Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Tender Love and Care

I think it was Mother Teresa who said "The most important medicine is tender love and care". If that is true then I am bound to start feeling better soon because of all the positive thoughts, love, concern, prayers and service that have been given to me and my family. Today has been a tough day, not sure if that little outing yesterday did me in or not ,but today was a struggle. Not necessarily from the pain but also just the all over fatigue, just a feeling of YUCK all day. I know that is not a medical term, but it adequately describes what today was like.

When I was diagnosed with cancer for the first time, a dear friend of mine gave me a book called CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SURVIVING SOUL it was an incredible gift. Through reading it over and over again, I realized that I had a lot of the same feelings as other survivors and that was comforting. One of the stories was of a lady who had colon cancer, since I am feeling a bit under the weather tonight I thought that I would share part of it with you. I felt better after reading it again tonight, this is the wisdom that she shared with me.

"THE NEWS ABOUT MY CANCER MOVED QUICKLY. THE AMOUNT AND THE DEPTH OF JUST A SHEER CARING THAT POURED FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT WAS A WONDERFUL SHOCK. YOU SEE, ONE OF THE HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT CANCER IS THE ENORMOUS LOSS OF YOUR SELF-WORTH. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT UNLESS A PERSON WHO HAS THE DISEASE REGAINS THE FEELING THAT HE OR SHE REALLY MATTERS, THE PERSON WILL DIE.

WHEN ALL THE CARDS AND CALLS ARRIVED, ALONG WITH MESSAGES THAT  PEOPLE WERE HAVING THEIR CHURCH CONGREGATIONS PRAY FOR ME, I REACHED A STAGE WHERE I WOULD HONESTLY HAVE FELT I WAS LETTING PEOPLE DOWN IF I QUIT OR DIED.

"FRIENDSHIP" IS ONE ITEM I PLACE ON MY "MUST HAVE" LIST AS PART OF MY OWN GROWTH OUT OF CANCER. MY FIRST STEP WAS TO SIMPLIFY MY LIFE BY DETERMINING WHAT WAS TRULY IMPORTANT TO ME...AND SHEDDING WHAT WAS NOT. IT IS AMAZING HOW SHORT ONE'S "MUST HAVE" LIST REALLY IS! TRY YOUR OWN LIST ONE DAY WHEN YOU ARE FEELING OVERWHELMED--IT MAY CHANGE YOUR FUTURE.

THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ROLE OF POSITIVE THINKING IN CURING DISEASE. FOR ME, THERE IS NO QUESTION. IT WORKS.

IT WORKS, THAT IS, IF YOU WORK AT IT. POSITIVE THINKING TO CURE YOURSELF OF PHYSICAL ILLNESS, OR OF LIFE'S NEGATIVE STROKES, GOES WELL BEYOND THINKING POSITIVE THOUGHTS. MY STRUGGLE WITH CANCER TOOK YEARS AND SEVERAL SURGERIES...BUT I AM A SURVIVOR. NOW, EACH TIME I HIT A BAD PATCH, I TAP INTO THE SAME TWO ELEMENTS THAT PULLED ME UP DURING THE CRISIS: LOVE FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND A CONSISTENT USE OF MY MIND TO HEAL MY BODY---CELL BY CELL, THROUGH CONCENTRATION AND VISUALIZATION.

I CONTINUE TO STRETCH MY MIND FOR HEALTH AND TO "KEEP ON TRACK" WITH MY LIFE. EACH OF US CAN DO THIS FOR OURSELVES. YET, MY HUSBAND OFTEN QUOTES, "NO MAN IS AN ISLAND." EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT TO OUR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ARE THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE WORLD THAT CONTINUALLY SHOW THAT THEY CARE. CARING WE CANNOT DO JUST FOR OURSELVES, IT GROWS WHEN IT'S SHARED WITH OTHERS...AND IT CAN SAVE LIVES".                                ----------------Delva Seavy-Rebin

I loved what she said and it is true, I do believe that LOVE CURES PEOPLE! I pray that soon I will be having more good days than bad, but until that time I will continue to lean on your love, faith and prayers.

Thank you again, good night.

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