Dinner with thoughtful friends got me thinking about tai chi, meditation and even the spiritual basis for hope and self healing. These are unexpected avenues for this Western mind to be exploring. But difficult times may call for expanded options.
Now another twist. Imagine you take your old car into the shop after the odometer rolls past 100,00 miles just to anticipate what repairs it likely will soon need.
You are then stunned to receive an estimate of $10,000 for a new engine, transmission and a rear axle all needed in the next few months. Well, lo and behold, I not only need to beat lung cancer but I also am facing heart bypass surgery!So my excellent doctor explained to me that after the next set of chemo treatments, my heart and lung surgeons will arm wrestle over who cuts on me first.
I biked over 2,000 miles this year and came into all this as a healthy and unlikely surgery patient according to each doctor who met me. I am optimistic!
So keep those good thoughts, comments and emails coming. Feel free to call. Any time is fine. Or come visit. Dana and Meghan are driving in tomorrow. Jono returns from a China business trip too. Longtime friend Lea will be here next week.
The roller coaster continues.
I'm riding with my eyes open and hands up and trying to enjoy it all. Whoopee! 
Love your spirit. May I be as "valiente" some day.
ReplyDeleteA roller coaster ride, for sure! We are sending lots of love, strength and good thoughts from Austin!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you've heard about Tig Notaro's comedy routine about having cancer but I think the excerpt I've pasted below bears repeating. I know I've felt this way and reading your post I felt it again. It's about the comfort that's often offered to cancer patients: God never gives you more than you can handle. I've often felt in response to that supposed comfort that then I wish I was a whole lot weaker. Tig has a slightly different take.
ReplyDeleteQuoted from an NPR transcript (http://www.npr.org/2013/07/20/203609594/comedian-tig-notaro-plays-not-my-job) Tig Notaro imagines how the mind of God works:
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NOTARO: . . . you know what's nice about all of this is that you can always rest assured that God never gives you more than you can handle. Never.
(LAUGHTER)
NOTARO: Never. When you've had it, God goes all right, that's it. I just keep picturing God going, you know what, I think she can take a little more.
(LAUGHTER)
NOTARO: And then the angels are standing back going, God, what are you doing?
(LAUGHTER)
NOTARO: You are out of your mind. And God was like, no, no, no, I really think she can handle this.
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I'm pulling for you, Lynn. Praying for you. Pleading with God -- like the angels -- on your behalf. All my love,
Christy