Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

Even if we Ya’s were all magicians … we, nor anyone else… can stop the hands of time … as each retreat comes to an end, this stark reality becomes more evident… and we find ourselves staring at each other… the unspoken question left lingering in the air… do we have another retreat… but then determined we hold hands and are filled with gratitude for this one and consumed with hope for the next!

And each year we realize what an unique bond we have lasting over half a century from our freshman year at Erskine College… pretty mind-blowing.

Libby found this true story of the special bonding between female elephants… so touching!

When a female elephant is about to give birth all the other female elephants surround the mother… hiding her and the impending baby from sight. As the baby is delivered, all the other elephants kick sand at the baby to protect it’s sensitive skin from burning from the sun.

And then comes the celebration… all the female elephants begin trumpeting as joyfully and loud as they can … announcing new life into the herd.

If the worst happens and a predator ( tiger, Lion) enters the tent… they wish they happened … they can be met with up to 40 female elephants attacking… most are happy to have survived the attack. )

As the author of the story… concludes ” That’s what we do girls” !!!

How indescribably blessed I am to have my four undying friendships who closed rank around me this past week and lifted me higher than imagined possible.

As Libby found in our initial Ya friendship pact… ” A Ya Ya is never farther away from needing and helping another Ya … always within her reach! ”

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

I leave still frail but hope and happiness pervade my being.

Returning to my oncologist Wednesday … hoping I will receive new strategies and new hope to get my strength retired!

Dear Reader:

The birthday surprise the Ya’s had been planning for me… made me happier than anything else anyone could have given me!

The best wish …the final accumulation of an on-going wish that I didn’t think would ever come to fruition. So many attempts that fell short and my magical birthday wish accompanied by determined Ya’s willing to give up a precious day at Edisto to make this happen.

Tommy and Kaitlyn joined us and ( and their three furry friends) but more importantly … everyone arrived beating all kinds of gifts magazines and refreshments that Ben was thrilled over.

When Brooke and Jackson came wheeling Ben out… I was immobilized for a moment… there was my beloved Ben Ben. FINALLY!

He was alert and cutting up… when Libby asked Ben if he still recognized her with her gray hair… Ben stared a minute and then reassured her he like the gray better!

One of his nurses had just bought a copy of his Story of Vietnam and she wanted him to sign it. He did, wrote her name perfectly ( To Michelle) and ended … love Ben -just as straight as a stick! Such a complicated disease… you never know at anytime what a patient can do… they surprise you!

So until tomorrow… God … What a gift you gave so many people and brought me such happiness!!!!

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

As a little girl didn’t we dream of being a princess or even a queen sitting on a throne in all our majestic glory?

It has taken me a lifetime but my magical moments on the throne ( aka recliner) started the moment I sat down. Because it has been rainy , blustery, and unusually chilly -the weather has kept me on my throne inside ( so far) but we are all hoping for sunnier outside sunshine spraying our faces. I dream about it!

The reason for the title ” Throne” is more encompassing than just a piece of furniture… Brooke literally waited on me hand and foot Wednesday before and after the girls arrived… bringing me mini-meals , water… and encouragement… fixing anything she thought I could get down.

Then Libby and Jackson started adding to the ” servant” pool… it has been a terrific experience but time to stop… the Queen needs to get her arse up and going or I am going to start start growing into the ” Throne.”

Libby tracked down the first bottle tree and we are discovering that Mother Nature is and will always be Master of her domain.

On the way to the grocery store Libby said she would snap a picture of the first bottle tree half a street down from us. She walked all around the house -no tree-or at least at first glance.

The last storm that left the beach embankments poured over Palmetto Blvd crossing into the front yards of the first houses…. including this one.

Apparently we figured out the tree was moved to the backyard in the wooded area to protect it… and it was there where Libby found it… hidden away for security.

One down … we are hoping we can pile in the car and track the clues down for a future scavenger tree hunt. Time will tell.

Over and over on these magical days… already seeing the power of friendship and it’s effect on my healing attitude and gratitude and appetite!

So until tomorrow …

Today is my favorite day … Winnie the Pooh

Thank you family and friends for your ongoing encouragement!!! My theme ( while here) I am dethroning myself and venturing out a little farther… we cannot live on a throne alone . Love conquers all!

Dear Reader!

I have been here almost 24 hours… the rest of the girls are on their way as I write this post. As the song says… 🎼🎹… ANTICIPATION …!!!

The Magic of Dawhoo, Edisto, and Rest in Peace has already cast its spell on me! Brooke told me there were some new house rules this year… every two hours some energy inducing ( very diversified) ” magic potion” is being brought to me in a tiny bowl and I am to open up and get it down. Surprisingly I have been three fourths successful in this endeavor… just having someone to talk to makes all the difference in the world… a much needed distraction. (And feeling so secure -not having to make all my decisions and wait on the next pill while fighting nausea. Can already feel the difference! No nausea today! Now more laughter is about to arrive and more distractions.)

Brooke told me the Ya’s have all kinds of surprises for me. Fun! They will be revealed throughout the retreat!!!

Mother Nature is also bringing out a huge surprise Saturday night for all to awe at….

Clemson might have a ” bye” this Saturday but Orange will dominate the Solar Eclipse-Ring Around the Fire! Something everyone can get fired up about and the Ya’s get to share it together.

So tomorrow… libby saw this and brought it with her!

Today IS my favorite day!

Dear Reader:

My one happy daily ritual during this trying ordeal has been marking calendar days down. And to my delight I get to add a day!

Tommy insisted he drive me over yesterday… a day early to the annual Ya Retreat, after his last closing at 1. Officially the whole gang will arrive Thursday but Brooke always goes a day early to open up. So when it suited Tommy to bring me yesterday… busy the rest of the week… Brooke screamed… ” Perfect” … we can get you all settled in before Libby and Jackson arrive!

And even though I probably won’t be able to track down all the bottle trees-in the scavenger hunt…one sighting is right off Dawhoo! We can just ride by and take a picture from the car window!

No doubt being with my Ya’s is the best medicine in the world … if friendship and love can conquer any obstacle… and I know love is the greatest force on earth… then I can’t help returning stronger than I went -five days of getting my mind off me ( I am really tired of me) and just catching up and laughing … hearing other voices is so exciting!

Watching movies together is one of my favorite things to do… and we do it well!

We all met at Erskine and once our child-rearing days were coming to an end… we planned a reunion and have never stopped gathering since… it is our top priority/there are no secrets among us and if nothing else… our friendship, over the years, has only grown stronger!

So until tomorrow… we have all had serious health challenges in the past and persevered through them… no doubt this reunion might be remembered as ” Boo’s ” Boo Boo” year but also the turning point toward restored health! That is my wish and hope.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

I think one of the worst scenarios being played out by my new drug (that obviously doesn’t like me) is the timing… September and October are my two most favorite months and they are passing me by in a dazed semi-conscious state.

By now I would have a house filled pumpkins and all kinds of fall/ Halloween decorations . I look around sadly… I have about as much energy as that ant( actually I think the ant might have more.)

But I did get four artificial pumpkins and placed two on each top step and secondary step because Brooke had given me the cool torches leading up to the steps -they are fiery gold and it did look cool with my porch lamp -Two more aluminum pumpkins sit on the bench… Jeff cleaned up yard yesterday and he made sure everything looked terrific for anyone walking or driving by…Felt considerably better.

Than yesterday I walked outside to check my mail and something looked off. Someone had taken two of my pumpkins! Usually I have a hugh amount of fall and Halloween decorations paraphernalia and nothing has ever been touched. And then this year I have those four pumpkins and somebody takes two. I was in shock… the porch light was on… pretty brazen and disturbing at the same time.

I thought of the timing of this pill preceded by my flu and birthday cancelled and beautiful October right outside and I can’t enjoy it. So much bad timing associated with this whole change in my chemo treatments.

Since I have plenty of time to reminisce happier Octobers.. I started looking back on those special race for the cure family days and it made me so happy to have my entire family support me every year.

The first year ( Tommy and I were the sole walkers for the race) and then Doodle, Lassie joined followed by Carrie, then four month old Eva Cate , John and Mandy, followed by baby Rutledge , Mollie and Walsh and then Kaitlyn arrived and we knew Tommy was smitten-their friends started joining in and we grew and grew. It just goes to show that love grows exponentially!

It was the last year for our team-it was no longer going to be held on Daniel Island but N Charleston -the grandchildren were growing and had other events now and we thought we would go out on top! ( Thanks to all you generous donors!

But last weekend Rutledge showed up for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in this!

So until tomorrow … so much to fight for and live for … I am fighting hard!!!

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh

Had the best advice from my oncology nurse Linda Carson that was common sense trying to get me to stop putting too much stress on myself and Debi Clayton who couldn’t swallow for ten weeks – her esophagus got burnt in radiation and she got through that… what a blessing when she walked through that door. God is good!

Tomorrow is another day and no doubt a better one!

Dear Reader:

When I , recently, got this card from Pam Stewart, I started jumping up and down. Years ago I got this card and kept it ” forever” by my computer. It always makes me smile… and especially these days it completely visually sums up the way I feel.

This new chemo pill challenge… literally feels like the ant and the watermelon. Somewhere along the way I lost my old card or perhaps paid it forward… regardless I have missed it a lot…definitely a God Wink Pam!

The stress of my load now is trying so hard to think of anything solid I can swallow and get down… cannot take ” Big Blue” without food. What a predicament! Never in my wildest imagination would I imagine waking up to such a dilemma???

I had that one wonderful day when I actually enjoyed that soup… so happy but the next day gone… so disappointing. And the watermelon 🍉 went back to being a heavy obstacle again.

But I will never give up hope…. not in my make-up!

I have started a two-minute gratitude practice when I wake up each morning. I re-set my mental clock with gratitude and that gratitude is all of you who keep encouraging me… together we will overcome.

So until tomorrow … amen Jo!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Today is my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh

And yesterday was a benchmark day for Eloise… no training wheels!

Saturday was such a much needed break from nausea but then yesterday … it re-arrived … and I had to go back in warrior mood.

I would give anything not to feel nausea and instead feel excited about some food like last Saturday.

A short post today… I have turned it over to God and there it will stay!

Today is my favorite day…Winnie the Pooh

This beautiful past weekend was comprised of our annual Church Colonial Bazaar . The art center and Italian Feast.

How much I love all of you so… and what a gift that I don’t have to go through this alone!!!

Italian Feast in Summerville today!

Dear Reader:

What I call my ” God Wink” today…can also be defined in several different ways… like my ” Spiritual Compass.”

For so much of my life I now realize I never gave people much of a chance to help me…nor God. I was just too tired… teaching everyday in a middle school ( pretty challenging) and then as I told myself… the day really began… one child in one field, another child in another school involved in a play or some artistic endeavor and one child responding to an after school playdate.

It wasn’t until the children started leaving the nest that I discovered ” my” time… free private, quiet time that still must be included in my daily routine today. I thrive on interval amounts of it!!

And it was only then that I realized God had been trying to guide, direct, and give me His oversight and wisdom to overcome mundane daily obstacles for decades but I couldn’t hear , see, feel, or touch it.

When I compare my life now to the sheer manically anxious way I handled my former life… I realize I was running in circles praying everyday I could complete the circle one more time. Not a good way to live but unfortunately in our society pretty typical.

… And it is not just listening… I was reading your comments yesterday and my daily thought visual prompt popped up… my God Wink response to my impatient timing inquiry.

I don’t think God can be much more explicit in His message to me, and now that I make time for God… He can be a downright chatterbox… with enough directions and suggestions to carry me through any ordeal in life… including this one!!! How could I have ever doubted. The frailty of being human.

So until tomorrow… Connecting your spirit guide is like having a compass that never fails.

Earlier my niece Bekah came over yesterday morning and we so enjoyed catching up… she was going to see her dad… and then they called and Ben sounded really good… another happy moment…

And can you believe it… I envisioned something for the first time that I thought ( would not only stay down) but for the first time I would like to eat!!! And I did!

You better watch out ” Big Blue” … You might have won round one but the ” Boo” is showing up for Round Two!!!!!

Today is my favorite day!!! Winnie the Pooh