View From the Tree house

T.A. in T.W. (Today’s American in Today’s World)

“Ask the “Dumb Questions”
Fear of asking questions is helping to ruin people and destroy our economy! "

“Each semester I have top MBAs do an exercise I designed that ruins them if they fear looking dumb.” Seth Freeman, a professor of negotiation and conflict management at New York University’s Stern School of Business and at Columbia University has the charm, jargon and complicated terms to con a third to a half of his students into fatal deals! “Worse, they don’t even realize they’ve been taken. They all say, “I got a good deal.”

Snippets from the professors article which appeared in USA Today, Tuesday, January 13th, ’09 sites examples. After stating that the fear of looking dumb can save students from serious traps (editors note-perhaps any students!), he continues:

@McLean of Fortune magazine asked Enron’s CEO, “How did Enron make money?” The CEO attacked, calling her an ill-prepared incompetent. . .

@Many people tragically invested in Madoff’s fraudulent firm without knowing what they were investing in. Reportedly, he threw out investors who asked questions. Few did. . .

@Many homeowners didn’t understand the consequences of resets in their mortgages, taking on debt they almost inevitably couldn’t repay. Unprincipled mortgage brokers and banks urged them on. Regulators praised complex and risky mortgaged-backed securities-economists and other experts still insisted in 2007 that markets were in great shape. Few understood; everyone acted as if he did . . .

Richard Feynman, a Nobel laureate, was once asked by a colleague to explain one of his ideas. He promised to create a basic “freshman lecture” about it. Days later, he reported that he couldn’t, which he added meant he didn’t understand the idea himself! Years later, his simple question during the Challenger probe cut through technocratic talk to reveal the critical flaw of the probe!

Simple questions like:
1. “Is this what you’re saying?”, reveals misunderstanding, overcomes jargon and demonstrates

good listening.
2. “What do I want and why?”, reveal interest you want satisfied, (but may like all of us need to

think through further. The question will help you and I perhaps think more deeply.)
3. “What if?”, reveals foreseeable problems.
4. “How do I know?”, reveals reliability problems and unfounded claims.
5. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Can you say that another way, please”, reveals more clearly

what the other person is saying.

I wanted to close with the latter because these questions are all ones we may apply no matter the people or circumstances in our lives. In addition, Professor Freeman as a student of history, points out that we may learn from history and from the mistakes of history makers. The question I must ask myself is, am I learning and applying or am I just continuing to make the same mistakes as those I should be learning from?


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As an example, the day after the last blog published, the headlines from USA Today, read, “Obama Touts Gains and Goals- Defends bid to expand power to seize more than banks. In addressing his critics, one of whom includes, Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad, a Democrat of North Dakota, who questioned the size and scope of Obama’s 3.6 trillion dollar budget plan, does our president answer the criticism? Read for yourselves! “Seizing more power” sounds frighteningly like events historically that we surely do not want repeated.


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PUP (People Under Pressure):

I will not be taking the fourth of the series of chemo this Tuesday, because blood tests reveal that my white count has not risen enough from last week. As a consequence, we’ll talk to one of our cancer doctors Thursday. He has proposed taking me off of this regiment of chemo, and becoming part of a study for “sarcoma” patients.

The problem we see at this point is that this regiment of chemo has produced good results and we don’t even know if I would qualify for this proposed study. In other words, again, we need to ask good probing questions!

We need prayer for wisdom as always. (Let us know how we can pray for you also.) We have also shared with him the pamphlet, For Your Joy which we’d like to hear his perspective on!
He is one of the most gracious, caring, and down-to-earth physicians we’ve come to know. We want to care about him and his colleagues Biblically.
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People under pressure need to celebrate birthdays and we are. Dear friends invited us to Danville’s Swing Choir and Auction Friday evening. What a treat and how delightful to hear an evening of really fun, relaxing, and encouraging music without innuendos and every reason to include the whole family. Kudos to everyone involved.
I was up around 2:00 this a.m. to finish this blog and prepare to have birthday breakfast with other friends. Then we were treated to a dinner at a friend's home who is also sacrificing for us! How can we say thanks to precious friends and family? In them, God’s given us so much!

View from the Tree-house:

TA in TW (Today's American in Today's World)

Do we ask enough questions about our choices and decisions through this sobering time in history? For instance, what’s critical about your or my passion or zeal in life? How about the issue of Pro-Life? What question does your or my commitment either for or against, raise and how deep and central is it?”

"The question that is the beginning of all moral judgment and all just law, is simply this: Who, then, is my neighbor?” (Referring to the question of What is the greatest commandment? to which Jesus replied, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and mind. The second is like it, Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

This was posed by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, a tireless Defender of Life. Is there anyone closer to a person than the baby in the womb?

The implications of Pro-Life and the economy could not have been entertained by our president when he reversed a ban on giving Federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on it (USA TODAY.com, Friday, Jan. 23, ’09.) How do we still have money for family planning and abortions in other countries when the economy is in such a tailspin? For one who is espousing responsibility and accountability (our pres.), isn’t that same standard demanded for our own household (our govt.), first? Where is the credibility? Doesn’t integrity count anymore?



PUP: (People Under Pressure)

Harbinger of new life and hope: There’s always something positive through any part of life. The flower blooms not because everything is terrific but because it can! How ‘bout us?


Get the Point? We have a dear friend who has to give herself infusions in her backside! Can you imagine? Arrrgh! I volunteered to learn to give shots and to be available to help her with the task. My man volunteered his arm to let me learn. Can you imagine?

H2O-During the last infusion given to me, I elected to receive a bolas of saline solution with the taxotere and gemzar. In other words, they pumped me full of salt water with the two chemo agents. I have been feeling remarkably well. One of the nurses who administered the infusions suggested this because so many people have been helped by it! Through more than a year of chemo, I’d not been told that!

The thimble full of energy is still the case but that is so typical during chemo and much easier to deal with, since the rest of my body is doing o.k. Thank you to our Lord and to prayer warriors!

TA in TW (Today’s American in Today’s World )

“I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!”

How many of us feel like we’ve been hit with a baseball over the state of our beloved country’s economic, health, welfare, crime, and educational systems? But can we effectively handle more than one major thing at a time? Where do we begin to ultimately do the most good?

How about asking deep and penetrating questions? For instance, what is the most important issue that affects all others? I wonder if we would think more deeply about this if we’d momentarily review a little history?

Rewind to 9/11/01. The twin towers have become rubble with the bodies of close to 4000 people. Hours after the chaos, how many were considering their 401K’s, their bank statements, or even who could have perpetrated such a crime? Remember all the “Have you seen. . .?” pictures of loved ones plastered in desperation on walls or the human interest stories of the heroism and self-less-ness?

Or what about your thought’s on 9/12? Were you among those wanting to know where God was in all of this or did you seek Him for wisdom to live focused through the pressure? Did you cling to your family, thankful that they were alive, or did you think about your home mortgage loan, health insurance, education or the other war?

Don’t the events of 9/11-12 as well as many other historic events, beg the question of what’s more important than human life? How much longer can we stand with both feet and sometimes hands covered with the blood of 40 million babies, aborted since ’73? Can you hear the passionate benediction of our amazingly patient Lord on these babies as the truth of His words echo over the generations:

“You (our Lord) made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14) Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-and how well I know it. 15) You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.” Psalm 139:13-15

Isn’t Roe vs. Wade a cancer in our society far beyond the terrorism or the casualties of war and crime on the streets by the fact of sheer numbers alone? Add to that, the fact that these babies are the weakest and most vulnerable among us. Since we’re becoming 30+ years more callous to this heinous crime, who is next on the hit list?

Beloved, the One who said, “Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden” has said, “Pray without ceasing”, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. Jesus Christ is the only One Who could and does offer hope through this malaise, if we but turn from our wicked ways, humble ourselves and pray. What are we thinking that we would want to continue on the path we’ve chosen and not repent (turn from our old sinful choices)? God is the only One -Who can change the hearts of our self and of our people. He stands ready to do that, for He has said, “He who sins against Me, injures himself.” He also assures us that “He has come that we might have life and have it abundantly”. What does love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control look like? Look to our Lord. Have we not collectively chosen to reject His ways for too long?

Let’s not implode, beloved, or swagger behind the “hit” of our day. Starting with “life” do what He -Who was the Suffering Servant (and knows far more than we could about suffering)- knows is best, hounding the gates of heaven first to change us and then the gates of our congressmen and women. It’s critical to “life” to purposely “act”. If you do not graciously say or challenge something said, you agree with them. What hits you and me and what are we doing about it?



PUPS

Close to the 5th anniversary of living through his heart arrest, Warren had his annual stress test last Thursday and came through very well. This, in spite of the fact that he has not been able to exercise his cardiovascular system since his consuming double-knee repair surgery, recovery, and therapy. We are so thankful.

I will be taking the 2nd of the 3rd series of chemo Tuesday morning if my blood count is good. The chemo is taxotere, which typically brings side effects that are not pleasant. The nurses who infuse this have suggested and we’ve agreed to include saline solution with the chemo. This may make side affects less debilitating.

We knew however from the git-go that this challenge engaged us in a battle and we’re fighting! The reason we’re fighting victoriously is because our Lord is Sovereign and sufficient through it all!

Ann’s Art

On what turned out to be the most beautiful evening of the current ’09 year, we were privileged to attend Ann Porter’s, one woman watercolor show in Fairfield. Ann dedicated this show to her late husband, Jon, who had encouraged her to pursue her love of art. It was well attended, well received, and a privilege to be part of. We have been friends of this couple since our post Wesleyan days when Jon started quoting “Jabberwock” and Warren grinning, spontaneously joined in and finished the quote with him!
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TA in TW (Today’s American in Today’s World)

“In Today’s World”, we clearly need commandments rather than suggestions, though too often we eschew such old-time religious strong-arming. Not so for many God-fearing – and often impoverished – Americans.” This quote is from Rod Dreher in the March 9th issue of USA Today, p. 11 of section A. A portion of his first paragraph reads: “The long prayer (of 8th century St. Andrew of Crete) is an epic journey into awareness of sin and intense longing for repentance and mercy. It will rest assured, harsh your mellow.”

“Well good: (he continues), “Our collective mellow needs some harshing. The strong words of the long-ago saint have the effect of hacking away the sentimental accretions American Christianity has slathered like butter cream icing on the Gospel. How much better off we would all be in this time of economic trial if we had less Joel Osteen and more Andrew of Crete.”.

“. . . We middle-class Americans are so accustomed to a therapeutic approach to religion that we’ve lost touch with the reality of sin and the need for a strong ethical guide to life. We need commandments, not suggestions.”

He goes on to share how he attended a church service “still reeling from having caught an advance screening of Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ’ two days earlier. The film had torn my conscience to pieces, shattering my spiritual complacency, forcing me to understand the seriousness of sin – my sin – and what Jesus suffered to deliver us from it.”

“And then, in his homily, the comfortable middle-class priest in our comfortable middle-class parish instructed the congregation that the Lenten season is all about – no kidding – learning to love ourselves more.”

If Andrew of Crete could see us today, would he conclude that the problem with Americans is they don’t love themselves enough? To the contrary, our problems consist chiefly in that we love ourselves and our pleasures entirely too much.”

The rest of the article continues to be riveting: He refers to our schools in our narcissistic middle – class culture . . . “whose purpose seems to be to reassure its practitioners that they’re all A-plus students, rather than to lead them to the hard work of repentance and authentic renewal”.
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, of course, but when educated middle class people do so, they typically have the resources to ameliorate the damage that can result. Not so the poor, whose attraction to more fundamentalist forms of religion tends to mystify and even appall the middle classes.”

The concluding paragraphs of the article are motivating and uncomfortable but so refreshing and practical. I have the article and would love to share its relevant comments- or perhaps you can find it one line. Let me conclude with his closing thoughts: “You’d never catch bourgeois me doing something like that (like what?-editor’s comment-read the article!) I bet Andrew of Crete would have, though. Poor me.”

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In the first “PUP” section, I’ve encouraged everyone to probe with thoughtful, penetrating, questions through and about any pressure you or I may be under, because the issues facing our beloved nation are certainly pressure filled and affect all of us. Can we any longer afford not to cut to the heart of our problems? :

“How deep and central are the questions we raise?”

What is the most important question we could be raising today? If we don’t have a ‘core issue’ from which all others are affected, we’ll tend to be like the blunderbuss gun without the capability of effectively targeting a goal and we’ll live as we are living now with the results. More on this topic are intended to be forthcoming in our next blog.
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PUP I had understood from the doctor who surgerically implanted a “PURPLE POWER PORT” in me that it could be used to put in the dye for the C-T Scan. The nurses in Iowa City told me that they had not learned the procedure yet. When I consulted with our nurses in our local HCHC infusion center, they confirmed that it is not unusual for the smaller hospitals to know some of these procedures before the larger hospital personal. Interesting, isn’t it? Hummm, maybe, small town grass roots people are savvier than might be perceived-or at least the small town folk can be equipped to serve because there are fewer to train!

Infusion therapy for me: I was given the first in a 3rd series of chemo Tuesday, March 10th. So far this Gemzar has given me few side affects. The taxotere will be given next week and it has caused significant fatigue. Praise God, tho’, it has been used of our Lord to cause the 4 cysts to disappear, with the last one seemingly affected by it! I thank our God that He is the Great Physician and that He works through the prayers of His family.

Drink plenty of water – I had to be reminded again!
I learned Tuesday, that I could receive an infusion of saline solution before the more severe of my chemo, to further energize me. What a terrific idea! I may do that next Monday when I have my blood drawn. Ask about this for yourself, if lack of energy is a huge problem, through your therapy.

Enjoy the Relationships: Some of your and my doctors may have more of a stern personality. I had occasion to deal with one during my last Iowa City visit. We really seek to bathe our appointments and relationships with prayer because we need our Lord’s intervention. Anyway, I told my doctor that the last time I was examined, it hurt (just wanting him to assure me that he would be as gentle as he was professional). He didn’t respond so I repeated my concern. He curtly reminded me that I had already told him that!

15-20 years ago I would have been hurt and consequently shut down, but the Lord’s work in me did not allow that. The doctor was gentle and his exam didn’t hurt so I told him that he could have the other half of my sandwich, he had done such a good job! His nurse said that she didn’t think he had ever been offered such a gift!

In this same kind of context, a friend of mine said that she has become thicker skinned through a difficult relationship that she had. I queried her with ‘haven’t you become more focused and assured of God’s promises to you, so that comments like that are not significant or important in light of those God has given?’ Comments by people don’t make us, God’s Word and His love is the only true source of changing and making us. How really freeing God’s Word is through pressures!
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A View from the Treehouse

Whaaa's hoppening?

A birds-eye view of the last 4 months of our lives may give enough background for a better perspective about whaaas hoppinin in March of. 2009!
We moved into our “new to us” older home in November, ’08.

We’ve been married 47 years. It’s said that the longer a couple is together, the more they look alike. This picture was taken 10 months after I had been diagnosed with Carcino-Sarcoma, a rare aggressive cancer. The leaf lettuce looked so much like Warren's mustache that I couldn't resist!

In the updates titled “PUP” (People Under Pressure)I’ll share some thoughts and actions we’ve taken through this time of being diagnosed with cancer. Perhaps they may be of encouragement to anyone going through a big C’s diagnosis!

Rewind with me now, to November 2008, just a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. Neighbors to the north of us, whom we’ve grown to dearly love, moved in at the same time. With horse trailers, their children moved them in lock, stock (get it?), and barrel. Now mind you, we’re talking at the end of a cul-de-sac, horse trailers, moving vans, and an ant hill of activity! For a week beforehand, we also had painters with their sundry trucks and ladders trying feverishly to prepare the tree-house level of our home for us to move into.

All of this happened at the same time that the neighbors lying to the west of us (who work full-time outside the home), were trying to beat the inevitable Nov. weather to get some lovely landscaping done in their yard! No wonder these busy neighbors have not come to welcome us to the area! They may have figured, “be scared, be very scared!”

And the activity has not stopped! We should have posted a sign that read, “Take your turn, entering the twilight zone; enter at your own risk!” Two days of moving, working with gentlemen who had probably never tried to haul a weather sensitive 8 foot Norfolk pine and it’s more sensitive owner to its protected corner of the house had to further wear on the neighborhood. Then another neighbor who lives two doors North with several of our friends, invited all-ALL of the movers and us to their home for a respite- a yummy homemade soup and sandwich lunch. I mean, who would not worry about the condition of the neighborhood!?

Not to be outdone by the month of November, cacophony continued in December, beginning with a not so typical array of technicians-electrical and mechanical to fix “things” and then painters to finish up “things”! Deb, Mary Ann, and Sara were planning to be here before Christmas to join in our “Thanksmas” (Thanksgiving and Christmas) celebration of God’s goodness! Due to weather complications, however, Sara had to go back to Oregon before Deb and Mary Ann arrived here.

Deb, Mary Ann, Ruby their Spaniel, and Henry their cat, all cozy in their packed car from Winnipeg, created their own fun atmosphere on the 18th. The weather had been decent for them, but on the 19th, a fury of ice and snow plundered us. Deb was outside with Ruby as Ruby romped and relieved. Warren then, had decided to see what was hoppinin’ with them. Descending down the treacherous stone steps to our back yard, he slipped, tried to stop his fall with all of his weight, and tore both tendons in his knees. That’s one way to drop to your knees, but usually the context is worship and prayer! From too long a short distance away, Deb witnessed the drama and in vain tried to get to him before he crashed.

Long story short, he couldn’t move, 911 was called, and our neighbor lady to the north with staff in hand (literally because of the ice) saw and heard the siren and came to pray with me! Surgery that afternoon, two leg braces, walker, 2 canes, and 2 months later he is above the curve, his doc has said! Warren calls therapy “terror-apy” but smiles because he knew all too well that he would have an intense recovery!

Because Deb and Mary Ann both teach at the University of Manitoba, their schedules were flexible so they graciously adjusted their plans to be with us a longer time... Deb could be here through New Years and Mary Ann and her mom Carolyn could be with us at Christmastime. A more thoughtful gift from all of them could not have been thought of! Added to that extravagance, several families came to furiously and feverously work on a puzzle straight from the underworld (!) and delight our home atmosphere with joy and humor. It was a preciously memorable holyday celebration even through Warren’s incapacity.

When our trials overlapped, people could not have been more kind. A family brought a delicious chili lunch with trimmings and joined us after church one Sunday. The gentleman commented that this home is so similar to our other one that it's almost as if we squashed it down and pulled it apart.

brick, wood floors, beams - brick, wood floors,beams


That’s one reason that the transition from home to home has not been too difficult.





Another family has encouraged us beyond measure as they’ve worked tirelessly to unpack, arrange, and dump debris.
2 of the 4, sometimes 5 of them working together, what a gift!



Other folk have invited us to their home for breakfast or dinner. Those invites brought a spring to our winter step!

Later in January my next Iowa City check-up was sobering! The sarcoma was back in 4-5 places in my abdomen. Our family again regrouped and decided that Deb and Sara could come back home together for another “Thanksmas”! The $200.00 round-trip ticket from Oregon was such an encouragement from the Lord for Sara and for all of us.

Their work week with us cannot be described adequately. If I would find a video of a crew of people doing electrical and carpentry work, buying building supplies for us, going grocery shopping and preparing meals but most of all sharing time, and having fun “pitch” games (in which Warren shot the moon and made it-never mind that they won more games!) and would fast forward the action, it may convey the accuracy of our week with them. I told Warren that we don’t have enough money to pay for such a vacation! And in the midst, one family brought in food and stayed to enjoy the evening with us. What a testimony of God’s love and how thankful we are for Him and His people!

In addition, on Wednesday of the week, at a friend’s suggestion, we made a trip to her mom’s Victorian home where her humorous, 82 year young husband, who teaches high school students and had never met us, plopped down in the back-seat of our van like we had known each other forever. He seemed delighted to give us a tour of the Amish woodworking shop and country-store close to their home! It was a tad disappointing to us that the men in the woodworking shop did not use old tools (because our unrealistic expectations were that we’d see them using antique time intensive and labor intensive tools but they use the modern labor saving ones powered by a central power source! We enjoyed their humor through posted signs though! The sign reads “ If you object to logging, try using plastic toilet paper.” At the countrystore, the sign read, " If you shoplift the Dutchman may not see you but God will."

After our daughters left, two families took two nights of their week, prepared meals for all of us and worked in our home to further unpack boxes and to deal with live, furry, black critters seen on the ledge of our kitchen soffits! Again, long story short, we had only heard about the mice from a dear friend who had cleaned the soffits! We knew it was true after we put sticky mouse traps (painter’s suggestion) up there. The effectiveness of the measure was proven when Mary Ann was here for Christmas and out of the corner of her eye she saw something black move up high in our soffits! “Wha was that?” she screeched startling the whole breakfast clan gathered for a quiet start to our day! From that time on it was warfare against these invaders!

That is until the Cap’n rescued us and outwitted them with caulk and agile limbs! VICTORY!! We have not seen a mouse since! I told Warren that he didn’t need to remember the screeching from my own lips when we had seen them previously. One had even fallen from the soffits onto the counter and frantically ran with trap in tow and another had been stuck with full-body on the trap. With the latter, I jumped around, fearfully dragged a ladder to the ledge, cautiously aimed a sanitary wipe over his head and when that didn’t work, lobbed several of the wipes over him so I could grab the critter securely with a grabber device! (this scene occurred with the brave one of the two of us in leg braces left wondering how this could be such a fiasco! ). No more scenes now with Cap’n!


PUP (People Under Pressure)
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Again, let’s rewind further back to Nov. of 2007 before the cancer diagnosis. The only symptoms that I had were that I had very minimal bright blood spotting. We thought that it might be a chance thing until it happened again at the end of Dec. That’s when Warren said that I had to get to a gynecologist and that’s why I went in January. Without Warren's background, I would not have thought a thing about it!

After the doctor visit, Warren and I received a letter from the university about the aggressive cancer that tests proved I had. Looking at him incredulously, I had just read a letter that explained that the results obtained from a pap’s smear showed that the cervix was clear of any growth. How could that be? “The carcino-sarcoma was higher in the abdomen, so both descriptions are accurate”, Warren explained.

That dramatically began our 2008 and now our 2009. Because of “that”, God through His Word, the Bible has been the telescope from our tree-house, showing us more of a clear perspective of our lives through our “pressure.” He has focused our thinking so that priorities are more prominent, just as we have a more distinct image of the birds in our yard through our natural telescope.

How do we or how do People Under Pressure, cope? For us, I will plan to update and address this issue through our exposed lives around the middle of each week. This will depend on the severity of the treatments and their effect on us of course.

Feb. 25th, ’09, I was infused with the last of the second series of chemo. See pics of infusion intrusioners!!! We all appreciate them!

March 5th, I was tested in Iowa City to determine if the tumors had shrunk. Praise God all but one close to the spleen have disappeared! This means that I'll continue with the present course of chemo. Otherwise, if they had not shrunk or disappeared, another form of therapy would have had to be determined. Thank you for prayer for opportunities, wisdom, & joy through the journey!

1. Under pressure we find out Who or what we rely upon. .This is our most critical choice.
Prov. 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.”

I read about a young lady written up in USA Today, who died from cancer and longed to know from her death bed if there was more she needed to know before she died. She had no understanding about Jesus saying, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”. John 14:6 Her husband did not believe or could not tell her about Romans 3:23, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” and the “Wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 She needed to know that “…unless you repent (turn from sin) you will all likewise perish.”, Luke 13:5 and John 1:12, “For as many as received Him unto them gave He the right to be called children of God, even to those who believe on His name.” Eph. 2:8,9 makes it clear that God extends this gift for those who would receive it, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”
I almost cried reading the article, because no one had told her.

2. Please get to your doctor for you and your families sake-if you are post-menopausal and have bleeding.
3. Surround yourself with encouraging friends. Share your joys-they will be multiplied. When I laugh my blood pressure goes down!-it’s TRUE and I’m serious about laughing! I asked the nurse Thursday to tell me something funny-she said, 'I've never been asked that!' Well, she did and consequently when she took my blood pressure it was 115/
4. Be honest with close friends and accountable to a few. Sorrows shared are divided. They may have good suggestions which doctors may not have mentioned. An example for me was when I had such pain with my first chemo and a friend suggested that I try “Tiger Balm” which was available over the counter. It relieved me considerably. Also if the pain is so intense that tears are running down your cheeks like mine was after my first infusion, tell someone who may be able to help. We’re not meant to live in isolation. I did for a long night of pain and was miserable being a needless martyr!
5. Beloved, you may only have a thimble sized amount of energy and may need to be in an isolation booth at church but praise God you and I are living-not dying and none of those restrictions make us- they only reveal us! God’s not finished with us yet! Isn’t that encouraging?
6. Every day, pray and consider someone who might be encouraged by you and how just a note, an e-mail, or a call might make their day! When we meet other people’s needs our own are met.
7. Take any excuse to laugh! March 1st ’09, the “ruf” stuff of chemo had done it’s number, but I wanted to get a load of wash done. As I entered the laundry room, the dryer was humming and I knew I had not started it. I asked Warren about it and he simply said, yes, that he took the clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer! I said, well, they had not been washed-and we both laughed! That’s one way to shorten the job of doing the clothes-don’t wash them first-just throw them in the dryer!
8. Be your own advocate. Let your fingers do research through the internet regarding your diagnosis and treatment. Listen to others who have done research. Through this process however, know or find out if answers were found through extensive research or is it simply an opinion without basis.
9. Give attention to what your body is telling you. Fatigue is a huge factor and your body needs rest. If your body is aching to lie down, admit it, and please get rest.
If one of your docs suggests a procedure and it has not been scheduled graciously inquire –don’t assume that it will happen!
10. Ask questions. Sharpen your mind by probing the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your whole process.

11. Exercise your body when you possibly can-even if you look like Yul!. We all know it’s USE IT OR LOSE IT!




















Meow

I thought I’d say Joy-filled Easter in a foreign language.