a lot of stuff can only inconvenience the situation.”—Ishiuan Hargrove
Wow! How profound is that? Needless to say this weekend is dedicated to my dear friend Ishiuan and getting rid of stuff.
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Rain and Sunshine
Rain and Sunshine
I write in a journal daily. It might just be a few sentences about a dream or revelation I had, or I might hit upon a topic that keeps me writing for days. When I look back at my thoughts on paper, I realize just how much I’ve grown or changed or just simply how human I am. The real payoff of journaling is that, sooner or later, it leads me to be grateful for all that has happened in my life.
The one thing I truly understand now is that there are fortunes and misfortunes in every life. The rain and sunshine in each of our journeys are there for a purpose. If you become a consummate student of life, you’ll eventually get an education of the soul that lasts forever, and it will help you become all that you should be. It’s important to get into the habit of seeing every event in your life as a win-win situation. If you take away either the rain or the sunshine, the rainbow cannot exist.
“Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.” --Pepper Giardino
“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.” --Author Unknown
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
I write in a journal daily. It might just be a few sentences about a dream or revelation I had, or I might hit upon a topic that keeps me writing for days. When I look back at my thoughts on paper, I realize just how much I’ve grown or changed or just simply how human I am. The real payoff of journaling is that, sooner or later, it leads me to be grateful for all that has happened in my life.
The one thing I truly understand now is that there are fortunes and misfortunes in every life. The rain and sunshine in each of our journeys are there for a purpose. If you become a consummate student of life, you’ll eventually get an education of the soul that lasts forever, and it will help you become all that you should be. It’s important to get into the habit of seeing every event in your life as a win-win situation. If you take away either the rain or the sunshine, the rainbow cannot exist.
“Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.” --Pepper Giardino
“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.” --Author Unknown
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
Friday, July 4, 2008
One thing at a time
One thing at a time
I will never forget my reaction to the words “You have cancer.” There’s nothing in the world that can prepare you for that awful statement. I remember having my pity party for about two hours with many tears and fears that my life might end at 47 instead of 97. At the end of the party, my heart spoke clearly, assuring me that all was as it should be and directing me to take a one thing at a time approach. And that’s just what I did.
By making the effort to focus on one thing at a time, we learn to allow the journey to unfold as it should. There’s no need to force or resist whatever might be happening in your life at this moment. It’s better to break it down into small pieces you can handle rather than letting the overall situation overwhelm you. If you think about this, you’ll recognize the many opportunities you have in your life to practice the one thing at a time approach. The opportunities range from planning a big event or getting an education to the most simple everyday tasks. If I had allowed the cancer to dominate the big picture, instead of breaking it down into smaller manageable pieces, I’m not sure I would have learned firsthand that the longest journey starts with but a single step. Thank goodness my heart taught me the value of breaking it down to one day, one thing at a time.
“If someone asked you, “Can you swim a mile?” you’d say, “Nah.” But if you found yourself dumped out at sea, you’d swim the mile. You’d make it.” –Gert Boyle (1923- )
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
I will never forget my reaction to the words “You have cancer.” There’s nothing in the world that can prepare you for that awful statement. I remember having my pity party for about two hours with many tears and fears that my life might end at 47 instead of 97. At the end of the party, my heart spoke clearly, assuring me that all was as it should be and directing me to take a one thing at a time approach. And that’s just what I did.
By making the effort to focus on one thing at a time, we learn to allow the journey to unfold as it should. There’s no need to force or resist whatever might be happening in your life at this moment. It’s better to break it down into small pieces you can handle rather than letting the overall situation overwhelm you. If you think about this, you’ll recognize the many opportunities you have in your life to practice the one thing at a time approach. The opportunities range from planning a big event or getting an education to the most simple everyday tasks. If I had allowed the cancer to dominate the big picture, instead of breaking it down into smaller manageable pieces, I’m not sure I would have learned firsthand that the longest journey starts with but a single step. Thank goodness my heart taught me the value of breaking it down to one day, one thing at a time.
“If someone asked you, “Can you swim a mile?” you’d say, “Nah.” But if you found yourself dumped out at sea, you’d swim the mile. You’d make it.” –Gert Boyle (1923- )
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
