As I write this, my brother and I are on an emergency trip to Florida.
Our dad broke a hip.
***
Also suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and dementia, our dad had surgery and is now in a rehabilitation center.
The future is uncertain. And I am scared. My mom is also understandably frightened about what 2016 holds. If I think too much about this upcoming year, I … Continue reading the story "Mindfulness, Uncertainty, and Courage"
Post Archives from the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
20 Mindful Experiences
The holidays are wonderful, but all too often our society is so caught up by decorations and gift-giving that we forget to slow down and appreciate the beauty of quiet mindfulness.
Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy giving and receiving gifts. But here are 20 priceless experiences that cause me to pause – and take notice – of things that money can’t buy.
1. My daughter’s smile and … Continue reading the story "20 Mindful Experiences"
Running On Empty
Pressure.
I’m under the pressure of living up to others’ expectations of what a cancer survivor should be.
Over the years, well-meaning people’s comments have stirred these feelings -- from saying I was courageous to have faced cancer to telling me there was a divine reason I survived.
Got Courage?
I don’t.
I want to run away from that hero-on-a-pedestal sculpture people have made of me and now … Continue reading the story "Running On Empty"
15 Random Facts About Me
I just read Nancy Stordahl’s latest post titled 15 Random Facts & A Blogging Challenge Too!, where she shared 15 facts about herself. And I thought, what a great idea, so that’s what my post this week is about.
And, as Nancy has done, I’m putting a challenge out there for others in the blogosphere to blog on 15 (or less or more) facts … Continue reading the story "15 Random Facts About Me"
Tips for the Newly Diagnosed
This week, someone I know told me her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago. She described this experience as a rollercoaster, a very fitting metaphor, and then asked for my advice. My first thought was, “Damn, another person diagnosed with this beastly disease.” My second thought was to offer some advice she and her mother would find helpful.
So I gave … Continue reading the story "Tips for the Newly Diagnosed"
Exercising Those Demons
Several months ago, I joined a new gym. My previous fitness center had too many problems -- too expensive, too many insensitive personal trainers, too many members who thought they were training for the Olympics, and eventually too many people turning the place into a meat market.
I never fared well in the meat-market culture, and I have fared even worse since breast cancer.
Maybe … Continue reading the story "Exercising Those Demons"
Embracing Humanness
Wishing everyone a sweet year ahead is a beautiful concept -- whether it’s New Year’s in January or during Rosh Hashanah, which just recently passed.
Last year, my goal on Rosh Hashanah was to cast away what I thought was the biggest sin of all -- mistreating myself. My goal last year was to purge myself of the fears that came with doctor appointments … Continue reading the story "Embracing Humanness"
My Writing Process
I am pleased to participate in the blog tour that highlights each participating blogger’s writing process. I hope this post helps readers better understand mine. I was invited to this tour by the wonderful Jennifer Campisano of the excellent blog Booby and the Beast.
As part of this blog tour, I answered the following four questions about my writing process.
What am I currently working … Continue reading the story "My Writing Process"
‘Oncologist’ Turned On a Dime
I judged him way before I met him. There I lay, on my sofa, swearing up and down that I would never, could never, ever see an oncologist.
I was in limbo. My surgeon told me that day -- Almost-Botched Biopsy Day -- he was pretty sure I had breast cancer. Pretty sure, but not definitely sure. (Two days later, he … Continue reading the story "‘Oncologist’ Turned On a Dime"