Tag Archive | Colon Cancer

Lesson for the day: “Live in the Moment.”

Dec4

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Living in the Moment!

After my final radiation treatment for breast cancer, I was kicking myself because I didn’t snap a selfie with Rachel (my technician) as I had intended, but at that emotional moment I totally forgot. Then, I came across a story on E Online that made me rethink my momentary memory loss.

At the premiere for ‘Black Mass’ with Johnny Depp, an old woman is captured – in the above photograph – as the only one not trying to take a picture like the others around her, she is gleefully living in that moment. (love her lavender frames.)😎  After treatment, my elated feelings were in real time, like the old woman’s and not about trying to capture that moment in a frame. That shot made me understand, It’s okay DM, there’s a lot to be said for “living in the moment.”

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Today’s Question 💬

Nov29

 

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I saw this image the other day and it gave me pause. I thought, how many of us have actually posed the question and applied it to our daily lives? It might sound a little metaphysical, but I think it’s an important ponderance.

Having been diagnosed with not one but two cancers, Colon and Breast – yeah I’m special like that😄 my immediate response was,to be a cancer survivor. But the question is deeper than that.

I believe it means what drives you? What brings you joy, and are you living for that feeling every day?

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Are we satisfied with a day to day grind? Getting up in the morning, dressing for work, sitting in rush hour traffic. Arriving at work, trying to keep a low profile and avoiding the boss. Somehow making it through the day, getting the heck out of dodge, and yet again enduring the traffic crunch. Arriving home, grabbing something cold to drink, plopping in front of the TV and vegging out on The Walking Dead?

This quote by the writer Oscar Wilde proclaims:

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Something to think about.

Thanksgiving’s “Four Agreements”

Nov26

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? The gift of life, family and friends. That’s what I’m thankful for every day – God’s grace allows me to open my eyes to another beautiful day. 

 

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I’m so thankful that God tapped me on the shoulder and woke me up to what’s real and precious in this world. I was walking around, complaining about the usual crap and not appreciating the sweetness of all the love in my life and how incredibly blessed I’ve been.

 

Not that I’d wish to have cancer, but it’s proved to be such an awakening for how I live today and the rest of my life. I’ve seen and continue to see the quote “tomorrow is not promised” and nodded yes and brushed it off as true but it never really resonated with me until I was diagnosed with Breast and Colon Cancer.

 

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One of my favorite spiritual guides is author Don Miguel Ruiz, and his New York Times bestseller “The Four Agreements.” I’ve read and re-read this book and it always brings me clarity and a deeper understanding of how we interact with others and view ourselves. 

 

On this Thanksgiving, I share “The Four Agreements” as a blueprint and roadmap for living our lives.

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 I’d recently read “The Four Agreements” before my cancer diagnosis and Agreement Number Three – “Don’t Make Assumptions” has been a life saver for me. Instead of freaking out upon hearing the news, I applied the principle, had faith and promised myself to live one day at a time.

 

 

So, Let’s Always Remember 💖

Happy Thanksgiving!

Acts of Kindness ✌💞

Nov20

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I was reading this wonderful, “Acts of Kindness” article on Upworthy, a website for viral content started in March 2012 by Eli Pariser, the former executive director of MoveOn, and Peter Koechley, the former managing editor of The Onion and thought what a great philosophy of life and being the season of Thanksgiving, a wonderful opportunity to give back.

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Here are 10 super easy acts of kindness you can do to continue to spread the love and make the world a kinder place:

1. Thank someone who’s supported you in the past, like a teacher, friend, or mentor, by giving them a hand-written letter.

2. Spend a couple hours volunteering at a local nonprofit organization.

3. Donate goods to a local shelter.

4. Buy lemonade at a child’s lemonade stand.

5. Call a friend and tell them how much they mean to you.

6. Send kind words to someone getting a lot of hate on social media.

7. Send groceries to a friend who is busy and/or going through a difficult time.

8. Put a quarter in an expired parking meter to help a stranger avoid getting a ticket.

9. Send flowers anonymously to a receptionist or security guard.

10. Leave an encouraging note somewhere on a store shelf or in a popular library book.

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We all have the power to change a life, to change the world with a simple act of kindness. Let’s uplift the world and ourselves by reaching out, lending a hand or sharing a smile.

The Beatles – “I Am The Walrus”

                          

Inspire! 💖

Nov18

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Before being diagnosed with Colon and Breast Cancer, I understood the devastation of this disease because I lost my mom to Colon Cancer.

 

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A conversation with my husband a couple of days ago about top ten westerns somehow led to actress Elizabeth Montgomery. (Star of  1960’s TV show “Bewitched”) Now, I find myself reflecting that some of my favorite actresses (Gilda Radner and Madeline Kahn to name just 2) succumbed to cancer. The spotlight gave them the opportunity to create awareness and be real about their story. 

 

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I have a friend who lost his wife a couple of years ago tell me recently I inspire him. I felt so humbled by his statement, especially in light of his personal heartbreak.

I’m not a celebrity, but I do feel passionate about relating my cancer experiences through my writings because I want to use my journey as a way to give back and maybe inspire someone else reading my posts to have faith and believe in their own power to create a beautiful life.

 

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∇∇∇∇∇

Edie Falco – “The Sopranos”
Christina Applegate – “Married with Children “
Sheryl Crow – Singer/Songwriter

Freedom

Nov13

What is?

What does Freedom mean to you?

•money?

•power?

•equality?

•no fear?

•life?

To me, Freedom is a frame of mind. What I choose to believe. How I shape and share my journey and move through time and space. 

Freedom to believe in the impossible since there is no impossible, only the unwillingness to try.

Freedom to leap. Freedom to fly. Freedom in the faith that if I do I won’t die.😅

 

Whatever Freedom is for you, pursue it, embrace it and live it!

What Would You Do If?

Nov10

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the ultimate question!

I’d like to believe that I’ve always been willing to go for it. Running towards the possibilities and not letting fear of the unknown be part of my thought process. My mom always instilled in me that I could do anything so being a student at the University of Michigan was another step forward and a fantastic opportunity for me to express myself. I took my dream of being a writer and turned it into a reality, majoring in Radio, TV, and Film and subsequently landing an incredible job as Creative Director for a local Rock/Country radio station. 

                Go Blue!

Getting married! Come on now, that’s a leap of faith. 😍

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Deciding to have a child and owning the birthing experience on my terms. Not in a hospital (too sterile and rigid for me) but, not at home with a midwife. I believed there was another option so started researching for something I didn’t even know existed. A “Birthing Center”, one of the first in the state of Michigan in the late 1970’s.

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Starting an acting career at 40 yrs of age and performing in one of my favorite stage productions, West Side Story!

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I sang, danced, was a Jet girlfriend and executed (for the first time ever) the most amazing gymnastic flips off my partner’s arm, his back and had the time of my life! Of course, my daughter had to bring my 40th birthday cake to the theater complete with 40 flaming candles. Loved it!  

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Happy Birthday To Me!

 

Today, fighting and surviving 2 cancers at once, it’s more important than ever to live up to a credo of living fearlessly! I do believe that attitude dictates the quality of your life and tomorrow is not promised so what the heck – trust yourself and go for it!

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Note to self – never stop asking this ultimate and most important question:

 

What Would You Do if You Weren’t Afraid?

 

Why I Write

Nov8

I am often drawn to quotes from other writers, philosophers and notables. They can be impactful and a window inside the souls of “truth seekers.” Some quotes make me go “um” and others just jump out and make me shout, YES! This is what’s in my heart; this observation expresses a feeling in a way I hadn’t thought about.

John Cheever’s quote sums up why I write and aptly expresses me:

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Writing about my cancer journey is my way of making sense of the chaos of Cancer. It’s also a cathartic exercise and way to connect and possibly express what others are thinking but don’t know exactly how to explain.

The Power of Positive Thought 🌸

Oct30

My mom was the most positive person I’ve ever known. She epitomized the saying: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

She passed from colon cancer over 20 years ago. She never complained and was always a beacon of light. I was blessed to be her daughter. She is loved and missed every day. 

 

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Thanks mom for instilling in me the power and energy of positive thinking.

 

Karma

 

 

 

The Funny Side of Tired :)

Oct26

How could we live without humor? Humor for humor’s sake. Humor as a means of communication. Humor for times of stress and heartache. Humor in times of joy and glee.

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One of the side effects of chemotherapy is fatigue, which I’ve starting experiencing. When my husband asked this morning how I’m feeling, my mouth spoke tired and my brain thought, I’m feeling a little “Lili Von Shtupp” – “I’m so Tired” – the brilliant musical number from the Mel Brooks comedy, “Blazing Saddles.” (I’m a movie geek so that’s how my brain works) This number is my kind of funny. Hilarious! Totally took my mind off of actually being tired and brought a big ole grin to my face.

Madeline Kahn (Lili) is celebrated as an incredible actress, singer and comedienne, (even though she didn’t see herself as naturally funny so had to really work at it). She developed ovarian cancer in 1998 and we lost her genius in 1999. She was 57 years old.

Her take on humor: “Laughter is a strange response. I mean, what is it? It’s a spasm of some kind! Is that always joy? It’s very often discomfort. It’s some sort of explosive reaction. It’s very complex.”

For me, humor’s always been a coping mechanism and saving grace. And, I have to agree with Madeline, it’s complicated.

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