“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well…for there is a force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and will never let us go.” ~Julian of Norwich
It was just about 24 hours…a single day, where life felt somewhat normal again… On July 2nd, I met with my endocrinologist for the first time to review my medical plan - how to move forward since my thyroid cancer diagnosis.
I had been praying since the surgery at the end of May, for some good news…actually, for some great news. When I met with my surgeon three weeks later, I had just that - great news…The cancer had been caught early and it did not spread into my lymph nodes.
At the July 2nd appointment, the great news continued, as I discovered that I would not have to go through iodine radiation treatments. As one of my dear friends said upon hearing this news, “All is well…”
The rollercoaster that life seemed to have been taking me for a ride, had started to slow down and I was more than ready to get off… Then, the next day, my son calls me at work…he needs to go to urgent care to have his breathing checked out. Perhaps he has severe allergies or at worst, maybe walking pneumonia. His symptoms started a few weeks ago but were getting worse.
Phone calls and texts are exchanged and he ends up spending the night in an ER room bed. The next day was a holiday (not a good time to be at any hospital due to staff shortages). My son, Michael and his cousin Diane wait all day for more answers and unfortunately things become more complicated - tests show Michael has a lung abscess and there are not any open beds in any hospitals for hundreds of miles.
Then, the waiting game begins…and it takes four days until Michael is released to Mayo Clinic and St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. Once he and I arrived there, everything seemed to move quickly, as was our experience back in May of 2020, at the height of the Covid epidemic, when Michael was first diagnosed with epilepsy.
A combined team of infectious disease doctors and pulmonary doctors worked together to test and to eliminate a myriad of unpleasant possibilities, including tuberculosis, MRSA and blastomycosis.
Throughout it all, Michael maintains his sense of humor, naming his lung abscess “Larry” and taking his newest medical journey in stride. And I was reminded, once again, as I reached out to family and friends (and relied on them to pass along news like an old fashioned phone tree) of what really matters in life…the people who you share your journey with…
Prayers were offered and said by so many and I am one who totally believes and appreciates the power of prayer. And on Tuesday, Michael was released from the hospital, after receiving a bacterial infection diagnosis, and once again, Mayo Clinic did not disappoint us…They provided Michael with the best care, from every doctor, nurse and support staff member…And I am so blessed…
Yesterday, I took a moment to reflect on this latest “ride” on my rollercoaster. The last several months have had a barrage of life changing events for me - divorce, cancer diagnosis, surgery and recovery….and now this…
So what’s the deal? Why am I on this rollercoaster? When am I getting off of this ride?
Well…the truth is, like a rollercoaster, life has its ups and its downs…Sometimes you are just coasting along, enjoying the fresh air and the view, when suddenly, there is an acceleration and you start climbing, anxiety builds, uncertainty follows…you reach the top…and then you plunge…taking your breath away…sometimes in a good way…sometimes not so good…
But at the end of the plunge, things even out…slow down…and you start to coast again…With the help of other people, whether they are those who know you well or those who you may have just met, you continue to make your way along the ride…
So for me, the ride continues…as it does for all of us…and with it, most importantly, there is also another passenger… a force of love that rides along with us…that never lets us go…
And all shall be well…and all shall be well…
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Tranquil Moments…
I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s:
This week’s Smile video…
Steve Hartman goes "On the Road" to Michigan to meet a group of buddies who saved the day for a furry friend.
#believe #smilevideos #spreadkindnessandlove
And that’s a good thing…
One of the most famous actors to burst onto the scene in the 1980s, Michael J. Fox has become almost as famous for his very public fight against Parkinson's disease. With "Sunday Morning" anchor Jane Pauley, the "Family Ties" and "Back to the Future" star looks back on superstardom, raising $1.5 billion for Parkinson's research, and how his parents shaped his desire to lead with kindness — and laughter!
…and that’s a good thing…
What I am watching…
This week I discovered on YouTube “Afterschool Specials” that I used to watch when I was a child in the 1970s and 80s. Even though the video quality isn’t the best, it was fun to watch a few of these short films and remember what it was like to wait until a certain day of the week to watch your favorite television shows.
The acting involved big names of that time period and the messages were tackling issues that were not common place in everyday conversations at that time - drug abuse, latchkey children, child abuse, etc.
What I am reading…
This week I started reading the book Untamed by Glennon Doyle.
The Amazon description is as follows: “Who were you before the world told you who to be?
Part inspiration, part memoir, Untamed explores the joy and peace we discover when we stop striving to meet the expectations of the world, and instead dare to listen to and trust in the voice deep inside us. From the beloved New York Times bestselling author, speaker and activist Glennon Doyle…
Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is also the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts.
Untamed shows us how to be brave. And, as Glennon insists, 'The braver we are, the luckier we get.'”
I will see how far I get in reading this in the upcoming week. So far it seems very promising…
Mind/Body connections…
Deepak Chopra, M.D., co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, as well as founder and chairman of The Chopra Foundation, discusses enlightened leadership and spirituality.
Comedy Lift…
I love to share funny cartoons or memes with friends and family. Who doesn’t need to smile? Here’s this week’s Comedy Lift…
Music Moments
Music inspires me in many ways. Here’s Bruce Springsteen, from seven years ago, when he invited an Australian schoolboy onstage to perform with him during his show in Melbourne...Enjoy!
Quote of the week
Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….