Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

Yesterday Friday was Happy World Smile Day! And to tell you the truth I did smile a lot for all kinds of different reasons!

I realized when I woke up… for the first time I got my timing right on nausea pills , daily non/cancerous medications… and even though I certainly didn’t get a big helping of solid foods down… I did get some and it stayed! I felt like I had just run the mile in under a minute! Finally the break/through that my body was adjusting to ” Big Blue!” Hope was/ is alive and well!

Then I got some good news about an issue that had me worried concerning Ben … thanks to Ya Libby… my pathfinder. Brought much needed relief!

Smiles did abound in my tiny piece of the world … it felt so good to feel like “Slowly”my life as I knew it…might just have smiled and waved at me ! Or perhaps it was a God Wink!

Because we use GRATEFUL so much in everyday conversations … like ” Thank you” or ” Hello” … we must never downsize this word … it is too important. I started reading about ways to be more specific about expressing our appreciation and gratitude to others at a much deeper level!

And today… That person is YOU!

One suggestion was to list our favorite things about others…and even though I have never met many of you in person and probably never will… I still feel like I, somehow do know each of you!

Some of you have been there from the very beginning … from the first day I started the post-Chapelofhopestories! August 2010- thirteen years ago! Wow!

And the miracles started flowing in… like from Ambika from India who was living in Dubai and about to take an exam that would change her life forever… she had been up all night praying and sent out a desperate plea into cyberspace for HOPE and it arrived at Chapelofhopestories. Truly… what are the odds of that happening… she completed the examination successfully, returned to India , married, successful career and three adorable little boys!!!!!

So many of you original readers have remained so loyal… what an honorable attribute, many of you still check in occasionally to catch me up on your lives as time passes… I do love so to hear from you.

I think throwing caution to the wind and just putting our thoughts out there enrich everyone… if I have ever picked up a day for you… imagine this symbiotic relationship equally providing me with the same uplift I need also on any given day!

And everyone do consider a compliment on beauty to a friend or stranger. It can be a visual compliment, a heartfelt compliment for the beauty inside but case/in-point.

A few weeks ago when I went to Brooke’s …( my last normal weekend) before the flu and subsequent health breakdowns …Brooke and I went to their Cracker Barrel in Walterboro. ( Hard to believe I was enjoying eating) And we were browsing around and a gentleman who was working behind the counter came over to see if I needed assistance… He said ” I noticed you when you came in you look so pretty today. ”

Believe me… it was not a come on… just a friendly remark but when I sat down with Brooke ( my face flushed) I told her that I hadn’t received a compliment like that in so long.. it lifted my spirits more upward than anything else in a ” many a moon.”

I read an article how important it is to compliment people occasionally on their appearance ( not for appearance sake) but for recognizing their unique essence and it’s appeal… especially young teens like Eva Cate who desperately needs that reassurance since she is so critical of herself.

Friends and family often comment on attire but try saying something more specific ( you seem to be glowing or you look really vivacious today. )

We forget that no one gets too old to not want a compliment … we assume loved ones know this… yet how few times we give it or hear it verbally acknowledged.

So until tomorrow…

Dear Readers-the diversified attributes among you are awesome… positive, non-judgmental, upbeat, honest, endearing, heart-rendering , uplifting, and caring… What a lucky woman I am. With grateful heart, Boo

Today is my favorite day ! Winnie the Pooh

One funny….

Dear Reader:

Obviously these days this idea is a little more challenging -forcing yourself to eat when your body says ” No” is an extremely hard task to accomplish.

I told the Ya’s I need my personal air traffic controller to keep up with times … take medicine for nausea every eight hours diarrhea after a ” problem ” … force feed myself while gagging so I can take ” Big Blue” … a lot to keep up with… but I am not giving up… and I realize I must be kind and gentle… to myself…I went into this new drug under very weak conditions… flu/gag reflex to solid foods and it is just going to take longer for my body to adjust.

I remember reading something one time that stuck with me… ” Two things you are in control of in your life… are your effort and attitude.

And these two attributes are alive and well… stronger than ever… yesterday when the morning started badly… I thought ” Et Tu Universe.” But then a certain young man named Tommy Dingle heard about my misfortune getting something I thought I could eat… left work and arrived with the product! Another God Wink to let me know I have not been deserted… God will provide.

So until tomorrow… Trust in God… Trust in God! I am holding tight!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Jo’s little Winnie is going with me to all my oncology visits… in fact ” Have Winnie Will Travel!” Stays right beside me!

Here’s some info… if for any reason your email doesn’t deliver the post… immediately go to the Chapelofhopestories website-it will be there! Give it a try if old ” Brain Freeze” ( me) messes up the date again! 😆

Dear Reader:

Cindy Ashley shared this article with me a couple of days ago and it was a ‘pause to reflect’ article.

The author was exploring why the last three months of Fall are more suitable for a Re-Set Reflection Time… than waiting to the New Year in January.

Stop and think about it… Isn’t October all about change and letting go… going out with a spirit of rejuvenation that is entirely in sync with subtle changes in nature ? Shouldn’t that be our goal? To always align our lives and futures within nature… Mother Nature has been around a long time… her essence is always connected to God’s….

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

I live in gratitude these days… for all of you!

Dear Reader:

If God’s Winks come any faster… I won’t be able to keep up… because I feel like I hardly have time to blink. I sought Him out and there is no doubt GOD is leading me through this challenging time!

Yesterday morning… I read a sweet message from Bernice Sturkie, member of Dorchester Presbyterian Church, and one line from her text said…” Sending you prayers that you receive comfort… and your ” energy angels” get you through this.”

Energy Angels… the term immediately spoke clearly to me because that is still a major nemesis… ( so energy depleted) I pictured it and grinned! There was a gas tank at a station on empty with my name BOO on it. Suddenly angels began appearing around me… each carrying a gallon of gasoline… slowing down to pour it into me… my Energy Angels. What a happy image Bernice! Thank you!

I was still smiling when I was fluffing the sofa pillows and felt something… it was an old notebook of quotes … out of sight… out of mind.

I opened it and read the first two quotes… I pointed straight up in the air…while laughing… ” Come on God… you’re just showing off now!”

1) ” You’re going to be happy, said life… but first ” I’ll make you strong!”

2) ” Everybody is trying to swallow something that won’t go down.”

( See what I mean?) 😁

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

And this is my favorite season-a huge impetus to fight harder than ever to be out in it! As if to lure me to Hutchinson Square the lights on all the trees are going up… beautiful!

Many of you readers have sent such sweet poignant and encouraging advice and prayers that I can’t help but start improving!

YOU lift me up every day! 💗💗🙏🏻🙏🏻

Quick update: Mandy and I returned to my oncologist yesterday and got lots of great information on the overall plan and procedures… and then I got a personal call from the national drug company and ” Shelby” ( medical rep for them) answered more questions… gave fantastic suggestions and what worked best for majority of patients so far and a direct number straight back to her office. She will be checking in on on me on a regular basis.

I am one blessed woman!!!!

Dear Reader:

Lots of God Winks keep poring in from many directions and I had been saving a story that touched me for just the right day… today appeared to be it- Walsh let the family know … that by Thanksgiving Miss Dolley Dingle will be arriving !! (They have really missed Poogie for several years.)

I love all my grand dogs-four grandsons and soon to be two granddaughters…

Atticus

***( My fourth grandson ( Shotsky) has some disabilities and these days… divides his time between Tommy and Kaitlyn and Kaitlyn’s generous mother Susan ( who provides another home for him so I have no pictures as he does not attend family gatherings! )

… and now to the story ( paraphrased)

A Lesson for the Ages…

When the veterinarian left to visit the ten year-old Irish Wolfhound, Belker, he knew his owners ( Ron and Lisa) were hoping for a miracle. It was not to be… Belker was suffering-last stages of cancer.

He kindly offered to return the next day to perform an euthanasia. His owners thought this would be a good life lesson for their six-year old son Shane to observe too as a family unit.

The veterinarian quietly observed Shane who was calmly petting Belker and whispering to him… so when his parents began crying on the news Belker had transitioned …Shane just patted his head one last time. No confusion -or even puzzlement.

But he did begin listening to his parents and the veterinarian discussing how unfair life seemed to be concerning animals with the amount of limited time allotted them. They wondered why this was so….?

Suddenly a small voice responded: ” I know why. People are born so they can learn how to live a good life…like loving everyone all the time and being nice. ”

” Well dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay so long.”

The veterinarian said he had never heard a more comforting explanation.

Together the foursome began to write down all the examples Belker ( or any dog) exemplified about loving and caring. ( Here are few examples…)

. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them

. Take naps

. When you’re happy … share it by frolicking around and wagging your body

. Enjoy long walks

. Be loyal and trust-worthy

. When someone is having a bad day-be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

So until tomorrow… Isn’t it wonderful how many forms of life can become guardian angels to us… be there and stay there in some of our loneliest times… God created so many other living creatures for a reason and the closest ones we call pets.

Shotsky, Atticus, Pip, George, Winnie and soon to be Dolley Dingle! I love you all!!!BooBoo- ( You bring much love into my life and never whine” How much longer until we get there?”

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Another God Wink… I woke up -walked outside and squealed… finally a morning glory was smiling at me!

Dear Reader:

Two weeks ago my largest uncertainty was my eligibility to participate in a new chemo drug… an important make or break change in my fifteen year sojourn fighting this “little c” disease … that was starting to spread producing gradual weight loss …now ( seemingly) out of control.

But one remarkable bonus appears through all of this…” When everything is uncertain, everything that is important becomes clear!” It is clear God that is beside me… I am not alone!

Update two weeks later… a roller coaster ride! I was eligible for the drug-but wait time to receive it kept getting extended-came down with the flu-got over flu and temperature since then never returned-gag reflex hit hard… could only get liquids down-weight loss increasing-new chemo drug arrives – can’t take it without a full stomach of solid foods… melt-down-God Intervenes-start eating solid foods, small but encouraging increases in energy. Eat some solid food-yesterday nervously take my chemo tablet-huge! I nicknamed it ” Big Blue.” ( As I write this -so far no nausea and will pray 🙏🏻 it never happens! God is SO holding my hand… I am not letting Him out of my ” sight.”

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh

Tonight I watched as Brooke’s lawn torch lanterns started turning on.Four out of six came on… think the other two want a little more light… I don’t blame them.. I not only want more of God’s light in my life but I need God’s light to keep the darkness away! Thank you Brookie!

Finally got to talk to Ben… I was so relieved and happy… nothing short of a miracle… Ben seemed like his old self-in wheelchair while he recovers but wanting to know what was going on in Wellmore. Downright unbelievable! Ben was and is a Marine! Wheeling around as if he always had done it… the front desk receptionist, Vera told me laughing! It made my day!

It is now 9 PM and NOTHING!!! Such a beautiful word… no nausea or other adverse response to the chemo drug to date!

Again your prayers are building a bridge of hope for myself and my brother. I am filled with such gratitude! 💗

PS. Hope you had a terrific Rabbit… Rabbit first day of October! I did!

Dear Reader:

I have let myself dawdle from my life story… leaving far too many empty pages dangling in front of me. It’s time to pick up the pen again! Rev up my creative juices and start writing the most important chapters in my life story.

We have all read a book or seen a movie that was just lacking in enough conflict to keep the reader or viewer interested. We all want happy endings but the path to the happy ending story or film needs some conflict to show us what kind of “right stuff” our main character has. Can we relate to the main character through his/ her thoughts and observations and actions? If we can’t… boring!

Think about it… it is why we were first drawn to John Wayne movies ( courage and bravery-grit and gut) and today’s movies … superheroes saving the world from aliens or terrorists. Even Disney movies all have famous villains who must be overcome …before the final scenes where much personal sacrifice has been given.

So it is time to start writing… and fighting anew my fifteen year nemesis. And my new weapon… my new chemo drug… so watch out ” little c!” … Boo’s the new challenger in town!

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh

Today is the first day of October and you know what that means: RABBIT RABBIT!

You can bet I am sticking sticky note reminders everywhere tomorrow so I won’t blow it first thing in the morning and forget! Rabbit! Rabbit! 🤞🙏🏻😉😁 ( positivity throughout October)

Have a terrific first day of October everyone Enjoy every minute! 💗 I am!

*****If anyone …..knows when and through what local station the Dabo Swinney Show comes on today ( Sunday) I would be so appreciative! Have watched it for years on a local station-around 11 or 11:30 but searched unsuccessfully this football season!!! I love that show! 🤞

Dear Reader:

I have marked September 28 as my turn-around day… the day I reached out to God again.

I had woken up early to call my oncologist’s office to ask for a anti-nausea medication and then received notification it could be picked up at CVS later that afternoon.

In the meantime my new chemo drug arrived Fed Ex from West Hyde Park New York … I signed off and scurried back inside… huge box with lots of promotional materials and directions. The first direction sent me spiraling downward-” Under no conditions is this medicine to be taken unless you have a full stomach.”

A liquid full stomach was not going to get the job done-CVS was getting my anti-nausea medication ready. And I was having an awful morning-dry toast… I took one bite… the toast got mushy and no way I could do anything but spit it out… the highs and lows of Thursday morning sent me to my knees.

” Oh God… you came to me on a lonely dark May night in 2008.. ( night before the first of many breast cancer surgeries…) and told me to hold your hand… I thought I still was but if not… here you go!” I was on my knees in the den in front of my recliner and right arm shot up in the air.

I was so emotionally distraught I fell asleep on the sofa and when I woke up …( for the first time in almost two weeks) the gag reflex had disappeared . I had not been able to watch but limited television for fear of a food commercial. Anything could set the gag reflex off.

Grilled cheese… didn’t question it/made a very thin grilled cheese sandwich with a side container of yogurt. I got down 2/3rds of the sandwich and all the yogurt/I could swallow without gagging. My appetite was/ still is restrictive in the amount but not feeling nauseous… not having that indescribable gag reflex ( never ever want to experience that again) was like getting a free pass out of jail.

The irony … I haven’t even opened my new anti/nausea medicine that I begged for and got-God intervened first.

Giving myself the last day of the month ( today) to get three more solid food meals in me… and then my ” Rabbit Rabbit” first day -Sunday October 1-my wish-start my new chemo drug and hopefully and prayerfully a little more time to enjoy my bountiful life.

So until tomorrow… Besides a ” death” grip holding onto God’s Hand… there is no doubt that it has been the overwhelming prayers and support that YOU has given me through every form of communication possible that has lifted me through one of my toughest lows. I will never forget it.

Tomorrow is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh( getting there)

Dear Reader

I have a confession… I am completely bored with myself! Me, Myself, and I! I am ready to be around people… hear funny stories … some jokes… so if you have heard a funny one lately please please share!

Yesterday my new chemo drug arrived from New York, and my nausea medicine ( Zofran) prescription was sent in to CVS… slowly but surely I am learning to let go and ” trust the journey. ”

And the hardest part of that journey is the pace. It is never fast enough for us humans ( especially when it comes to healing ) but it is God’s pace for us. And no doubt… a reason for it!

Learning a lot of life lessons from the seemingly double whammies thrown at me but I have been down this road before and God always shows us the seemingly invisible path around the obstacle.

Since I can’t start my new chemo medicine unless I have a full stomach… filled with food-not liquids I struggled and got down most of a grilled cheese sandwich and yogurt yesterday afternoon-didn’t come easy but determined to do it. Hopefully the new medicine for nausea will kick in too. Inch by inch… row by row. Trust the journey. Trust the journey.

So until tomorrow… Catherine Marshall ( wife of Peter Marshall) suffered through a very long extended illness and certainly had her faith tested. She later wrote: ” To know God as He really is in His essential nature and character is to arrive at a citadel of peace that circumstances may storm, but can never capture. ”

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

Had an epiphany yesterday… why weren’t my symptoms matching my ” sick” feelings… when it comes to this mysterious ” bug. I did have the classic flu signs, took all the standard medications and got in and out of it in about five days… went off all medicines except an occasional Tylenol if my head was hurting but no fever with or without Tylenol. One down. Check!

Two Covid tests almost two weeks apart-both negative! Check!

So what ? Early in the morning hours I sat straight up in bed… hot red face and fuzzy concentration ( ” fog brain”) ” Menopause Part Two! ” Nobody should have to go through it twice!

Than all the pieces started falling in place… my last chemo drug required a daily harmone drug taken with it and now for over a week -closer to two… I have been in limbo without any cancer medicine while waiting on the new drug being Fed /Ex’ed today!!! Hallelujah!

So hope is alive and if it had not been earlier, the ” ” Indomitable ” Jo Dufford showed up on my front lawn with more ” surcies” than I could even take in!

Every surcie Jo picks out for someone says something about the recipient! As much as I love love love every single surcie… it is Jo’s original version of ” These are a few of my favorite things” that put me in tears. Jo and I double dog dare you readers to sing along to the familiar tune!!

So until tomorrow… I am completely overwhelmed by the support, foods, flowers coming in… Susan Swicegood sent both … she is so good with orchids and the ones she sent with her food dishes are breathtaking.

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh

Let’s pray today is the beginning of a very effective chemo pill and a return home to Wellmore for my brother!!! 💗💗💗🙏🏻