NOV. 29-2013 ALONG MY JOURNEY OF LIFE

SHALOM ONCE AGAIN:

ANOTHER MONTH HAS GONE BY, AND I AM SO AWARE OF MY THANKFULNESS FOR EVERY MOMENT HERE ON THIS EARTH, FOR FEELING RELATIVELY NORMAL, DESPITE MY CONTINUED CONSTANT FATIGUE. I AM AWARE OF THE HILLS AND VALLEYS THAT I GO THROUGH, NOT ONLY PHYSICALLY, BUT IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS AND IN LIFE. AND WITH ALL THAT, I AM CONSTANTLY SAYING 'THANK G.', AND AM EVER MINDFUL OF OTHERS WHO ARE SUFFERING.
I HOPE THAT MY WRITING ISN'T TOO POLLYANIC FOR THE READER. BUT THIS BLOG IS FOR ME, AND IF ANYONE READS IT, I HOPE THAT HE/SHE CAN GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
THANKSGIVING, CHANUKAH, SHABAT, TIMES TO BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE DO HAVE RIGHT NOW. I PRAY FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE THE STRENGTH AND WISDOM TO LIVE IN THE NOW, AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO KEEP AN UPPER HAND OR MIND MOST OF THE TIME.
I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BE SO UPBEAT AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH, G. WILLING.
FOR NOW,
G. BLESS.
C.H.W.

NOV. 1- ALONG LIFE'S PATH

SHALOM!
IT'S BEEN A FULL MONTH SINCE I HAVE WRITTEN, A MONTH FULL OF MANY MANY HEALTH CHECK-UPS. THANK G. A ZILLION TIMES, SO FAR SO GOOD. BUT THE FEAR THAT LINGERS UNDERNEATH IS ALWAYS THERE. BUT THEN, ONE CARRIES ON AND HOPES ALWAYS FOR THE BEST.

I PRAY THAT ANY READERS WHO ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME, WILL HANG IN THERE. LIFE SEEMS GREAT WHEN YOU FEEL WELL, AND IT'S A REAL STRUGGLE WHEN PROBLEMS COME UP HEALTH-WISE.
I WISH EACH OF YOU A GOOD HEALTHY NEW MONTH AHEAD.
THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE IS ALWAYS HERE-THAT'S WHY WE(I) NEED TO CHERISH EACH AND EVERY GOOD MOMENT-GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD FOOD, GOOD THINGS IN THIS WORLD.
BYE FOR NOW.

SEPT. ALONG LIFE'S JOURNEY

SHALOM!
I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW TIME GOES BY, ALONGSIDE ITS GOOD MOMENTS, AND ITS DARKER MOMENTS. THANK G. FOR THE GOOD MOMENTS-I GRAB THEM AND ENJOY EACH DROP OF TIME IN THAT BUBBLE. THE DIFFICULT ONES SEEM TO CROP UP ALL THE TIME, HIVES, BROKEN TOE, BROKEN THUMB, SWELLINGS, FATIGUE, FATIGUE, BUT AS LONG AS IT IS NOT CALLED CANCER AT THIS MOMENT, I ACCEPT IT, NOT AS GRACIOUSLY AS I WOULD LIKE TO. THE HILLS AND VALLEYS OF LIFE KEEP SHOWING UP. I PRAY FOR THE STRENGTH TO LEARN TO ADAPT BETTER TO THE DIFFICULT TIMES, INCLUDING THE MENTAL, EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTERS. I PRAY FOR ANYONE GOING THRU' DIFFICULT TIMES, TO HANG IN THERE, AND TO TAKE EVERY MOMENT AND CHERISH OUR TIME.

G. BLESS-UNTIL NEXT MONTH.

AUG. 20-2013 HOW TIME HAS PASSED!

SO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED SINCE I LAST WROTE. THANK G. NO SIGNS OF CANCER AT THE MOMENT. BUT I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN PLAGUED WITH MY CHRONIC URTICARA, WHICH HAS MADE HAVOC OF MY BODY. ON TOP OF THAT, MY VIRUS INFECTION IN A SENSITIVE AREA CONTINUES TO HARASS ME. IF THAT ISN'T ALL ENOUGH, FROM A BANGED UP TOE WHICH LED TO AN INFECTION OF THE TOE, AND A SUBSEQUENT FALL,WHICH ONLY ADDED ON MORE DAMAGE, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT PERIOD. BUT SOMEHOW, LIFE GOES ON, YOU ARE LIMITED, AND THEN SLOWLY, YOU  PUT YOURSELF TOGETHER AS BEST YOU CAN AND GO ON. IN AMONGST ALL OF THIS, I DID TRAVEL TO CANADA, TO VISIT, DESPITE THE INABILITY TO WALK WITHOUT PAIN. BUT I AM THANKFUL TO SEE FINALLY A BIT OF SUNLIGHT.

SORRY IF THIS WRITE-UP IS DOWN, DOWN, BUT THIS REALLY WAS A DOWN TIME. BUT MY LOVE FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS KEPT ME GOING, AS WELL AS MY DESIRE TO LIVE AND TO LIVE ON.
SO AS THE SUMMER COMES TO A CLOSE, I WISH ANY READER GOOD HEALTH AND TO BE SURROUNDED BY NICE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU. THEY MAY NOT ALWAYS BE FAMILY MEMBERS, BUT GOOD FRIENDS ARE FAMILY INDEED.
UNTIL THE NEXT TIME-BYE

MAY 29-2013 THANK YOU DOCTORS AND THANK YOU LORD

SHALOM!
EVERY 6 MONTH CHECK-UP HAS ITS TENSENESS AND APPREHENSION. BUT THANK G., SO FAR, CANCER IS IN CHECK. IF I HAVE LEARNED ANYTHING FROM THIS EXPERIENCE, IT IS TO BE MINDFUL AT ALL TIMES AND AWARE AND THANKFUL OF EACH MOMENT. MY IMMUNE SYSTEM IS STILL VERY LOW, AND I SUFFER FROM SKIN AILMENTS NON-STOP, BUT AS LONG AS IT IS NOT CANCER, I KEEP GOING, ALTHO' IT IS NOT PLEASANT.

I AM SO PLEASED TO BE HELPFUL TO OTHER CANCER PATIENTS, AND TO ANY READERS, I WISH YOU STRENGTH AND HOPE TO CARRY ON.
UNTIL NEXT MONTH, G. WILLING.
C.H. W.

APRIL 28-2013 THANK YOU UNIVERSE FOR THIS MOMENT OF TODAY

SHALOM TO MYSELF AND TO ANY READERS:

HOW thankful I am to be alive, to know that at any time things can and will change for better or for worse, but to have today, this moment to appreciate my health, my life, this world. Age, health issues, maturity, knowledge from learning and experiencing have taught me to appreciate each moment and to know that I and I alone must take responsibility for my physical body-in the food i inhale, and the exercise that I pursue. I am aware of the responsibility to take charge of my mind-to think more positively, and less fearfully and to 'stay away' the demons that are there in the background, waiting to appear once again-the demon of death that hovers around each one of us. But for this moment, today, thank you Universe, G.d, Nature for all that I and each one has. My best wishes to any of you out there.! Until next time.....

APRIL 5-2013 MY UPDATE FOR MYSELF ALONG MY JOURNEY OF LIFE

SHALOM!
I HAVE GONE OVER THE MONTHLY TIME TO WRITE, DUE TO PESACH AND BUSINESS OF LIFE. I AM WRITING BEFORE MY CHECK-UP NEXT WEEK, WITH THE HOPE THAT ALL WILL BE CLEAR AND FINE FOR NOW ONCE AGAIN. 3 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, AND FINALLY, I CAN SAY, THAT THE UTTER FATIGUE HAS LESSENED. THANK G. I DO TIRE SO EASILY, BUT CAN EVEN VENTURE AN EVENING OUT MORE OFTEN. I AM SO VERY MINDFUL AND THANKFUL OF WHAT I HAVE, AND WHAT CHANCE I MAY STILL HAVE TO BE A PRODUCTIVE PERSON HERE ON EARTH. PERHAPS MY ILLNESS IS TO TEACH BE TO REALLY BE AWARE, BOTH PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLY OF WHAT A GIFT WE HAVE TO LIVE LIFE AND TO CONTRIBUTE IN SOME SMALL WAY TO THIS WONDROUS WORLD. THERE IS SO MUCH EVIL AROUND AND SICKNESS AND DARKNESS THAT WE MUST SEEK OUT AND ENCOURAGE ALL THE GOODLINESS THAT WE FIND AND CAN POSSIBLY CREATE. I AM WISHING ANY READER OF MY BLOG A RECOVERY, AS MUCH AS CAN BE, AND POSITIVE THOUGHTS.
G. BLESS ALL OF US. UNTIL THE NEXT TIME-SHALOM.

FEB. 28-2013 MY MONTHLY CHECK-IN

MY MIND REMINDS ME TOWARDS THE END OF EACH MONTH TO WRITE AN UPDATE. I AM CONSTANTLY WRITING MY FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS IN POETRY AND PRAYER IN ANOTHER FORMAT, BUT FEEL THE NEED TO KEEP UP THIS LEDGER AS WELL. THANK G. EACH MEDICAL CHECK-UP SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT ALL IS WELL, CANCER -WISE. BUT I AM QUICKLY REMINDED BY EITHER BY ONCOLOGIST OR MY SURGEON, THAT NOW 3 YEARS LATER, NOT TO BE FOOLED. THERE IS NO CUT-OFF DATE FOR BEING 'SAFE', LIKE 5 YRS. SEEMED TO BE. JUST AS CANCER STRUCK ON A NORMAL YEARSLY MAMMOGRAM DAY, SO IT CAN RETURN. AND SO I KEEP ON LIVING, PANICKING WHEN MY BODY SEEMS TO BE CAVING IN, BUT RELENTLESSLY FIGHTING ON, AND AT THE SAME TIME, BEING SO VERY MINDFUL WITH THANKS FOR 'UP TO THIS MOMENT' RELIEF. I WISH ALL READERS TO WORK ON BEING UPBEAT, HELPING OURSELVES BE POSITIVE AND DOING POSITIVE ACTIONS OF CARING FOR OURSELVES.
OUR LIVES HAVE THE CONSTANT UPS AND DOWNS, AND NOTHING IS PERMANENT, AND CERTAINLY NOT HUMAN BEINGS. SO G. BLESS ALL OF US.
UNTIL NEXT MONTH-
LOVE

FEB. 6-2013 LIFE AND ITS CHALLENGES

SHALOM!
THANK G. MY PHYSICAL TESTS ARE COMING BACK O'KAY. EACH ONE HAS ITS FEARS ACCOMPANYING IT, BUT AM ALWAYS THANKFUL. I KNOW I OFTEN THINK THAT IF I HAVE NO OPEN SIGNS OF CANCER, THAT LIFE IS PERFECT, BUT LIFE'S CHALLENGES KEEP COMING. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OF THESE 'CHALLENGES' LATELY, AND AS STRESSFUL AS THEY ARE , I CALL THEM MY 'KAPAROT' AND SAY TO MYSELF AND TO OTHERS: 'AS LONG AS IT IS NOT CANCER, I CAN LIVE WITH IT'. WELL, I AM BEING GIVEN MANY KAPAROT, AND HOPE THAT I CAN GROW IN MY EMUNAH TO TRUST THAT SUCH IS LIFE -WE ARE UP, WE ARE DOWN, AND THAT IS PART OF LIFE'S EXPERIENCES. I AM SO PLEASED THAT I AM AND CAN BE OF SOME SMALL HELP TO OTHERS WHO ARE SUFFERING. I KNOW THAT A LISTENING CARING EAR IS SOMETIMES AS MUCH AS AN ACTUAL MEDICINE.
UNTIL THE NEXT WRITING, I TRY AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH TO WRITE HERE, BUT DAILY I KEEP UP WITH MY DIARY OF ABUNDANCE AND MY OWN PRAYERS.
G. BLESS ANY READERS AND ALL OF US.

JAN. 11-13 AND LIFE GOES ON W. THANKS

SHALOM!
WITH EVER MINDFULNESS OF HOW LUCKY I AM TO WAKE UP 'NORMAL' FOR ME RIGHT NOW, TO SAVOUR AND APPRECIATE EACH BEAUTY OF NATURE, OF CONDUCTING LIFE SOMEWHAT NORMALLY. HOWEVER AWARE THAT EACH MEDICAL TEST, EACH SYMPTOM REMINDS ME CONSTANTLY OF THE FRAGILITY OF MY LIFE. THIS CANCER HAS TAUGHT ME TO REMEMBER WELL THE PLUSES IN MY LIFE AND TO TRY TO LIVE EACH DAY WITH MEANING. THANK YOU, LORD, UNIVERSE, FOR ESCORTING ME ON THIS JOURNEY. I WISH ANY OF YOU READERS, GOOD IMPROVING HEALTH AND STRENGTH TO COPE-STRENGTH FROM YOUR FAITH, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, FROM YOURSELF! UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!