Cancer Adventures

The purpose of this blog is to highlight the everyday life of a family going through cancer. We're aware that every diagnosis carries a different challenge and that we can only share our perspective on what it's like to live with a slow-growing cancer that has metastasized. Our hope is that you'll come back to visit often!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Obligation of the cured

Whether you have a positive or negative image of Lance Armstrong in light of the media gossip, his book It's Not About the Bike is worth reading. I expected it to be the inspirational story of an athlete who beat cancer and went on to win the Tour de France several times. Which is incredible in itself. But the pleasant surprise was the depth of this particular athlete.

After treatments, Armstrong’s doctor had talked with him about the obligation of the cured. Lance—we’re on a first-name basis because I get e-mail from the Lance Armstrong Foundation that starts out Dear Marlys—writes in his book, “I believe I have an obligation to make something better out of my life than before, and to help my fellow human beings who are dealing with the disease.”

Gary is not cured - yet - but we have some rather large, purposeful goals. When we talk about our future together and brainstorm about projects and ideas, Gary says it gives him hope.

“Purpose helps people with cancer to look forward,” Gary explained to me once. “It takes a negative and turns it into a positive.” It was this philosophy that inspired our book, Cancer Adventures: Turning loss into triumph. When survivors/co-survivors give back to make life better for others, they live more fully themselves.

“So if there is a purpose to the suffering that is cancer," writes Armstrong in his book, "I think it must be this: it’s meant to improve us … It taught me how to cope with losing. It taught me that sometimes the experience of losing things, whether health or a home or an old sense of self, has its own value in the scheme of life.”

Read the book.

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Friday, October 24, 2008

Cancer Adventures – the book!

Our book should be available early part of November, but meanwhile I’ve posted a few excerpts with photos.

Funny - I've only met a handful of the people highlighted in this book—the rest were interviewed over the phone—but I've become attached to each person. They all have my deepest respect.

I hope you enjoy hearing about their adventures as much as I enjoyed writing about them!

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Friday, October 17, 2008

Blue and orange town

We’re in Boise, Idaho watching Boise State beat Hawaii on blue turf (well, Gary is watching the game and I’m watching for my sister-in-law and niece in the crowd).

There are Bronco logos and Bronco colors everywhere in this town. Gary said it wouldn’t be so bad if we were in Denver.

We spoke to a group of about 20 survivors last night at St. Alphonsus Cancer Center. “What’s with all the blue and orange?” I asked. They couldn’t believe I was so stupid ... until they realized I was just kidding. :)

We had lunch today with Gary’s brother and his wife and daughter. Our niece showed up in a blue and orange outfit with orange hoop earrings, orange sandals, and blue and orange flames professionally manicured on her fingernails.

Boise is a high tech, cowboy, good-place-to-raise-your-kids, no-kidding,

take-our-game-seriously sort-of town. Ya gotta love those Boise Nation fans!

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Hope Couture

Last night was our annual Hope Couture dinner, auction and fashion show, benefiting the Sara Fisher Breast Cancer Project. (Sara was a much-loved local high school teacher who died of breast cancer over 15 years ago.)

Though lower in attendance and fewer corporate sponsors than a year ago - a sign of the economic times - the event was highly successful. Our 350 guests were interactive with each other (everyone knows everyone in this town!), the room was beautifully decorated, there was a lot of energy during the fashion show and dance numbers, and the people gave generously.

It’s just a classy event. I love that the oncologists and surgeons are so supportive in our community. Not only do many of them buy a ticket for $85 - or a corporate table for $1,500 - but they also serve as greeters and hosts and escorts to the female models. I must say, though, that you put a male doctor in a tux on stage with spotlights and loud, upbeat music … and though he may or may not have intended to upstage the beautiful model on his arm, he invariably does.

We had a new auctioneer this year who had suggested a “paddle raise” – a show of bidder cards for plain, old-fashioned pledges. Last night he started at $2,500 and got a couple of responses … then $1,000 with a few more … and $500 with a lot more. And then dozens of pledges were made in the $100 category as bidder numbers were raised from all across the large room.

This is a community that is relatively small – 75,000 in population – but very big-hearted when it comes to giving. And while

the live auction and fashion show are always fun, my favorite part is the Walk of Hope where all breast cancer survivors are invited onstage to receive a rose and walk down the runway to a cheering crowd on its feet.

Just as it should be. We should all be on our feet every day cheering for anyone who is surviving this deadly disease.

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Friday, October 10, 2008

First snow!

Yesterday I counted about 20 snowflakes while walking from the office to the parking lot. And this morning ... I opened the blinds to this scene! Just thought I'd share a little of my joy with you!

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Sunday, October 5, 2008

Simple pleasures are the best

It’s a gorgeous, chilly autumn day and I’m sipping Chai tea as I write this. There’s new snow on the nearby mountains, leaves are turning colors, and geese are flying by in low formations.

We just got back from hiking up above Tumalo Falls. We ate our picnic lunch on a log overlooking one of the waterfalls that Tumalo Creek makes as it tumbles down the mountain. Sitting there, I thought about how perfect the moment was and how good our life is because it’s made up of so many great moments.

Too often, though, I find myself anxious to be on to the next phase of our lives—Gary and I want to take our tag-team message on the road and I want more time to write—but each day that I waste wishing for things to change is one less day of living.

I’ve always thought that simple pleasures are the best, and this has been one of those perfect, simple pleasures sort-of weekends – Friday night date with Gary, conversations with grandkids, trying a new recipe (a breakfast taco with homemade salsa), writing, Chai tea, hiking, reading, and fall sights and sounds with the promise of snow just around the corner.

It doesn’t get much better than this!

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Friday, October 3, 2008

128 quilts

There are over 100 quilts stashed in the waiting room, the front office and the library at the Cancer Treatment Center. For the past few years, a local quilt guild had made dozens and dozens of lap quilts and has donated them to us. I wish they could be around to see the pleased reactions when we tell our patients they can select a quilt to take home with them.

The story behind this generosity begins with a woman named Mona who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. She was given a short time to live. Mona's mother, Marilyn, went to be with her daughter and was inspired by a quilt that Mona's friend made for her. Mona wrapped herself in its warmth every time she went for a chemo treatment.

When Marilyn returned home to Central Oregon, she bought a sewing machine and some fabric, started hanging out with the local quilt guild and taught herself to sew.

In time, Marilyn inspired her fellow quilters to piece together lap quilts for cancer patients. And now - seven years after Marilyn began sewing - these big-hearted ladies have brought another supply of lovely quilts.

But here's the best part - Mona, who was given only a few months to live, is alive and well today! I love cancer survivor stories.

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