One Week in the Life of Semi-Colons

robinvan
robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
As I remember my many friends here in this community I am overwhelmed by what we collectively face in any given week. It is now Monday with a new week ahead of us.

This week we will undergo surgery to reverse an ileostomy. We will stand by the hospital bedside of a mother in Italy, and a brother with bone mets. We will recover from surgery and regain health.

This week we will report for radiation and Chemo, for Oxy, Irinotecan, 5FU, Avastin, and Erbitux in various combinations. We will suffer the side-effects and mitigate them as best possible with lotions, pain-killers, anti-emetics, and other tricks.

This week we will be PET scanned, CT Scanned, Bone scanned, x-rayed, scoped, and blood-tested every which way. We will wait for results. We will share and celebrate the good news and we will share and lament the bad.

This week we will search for new doctors and solicit second opinions. We will consult pain specialists. We will research new treatments and discover new possibilities. We will adjust to new realities and hope for better days ahead.

This week we will accompany our loved ones with cancer to various appointments and we will continue to walk with them through the ups and downs of the week.

This week we will be massaged and accupunctured. We will receive healing touch and reiki. We will meditate and pray, we will celebrate birthdays, and we will juice!

In whatever it is you face this week, I wish for you...

"Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Hugs when spirits sag,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Hope in times of despair,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
Love to complete your life.”

Be well... Rob; in Vancouver
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Comments

  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
    ha- very good and oh so
    ha- very good and oh so true.
    Thanks rob
  • thready
    thready Member Posts: 474
    Printed this, 'cause it says it best
    Rob,
    I printed this for my extended family, maybe to help them understand.
    Thank you
    Jan
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    thready said:

    Printed this, 'cause it says it best
    Rob,
    I printed this for my extended family, maybe to help them understand.
    Thank you
    Jan

    beautiful
    just beautiful Rob....thanks

    I think I'll print that too and put on the fridge

    ~mags~
  • CanadaSue
    CanadaSue Member Posts: 339 Member
    Another week
    Thanks for the post Rob,

    Very insightful look into a week of this journey.

    Have a great day!


    Hugs,

    Sue
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    Thanks Rob
    As I head to another surgery this Wed, I will keep this with me.

    Many hugs, Vicki
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    Thank you Rob!
    It gets overwhelming at times, but we have a whole community going through this together. Thanks for the reminder of the support of our community, and the well wishes. I wish the same for you and your family.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    Don't forget to look ahead!!!!
    And see a time, post appointments, and surgery, and awfulness, of living!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • just4Brooks
    just4Brooks Member Posts: 980 Member
    Thanks Rob
    This is just what I needed to see. I'm having a rough morning, you made me smile!!


    Life is funny sometimes
    Brooks
  • bunny62
    bunny62 Member Posts: 8
    Monday Monday !!
    -Thanks for the post-was feeling very emotional-still am. Very uplifting. My hsuband cracked under the pressure of this whole cancer and we just got back from his 9th ECT(that is shock treatment). It is sad and hope it helps him-cause it is real hard to do. We all have hard things to do each day before we can rest. All lot of it is good. We are in it for the whole ride. Have a good day!!
  • johnsfo
    johnsfo Member Posts: 47
    bunny62 said:

    Monday Monday !!
    -Thanks for the post-was feeling very emotional-still am. Very uplifting. My hsuband cracked under the pressure of this whole cancer and we just got back from his 9th ECT(that is shock treatment). It is sad and hope it helps him-cause it is real hard to do. We all have hard things to do each day before we can rest. All lot of it is good. We are in it for the whole ride. Have a good day!!

    Beautiful, Rob.
    Beautiful, Rob. Thanks!

    John
  • ldot123
    ldot123 Member Posts: 272
    johnsfo said:

    Beautiful, Rob.
    Beautiful, Rob. Thanks!

    John

    Yes beautiful
    Thanks Rob for that wonderful posting. Words to live by. Cheers, Lance
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    Thank you Rob
    What a compassionate way to describe our community here. Lifted my spirits today.

    all the best, leslie
  • luv3jay
    luv3jay Member Posts: 533 Member
    I love it!!
    So very very true...

    -Sheri
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    Thanks a lot,Rob.

    Thanks a lot,Rob.
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    Rob
    Rob,
    Thank you for sharing your oh so true and beautiful words. You described it.

    **** is in the CAT scan group this week to see if the Folfori + Avastin are working.

    All of us are forging ahead.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    Thanks Rob
    Thanks Rob for this post- I love how upbeat and encouraging you are.
    It's great to know we're all in this together and are supporting each other.
    Have a great week, yourself!

    Lisa (who's going for chemo Wed, chemo again 2 wks later, scanned end of month, and seeking
    new treatment possibilities next month!) :)
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    Thank you!
    Thank-you Rob! You really captured the emotions & events that we all are going through. You put your words & thoughts together beautifully; it seems effortless (but I am sure it is not!)

    Thanks so much for your inspiring words.
  • 2bhealed
    2bhealed Member Posts: 2,064 Member
    How beautiful
    You do justice to your "calling" in surrounding us with your love. What a wonderful perspective for us to carry this week as we carry each other in our thoughts.

    Thank you.

    peace, emily who is drinking her juice as I write this! ;-)
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Wonderful
    I love it, Rob. Thank you!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • pluckey
    pluckey Member Posts: 484 Member
    Thank You
    Beautifully said and sooo true

    ((HUGS))

    Peggy