Words of encouragement

grandma047 · May 2004

Hi all,
I am putting together a small book to take to the hospital on the 20th when I have my surgery. I would like words of encouragement, poems you may have, prayers, anything that
will uplift me, as I go through the next phase of my treatment. I also request your prayers that when I have surgery everything will go well and the cancer will not be as aggressive as the doctors have thought and it will be taken care of, once and for all, and that hopefully, I will not need the colostomy or much chemo. I know this is a lot to ask, but I usually don't reach out for help much, so this is new to me. I would really appreciate this. Also, please pray for my family. I know this is hard on them too. Just email your encouragements to me, and I'll be taking it to the hospital to read, to keep my mind focused on things that are good. I appreciate and love you all.
Love and prayers, Judy
you can post them here or email me at grandma047@aol.com.
Thanks

jsabol · May 2004

Hi Judy,
This time of waiting must be hard, but what a wonderful idea to put together a book to help you focus and feel better. I will be looking through some things and send them by e-mail. You remain in my thoughts and certainly my prayers,
the other Judy

grandma047 · May 2004

jsabol said:
Hi Judy,
This time of waiting must be hard, but what a wonderful idea to put together a book to help you focus and feel better. I will be looking through some things and send them by e-mail. You remain in my thoughts and certainly my prayers,
the other Judy

Thanks Judy. I will be looking forward to it. Your encouragement. Not the surgery. LOL. Well, in a way, I just want to hurry and get it over with. Either that, or run far, far, away. LOL.
Thanks for being there.
Love and prayers, judy

StacyGleaso · May 2004

Hi Judy!

I sent you an e-mail to your other address. My thoughts will be with you on the 20th for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery period.

Best wishes,

Stacy

scouty · May 2004

Judy,

If you have an email address that I can send photos to, I will. My boxer pup, Scout, and my 11 month old kitten, Lil Hagrid, write letters and include photos with captions of their silly selves, their lovely bods, and some of the mischief they get into. Scout has written over 40 letters in the 22 months I have had her and I must admit, they have become my best stress relievers and it's so much fun too (Scout writes things I just usually think about saying. She is very sassy and makes fun of me all the time). Send me your external email address and then expect some really sloppy cyber doggie kisses (regretfully, she grew out of her puppy breath stage).

In the meantime, you will be in our daily thoughts and prayers.

Lisa P.

scouty · May 2004

scouty said:
Judy,

If you have an email address that I can send photos to, I will. My boxer pup, Scout, and my 11 month old kitten, Lil Hagrid, write letters and include photos with captions of their silly selves, their lovely bods, and some of the mischief they get into. Scout has written over 40 letters in the 22 months I have had her and I must admit, they have become my best stress relievers and it's so much fun too (Scout writes things I just usually think about saying. She is very sassy and makes fun of me all the time). Send me your external email address and then expect some really sloppy cyber doggie kisses (regretfully, she grew out of her puppy breath stage).

In the meantime, you will be in our daily thoughts and prayers.

Lisa P.

Durn...chemo brain.. I just reread you message and have your email address...DUHHH!!!!! Expect a letter from Scouty Pouty soon (she frowns really well).

Lisa P.

cheer3 · May 2004

Hello Judy,
I will keep you and your family in my prayers.I will put you on prayer list for Thursday at my church.God Bless
Keep Smiling,Jean

rdy2shop · May 2004

Its amazing that you feel others pain and know what they're going through, even though we've never met. Please keep your head up (literally) to god above. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Remember to stay strong and that you have many supporters out here.

Moesimo · May 2004

Judy, I wish you all the best as you begin the next phase of your TERRIBLE journey. I hope and pray that this will be the end of your treatment and the beginning of your healing. You have been through so much in one year. I know that you have found an inner strength that you didn't know that you had to help you through this ordeal. I will email you some words of encouragement.

Lisa Rose · May 2004

Hi Judy,

I hope you received the forward " The Blessing " that I sent you last night. Just know that others care and that's the greatest gift from being apart of this support group.

Sending lots Of Love,
Lisa

taraHK · May 2004

Dear Judy, I will certainly be thinking of you and praying for you and your family. Like you, I am praying that you will not need a (permanent) colostomy, or additional chemotherapy. But, should that happen, you will be fine. In the words of Hubert Humphrey, after cancer surgery in 1978, "Oh, my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts - it's what you do with what you have left". I have a whole mess of 'post-it" notes that sit on the wall above my desk -- I think it is a great idea, to take a book of messages with you. One of my other favorites is "Remember Lance!!" (OK, I know, different cancer -- but -- that spirit!).
Best wishes and prayers coming your way.
Tara

kangatoo · May 2004

taraHK said:
Dear Judy, I will certainly be thinking of you and praying for you and your family. Like you, I am praying that you will not need a (permanent) colostomy, or additional chemotherapy. But, should that happen, you will be fine. In the words of Hubert Humphrey, after cancer surgery in 1978, "Oh, my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts - it's what you do with what you have left". I have a whole mess of 'post-it" notes that sit on the wall above my desk -- I think it is a great idea, to take a book of messages with you. One of my other favorites is "Remember Lance!!" (OK, I know, different cancer -- but -- that spirit!).
Best wishes and prayers coming your way.
Tara

Look to your email Judy--for a tribute to a lovely lady.

grandma047 · May 2004

StacyGleaso said:
Hi Judy!

I sent you an e-mail to your other address. My thoughts will be with you on the 20th for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery period.

Best wishes,

Stacy

Thanks Stacy for your words of encouragement. Everyone in this group has been just wonderful. I hope there a comes a time that I can put this cancer behind me and I want to work with cancer patients, to give them the hope that all of you have given me.
Love and prayers, Judy

grandma047 · May 2004

scouty said:
Durn...chemo brain.. I just reread you message and have your email address...DUHHH!!!!! Expect a letter from Scouty Pouty soon (she frowns really well).

Lisa P.

Thanks Lisa. I can hardly wait to see the pictures. I have a black Chow dog and she is my bayb. Her name is Bear. She senses when I am sad and can always cheer me up. Animals are wonderful.
Thanks for being there.
Judy

grandma047 · May 2004

cheer3 said:
Hello Judy,
I will keep you and your family in my prayers.I will put you on prayer list for Thursday at my church.God Bless
Keep Smiling,Jean

Thanks Jean. I really appreciate your prayers. The more the better, I always say. We can all always use prayers. Please pray for my family too. They are not christians. Maybe throught this they will come back to God. If so, my fight hasn't been in vain. Thanks again.
Love and prayers, Judy

grandma047 · May 2004

rdy2shop said:
Its amazing that you feel others pain and know what they're going through, even though we've never met. Please keep your head up (literally) to god above. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Remember to stay strong and that you have many supporters out here.

Thanks for your support and prayers. I will try and stay strong. I have strong days and weak days. as I'm sure we all do. Keep me in your prayers. Thanks
Judy

grandma047 · May 2004

Moesimo said:
Judy, I wish you all the best as you begin the next phase of your TERRIBLE journey. I hope and pray that this will be the end of your treatment and the beginning of your healing. You have been through so much in one year. I know that you have found an inner strength that you didn't know that you had to help you through this ordeal. I will email you some words of encouragement.

Thanks for your best wishes. Yes, I have been through a lot this year. I was diagnosed originally when I had my first colonoscopy on May 27th 2003. So when I have surgery it will be one week of being a year since I started this journey.Yes, it has made me stronger and I am closer to God and my family than I was. So, that's a good thing. Thanks for any encouraging words. the part that is still bothering me the most is the colostomy. I know I will get used to it, but still I dread it. I am praying that a miracle happens and I don't have to have it. Thanks for being there.
Judy

sallyjoy · May 2004

I keep this on my computer screen and have printout with a picture of a praying angel, entitled HOPE. It is a quote from St. Teresa. I hope it helps and my prayers are with you and your family...

The time may be delayed,
The manner may be unexpected,
But the answer is sure to come.

Not a tear of sacred sorrow,
not a breath of holy desire,
poured out to God will ever be lost,

But in God's own time and way
will be wafted back again in clouds of mercy,
and fall in showers of blessings on you,
and on those for whom you pray.

Sally Jo

vcavanagh · May 2004

Hello Grandma and all. I'm back.
It's not about illness but you might like the following. I finished this today.

First Light.

Waking and sleeping interweave
And where am I in space?
All that I know is soft and dark
In this pulsating place.
There is distant drumming so far and dim,
Rhythmic and steady, it filters in,
A tension tingles through my skin
And what is it I chase?

I felt, forever this will last
And then the grip combined
With pain and spasm and pain again
To force me to unbind;
And I fell to a state of cold and fright
Of red and olive and moving white;
tense voices, clatter and blazing light
To shock and stun my mind.

At first, with stinging eyes tight-closed,
With breathless broken cries
I screamed and shivered and screamed again
Until held warm-wrapped and dry.
This is the way my life began.
I am not alone in the world of man
For holding me is my mothers hand
And I meet her wondering eyes.

Blessings.
Vincent. 4th May 2004

vcavanagh · May 2004

Hello Grandma,
The spaces in the poem vanished in the message. Otherwise, not bad. I felt that it is worth remembering again that not all pain is nasty. Some is productive and life-giving. Apart from that, I am a silly old fool. Love to all and blessings again anyway.
Vincent.

kjbascom02 · May 2004

Judy, I'm not familiar with your situation, but I hope sharing some of my experience with cancer eases some of your anxiety.

I was diagnosed with Stage III NO MO colorectal cancer which was attached to my pelvis. I underwent chemo and radiation prior to surgery hoping to shrink the tumor off of my pelvis so I could undergo surgery (if the tumor didn't shrink, most likely I wouldn't survive). To everyone's surprise, when the surgeons went in to relieve me of all my pelvic organs, not only did they shrink my tumor enough to enable removal, it had been completely obliterated by the chemo and radiation treatments. Two days prior to my surgery, I was told I would be getting a total pelvic evisceration. I didn't even have to have a colostomy. Sometimes, things work out even better than we expect. Good luck. I'll be praying for you.

Three years cancer free.

Kerrie

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