Re: Inspiration - Where to look (WARNING: Strong View Points Expressed Here)

[Guest guest]

This is just my opinion and will be the last time I beat my drum but if

you're feeling depressed about mortality and/or cancer keep this in mind or

save it if you wish:

The drs were very certain that I had cholangiocarcinoma. In fact the GI

said he was 100% certain after an ERCP. You know what? I didn't have it.

Call it grace of God, sheer luck it doesn't matter. Until they can prove

you have, you must think you don't - stay in a positive frame of mind. How

about Barby? 2 or 3 times the drs said she had CC. You know what? Nada,

zilch, nothing. What about Andi? " Doesn't look good. " they told her

(Andi, just using the situation as an example - not responding to your

post). You know what? It was inflammation from the stents. So don't worry

about it until its confirmed. Now you say, but what if it is? Look to

(Sandy) as inspiration. He beat the odds and won the battle against

cancer. It can and will be done again. Rich and Steve survived back to

back tx's within days. You don't think that was against the odds? Being

able to receive two livers that are perfect matches (okay, maybe the first

one wasn't 'perfect') in that time frame.

There will always be someone that we hold dear, rather it be in this family

or within our own family, that will lose their life one way or another.

I've probably gone too far in my viewpoints but as I see it, mortality,

disease, accidents, whatever, are very much a part of everyday life. What

isn't guaranteed is how you choose to live it. Make everyday special

whether its opening the door for someone, waving at another driver when

they let you in (well, nowadays they'll think your on Prozac), wishing

someone a good day, telling someone special to you how you feel about them,

telling a co-worker or friend that you feel great even though you feel like

crap, calling a family member you never talk to, and the oldest but truest

cliches, " stop and smell the roses " . If you sit around constantly worrying

about where this disease will take you and what it all means, you're doing

the harm, not the disease. Granted, although I look through, as I like to

call them " rose colored glasses " and have been very fortunate (asking those

who've been here for a while " should I feel guilty? " , which I still do -

just less frequently) I realize there are people within this family that

suffer each and every hour of every day and stopping to smell the roses is

not even an option. I get that, but those of us that can should.

Barbara's still is very active with the group, posting articles on new

research and opportunities. How easy would it be for her just to say, " to

heck with it, I don't want to belong to the group anymore " ? But she

doesn't (no pressure hon!). Maybe we're her rose (geez I hope not, I'd be

a cross between a dandelion and crabgrass despite my Chippendales

background :-) Maureen continues to watch Young enstein (which should

be a whole separate issue) to get a laugh even with severe asthma. She's

getting a special harp made (granted its not a trumpet, sax or even a

tuba) but she is smelling her rose.

The point of all this rambling is that as a family, we are going to hear

about pain and suffering, mortality (either directly or a real family

member) but we're going to hear many positive things as well. The good and

the bad. I agree with Barb and maybe we should but " RESEARCH " in the topic

for those who wish to avoid it. That may mean you miss some very helpful

and useful information. One thing is for sure, when it relates to a

someone in this group, we're never going to eliminate the instances of bad

news here - that is what a support group is for. Who else can we turn to

that knows what we are or have been through?

As was the case yesterday, I believe it is now time to bow out for the day.

I'll check back in tomorrow with my first cup of coffee and a relatively

short commute where I'll either get cut off, flipped off or not waved to

after letting someone over in a long line of traffic. (theme song again)

But you know what, I'll just laugh it off and listen to my favorite tunes.

Darin