Dear Reader:
From the first awakening of the first morning after my first chemo treatment (when I popped up and the plastic pail I had placed by my bed was still empty- I hadn’t gotten sick like several people had warned me)…a smile spread over my entire being and I learned a valuable lesson.
If I was to get past this medical obstacle lying in the middle of my main artery through my life journey, I had to live in the moment and not let the hearsay “monsters” lead me off-course… with (unhelpful/inaccurate) comments like “Aunt Lila threw up after each chemo session until she withered up like a weed… so keep a pail by your bed” or “radiation will burn your skin badly…it is quite painful” or “Don’t let them open you up…it will just spread the cancer.”
Obviously everyone reacts differently to all the obstacles in life that affront us…medical, professional, or personal….but in my experience of fighting “little c” the worse obstacles were not the treatments, themselves, but the well-intentioned “naysayers” who created and planted unnecessary “monsters” of fear and doubt into my mind.
After three rounds of radiation, surgeries, and chemo ….I can honestly say the (self-imposed) “What If” monsters have been the hardest to deal with….physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Then one day I was reading in my Happy Room…and found myself laughing out loud at something in the article… while I smelled wonderful aromas coming from a casserole a friend had brought cooking in the oven, my cd was playing some old Beach Boy tunes…and I realized…cancer ( “little c”) or not…I was happy!
In that moment all was well! It was then that I had my epiphany…a person can live a lifetime in a moment.
The “What If’s” disappeared out of sight…out of mind. And it had all started with an empty pail seven years ago…dispelling many of the imaginary and antiquated information about my medical problem.
So today I keep two empty pails on my mantle…one named Grace and the other Gratitude…to remind me to listen to God’s medical advice and reassurance through His instruments, the doctors, and put on blinders to well-meaning but doubt-causing fears of the unknown.
Doctors can heal…but only God can save…that is His department and it is this grace that I embrace with much gratitude.
My sign came last week so now when I look up from reading or watching television…I visually see the words to match my feelings about my life today….
So until tomorrow…Remember: God loves us more in a moment than anyone could in a lifetime!
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
* Our lovely friend, Betsy,(Libby’s daughter) who we have kept in our prayers since she first experienced heart problems back in December… is scheduled for surgery Tuesday at MUSC to remove her thyroids and transplant some of her parathyroids. After much testing…these were the organs (culprits) causing the side effect heart problems.
I would, personally, appreciate your prayers for this beautiful young woman and niece to all her Ya aunties. Her “All is good” attitude will definitely hasten her healing but it will be a pretty rocky road for awhile…so your prayers are met with much gratitude and thanksgiving by her adoring family & friends.
Betsy Clarkson Crick with Rebecca and Hailey.
Kaitlyn and Tommy were very patriotic at the beach earlier on the Fourth before joining us for all the festivities. I love you two!
My hosta (just medium sized) is blooming quite patriotically too!
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
Prayers on the way! And your attitude about physical problems goes a long way to helping on the road to recovery. I have had Drs tell me most people wouldn’t be walking with all the back surgeries you have had. But I had family to take care of and at one point two children in college at the same time. I had to keep going! In the long run it has made me stronger in so many ways, physically, mentally, and in my faith in God. I was able to return to work after my 11th Surgery out of 13. But number 12 came and the Dr and my work didn’t want me to work anymore. God gave me that strength to keep going for as long as it took to see my children thtough college and get nearly 30 years of service to my work place. If you don’t have faith and that will to get up and keep going, it will get you. So many people as know have gone through 1 or 2 spinal surgeries and they were done. I was blessed with good Drs and I kept my faith and God allowed me to keep on trucking as it is said. And I am still going. I sure am glad you had a similar though much more serious problem and kept on going. Your writings sure hit home and make me remember just how thankful I should be. You keep on trucking too Mrs Dingle, you keep me inspired! Thank you!
Johnny….it is you who inspires all of us…you have shown a courage far beyond what others could muster….Betsy’s family appreciates your prayers so much!