I love my oncologist and the nurses and staff who are taking care of me.  I awoke today and it was clear that I was feeling the effects of pushing a little too hard on Monday.  I had not kept hydrated and my body was telling me things were not right.  I went to church, completed a few small projects, had a great lunch with a good friend and then made a call to the doctors.  They took me right in, gave me a bag of fluids and all of a sudden I was feeling a whole lot better.  Making sure I stay hydrated is one big piece of my “new normal”.  I always thought I did a good job at that…apparently not as good as I thought.  One of the “transformations” over the past few weeks is that I have swapped my Dunkin Donuts cup for a water bottle.

Life will never be the same after hearing the words, “you have Cancer”.  I am thankful for the “transformations” that have come along on this journey which are life giving and life affirming.   Cancer has helped me slow down, celebrate what truly matters and not get distracted by “secondary things”.  When I was first in the hospital I turned off the sound on my phone and would periodically check for messages and emails.  As I left the hospital I was not ready to have the phone control my life as it had earlier…so the ringer stayed off.  Over a month later and the ringer is still off.  I do not get a notice with every text, email or Facebook update.  People call, they leave a message, I call them back…it works wonderfully and I am not a “slave” to the beeps and rings of my phone.  I am present for the conversation around the table, across the room or on the street.  A simple change that has “transformed” the way I am in relationship with people I am present with. [Read more…]