Perseverance – Introduction…

Not sure why this has been tugging at me for a few days now, but I feel compelled to share my thoughts on persevering.  Let’s face it, persevering is a way of life for me now.  So what is perseverance?  Here are a few tidbits to get our heads around this.

• Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~Newt Gingrich

 

• When the world says, “Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.”
  ~Author Unknown

 

• There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream. ~Author Unknown

 

• I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday. ~Author Unknown

 

• Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

• Getting knocked down seven times and getting up eight.

 

• Perseverance is commitment to hard work, patience and endurance.

 

• Perseverance is being able to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint.

 Let me tell you a story about Sandi and me.  It was 1998 and one morning, after a night of very terrible storms, we woke up to five feet of water in the lower level of our bi-level house. We lost everything on that level, plus both of our cars, that were completely submerged.  That was our first test.  We started the process of rebuilding our home.  A few months after the flood, we found out that we were expecting our first child.  Very exciting, but very nerve wracking for me.  About six months after that, I decided to change jobs, a stressor in itself.  Then we decided to buy a new home.  Yep, that’s easy.  NOT.  Oh, by the way, this all happened while I was getting my MBA.  Yep, learning about perseverance the hard way.  Going back to the thoughts on giving up, bearing difficulties, etc.

 

Well, we thought that we had been through enough, but God wasn’t finished with us yet.  Nine years go by and life was good.  Family was growing, job was good, and church was fantastic.  Then July 23, 2007 comes around.  My diagnosis date.  Stage IV colon cancer at the age of 37.  Not just colon cancer, but the worst type that you could get.  Great just what I needed in my life.  How would this affect my family?  What is my true prognosis?  How would my golf game turn out? 

 

It has been a little over a year now.  Everyday is a battle.  Everyday, I thank God for one more day.  Everyday I persevere.  Over the next week or so, I will be blogging on various aspects of this topic.  I hope you enjoy it.

If you had the chance…

…to ask how you would die, would you ask that question? Tough one, huh. Disclaimer: this is not meant to be a morbid post. I am in a very good mental state right now. Just sharing my curiosity and thoughts.

I asked that question yesterday at my oncology appointment. It was a question out of curiosity as I cannot wrap my head around how this cancer can get me. In my small, finite mind, I had an answer for everything. If it gets to the liver, either do a radiofrequency ablation procedure or surgically remove some of the liver, it will grow back. If it gets to the lungs, take out a lobe of the lung. If it gets to the lymph system, hhmmnnn, not sure about that one.

So, here is the answer my oncologist gave me. First, he corrected me on my two year prognosis. For the second time in eight months, he has told me that these are just averages and that he has many patients out five and seven years. Then he went on to say that there is not a real defining moment in the process. Basically, he said that cancer takes its toll on the body and the body begins to shut down. It can really no longer fight and so it starts the process of shutting down. He went on to say that many of his patients know it is their time before he does.

So, if we keep fighting and keep the cancer at bay, and I continue to keep the positive attitude, maybe I can keep my body from shutting down for a few more decades. Gonna be a battle, but I don’t lose very many things!! Watch out cancer, here I come! Are you ready to RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!

Also, a small bit of good news yesterday. I gained three more pounds the last two weeks. I am now out of my old high school weight and getting back into my college weight. I have gained back a total of 10 pounds and only have 28 more pounds to gain to get back to my fighting weight!

It’s all in the attitude…

Thanks to our good friend Kelly for this one…

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today!” So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “H-M-M,” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today!” So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said, “today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail!” So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “YEA!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

Attitude is everything. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly… and Leave the rest to God!