If you have had to work your way through pain and back when the worst has happened, and you have strength to share – please share!
Warning – Like Walking Beside, this too will be a tough read.
When I was trying to figure out how to express my feelings about my husband’s failed-fight to regain good health, I found “A Grain of Sand”, which was written awhile ago for a writing class. After reading it, I suddenly knew how I could begin to tell you about his struggle and my grief. Both are true stories in the saga of his brave journey.
Continue reading » Such is the Power – A Lament
NED – “no evidence of disease” is what we expected to hear after the latest, now routine round of tests. Instead, we heard, “it appears there is disease here.” Esophageal cancer is hard to beat down but we thought my husband’s surgery and two chemotherapy regimens, completed a year ago, had beat it down. It had. For a short while. But it is back.
We weren’t expecting this news. And it knocked us for a loop. (Ya think??) We’re still in a state of shock, trying to make sense out of what appears to be a death sentence. But so it was, back in the Fall of 2007, and he managed to beat it down then. And even though last year’s chemo threw him in the hospital for eleven days, he’s signed-on for doing chemo again. That takes guts, let me tell you!
Continue reading » We Got the News…
Last Year
[This is an article I wrote in early 2008. On the “good news” side, one year later, my husband continues to be well; chemo, surgery and more chemo stemmed the tide and for the moment, tests come back with our dear friend “NED” – no evidence of disease. The tub’s been repaired and the toilets replaced. Life is good.]
Under siege in our battle against an aggressive cancer that has invaded my husband’s esophagus, and, aggravated by a pileup of life’s little irritations, I’m beginning to feel “whelmed” as in “overwhelmed” except that, with perhaps outrageously inappropriate optimism, I refuse to be “overed”! I depend on my resilience to bounce back from this onslaught of bad news.
Yeah, there’s all his BIG DEAL medical stuff. He’s had to deal with the biopsies, the cancer diagnosis, the tests, the chemo sessions and their repeated yucky aftermaths; and, lest we become complacent, I have a few medical issues of my own and we both have waaaay too many doc’ appointments.
Continue reading » Overwhelmed With Troubles?
Sometimes, the NOW is a really good place to be. Enjoy what you can in your life. Let your optimism shine through rose-colored glasses at least once every day!
Last month, on Easter Sunday, I realized that our lives had changed and that our NOW was a pretty good place to be. Here are my thoughts on that day.
On Easter Sunday This Year
Not my mother’s Easter Sunday, that’s for sure! Used to be, back in the days when our family was filled with little ones, our days were filled with Easter egg decorating and hunting, Easter baskets piled high with candy (at least one See’s Candy Easter egg each) and new Easter outfits for Sunday Mass. And yes, a whole bunch of religious liturgy I won’t impose on you.
Continue reading » Enjoying the NOW
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