You never Know how your Words will touch others.....

While on the subject of books.....I have a personal story about a friend of mine that I had first met when quite young - and then again in my early 20s. 

I wish I could say that he inspired me to go into nursing...but actually, he inspired me to be a better person, and look outside myself and to those around me who are suffering....which in turn made me a better nurse.

family photo

Back in the 1960s, I met a boy - my age -  staying at our campsite.   Paul was a skinny kid and their family seemed to be as normal as any family ..... but then what did I know?  I was only 13 or so at the time.   They stayed at our place in the summer when his parents brought them all home to Canada on "furlough" from the mission field.

My sis ran into him at a Northern wilderness camp and they spent many hours in discussion around the campfire.

So it was a delightful reunion when my sis and I ran into him again at College in my sophomore year.

 We became good friends as the semester went on and kept in touch after I quit College midway through the year.  

Through the next few years,  as I went through a couple of relationships, he became an advisor of sorts. 

He was a serious guy - but a with a quick witted sense of humor.  He always seemed a little bit "preoccupied" to me,  but I could always count on him for great advice.   

Paul as I knew him in College

One summer he popped by the house to visit - the summer before I went into nursing. 

My mother thought for sure he came to ask me out....but in my mind, and I am pretty certain his.....we were only friends.    I admired him but I did  make note in my diary that he was "too busy" with "no time for serious girlfriends".

I also documented that I felt "very privileged to be so close to him" as a friend.  

It was his letter to me after I quit college and just before I went into nursing that emphasized my need  to look beyond myself in order to help other people. 

Although I am not a "religious" person per say, ie: I don't go to church -  I do have a "spiritual" side of me that is very personal.

Here is his letter to me - in all it's unedited imperfect beauty - exactly how he wrote it.   We were both age 20 at the time :

Dear [RetiredN]:


Hi my beautiful mixed-up friend.  Do me a favor?


  Take a look and for a while just concentrate on how big God is.  In some areas of life, things are relative.  The size of problems are relative to one's overview.  The same problem which is big when compared to our finiteness is small when placed besides a big God.  The bigger the God is the smaller the problem.  How big is your God?


Is he really omnipotent like we often glibly say that he is or is my situation (just this one time of course) just a little to big for him, and he has kind of lost control?


Is he love, meaning that he works out of a framework of love.  If he is love he can't relate to you on any other basis than love in it's purest highest form, love not dependent on your ability or action.


Omniscient? Immutable? Limited to 4 walls of mundane existent?


Live one day at a time, not walking backwards down life's trail and not living in the "someday" of the future when circumstances will be changed.


Honey, you keep looking at your mixed up insides, how will you ever see anyone else in need.

Look up, Look around

And Live

Goodnight,

Paul



I have to admit, when I read his letter I shed a few tears.

It is true that  when one is younger - sometimes we are so wrapped up in ourselves, we don't always see the big picture -  and miss what is really important.

As my diary said  "his letter really made me think...he said a lot of important things that needed to be said.  I really appreciate him."

Paul's Book

Through the years, I lost track of him, until one day a couple years ago, I found him on Facebook  and  discovered that he wrote a book - a book that he never expected would go further than his family and a few friends - and now has become a runaway best seller and is translated into 40 different languages and dialects. 

 I can't say one way or the other what I think of it.   It doesn't really matter what I think.  

It touches people's lives and it definitely creates discussion inside and outside religious circles.


Thirty-four years ago, Paul's words made a big difference in my life.  Who would ever have known that 30 years later, his words would make a difference in millions of lives? 

I will always be thankful for that friend of mine who took the time to write me a letter and set me on the right path just when I needed it.  :)    





FREE book " CHOOSING TO SMILE" Giveaway!!!



Choosing to Smile

 In honor of Terry Fox Run Week....and Glenda, Julie and Michelle!!!.......I would like to send their book FREE  -  "Choosing to Smile" - to whomever my readers deem in need of the book, or who would best benefit from this book or simply enjoy the book.  In other words, fellow Blogarians....I need YOUR suggestions.

It is an inspirational book - the stories of three friends who "happen" to have had Cancer and are choosing to smile despite their diagnosis.   It is a good read...over an inch thick....and I know it would make a great gift for someone out there!  Check out their website (link under the photo of book to the left)

So.....Just post here who you would like to nominate to get the book......and then I will pick from the suggestions - ONE person who might enjoy/find useful/find inspiring or........???

Don't worry, I won't reveal the name of the person if you or they would like it kept confidential - you can have the book sent to you if you would like to give it to someone (I can make arrangements so that I won't even know the address and real name   if you would like that kept confidential from me also) - and I won't post your suggestion/nomination unless you specifically say on your post "ok to post" in your comment.

I will be open for nominations until September 30th......then decide.  So let me know
- who do you think would like to receive this book ?  SEND ME A NOMINATION IN COMMENT SECTION BELOW!

Open to anyone in Canada and the Mainland U.S.A.   Let your friends know.....

Pregnancy after Cancer : delivering a baby with a hemipelvectomy

I have already posted on Terry Fox and his Incredible Marathon of Hope to fight Cancer.   I have also posted the story of a friend's niece who has been living with brain cancer for the last 5 years - 1/3 of her life.

 Here is another story of someone who lost a leg to cancer.   My best Girlfriend has a close childhood friend who is an Amazing person.  This year I went to a Woman's Show and was fortunate enough to meet Glenda and her two friends -  all whom have had  Cancer - and buy a signed copy of their book.

She and her two friends have started a worldwide movement for people who have faced any kind of adversity and have chosen to smile in the face of it.  It evolved from the book they wrote - "Choosing to Smile".

 The book  "Choosing to Smile" is the incredible story of these three women.



Glenda was found to have Cancer at age 32,  and subsequently had not only a leg amputation but also a Right hemipelvectomy -  which is the removal of the leg, hip and the Right Pelvic floor (pelvic bone).  Her positive outlook throughout the surgery and afterwards is nothing short of inspirational.

Glenda became pregnant 2 years after her surgery.  She needed a prosthesis that would support her body throughout her pregnancy.    Here is her story:



Having had an "easy" delivery with her first baby 2 years prior to her amputation,  she really didn't know what to expect with this one.   She describes her labor in her book:

"The doctors were all wondering what to expect from a delivery where the mother only had a pelvis on one side.  Kevin's birth had been so easy.  I was expecting this delivery to be a breeze, but four hours after inducing me, the baby still hadn't arrived.  My specialist anticipated a long night of labor so he decided to take a supper break.  I lay on the bed watching the baby inside my bulging belly move with each contraction.
I realized suddenly that with each contraction, the baby's head was pushing into my stump.  It was as if he was looking for the door but kept bashing into the wall!  I decided to lie on my side and push really hard on my stump every time I felt a contraction coming.  Basically, my hands took the place of my missing pelvis and within a few short contractions I had guided the baby's head into the birth canal.


"Where's the doctor! Get a doctor quick!  The baby is coming!"  The nurses called my family doctor and the specialist, but the baby wasn't going to wait for them to arrive, so a young resident stepped into the room.  Dr. S. looked like a deer in the headlights.  I'm sure he'd never imagined he'd come on shift that night to deliver a baby to a lady with no hip or pelvis on her right side.  Yet,  here he was, gloved and gowned, doing just that."****

She delivered a healthy 7 pound 14 ounce baby boy.  

To read about how she coped with her baby at home.....you will have to read her book.   Go to their website and order a book  - $19.95 (plus S&H ).....it is a very good read.

On another note, this past July, Glenda sent out this email to everyone:

"Hiya!

Can you do me a favor - once a day or every other day could you log onto our website- www.choosingtosmile.com - Julie is going through chemotherapy and we put in a 'world map' that shows where people are who are sending her positive thoughts as she's going through her chemo... every time you go to our website the dots grow bigger... it's updated every 24 hours so once a day is great! Pass this along to everyone on your email list - near and far - so she knows people all over the world are sending her positive thoughts and prayers... Thanks thanks thanks! It only takes a second to log on and it will mean the world to Julie...


Love ya!


Glenda"

Julie, by the way, is an RN and a Registered Midwife - and one of the other authors in the book.  The third author - Michelle - also is a Cancer survivor and volunteers with the Cancer society. 

What with it being the 30th anniversary of the Terry Fox's run......and Cancer still not beaten.....I thought it appropriate to post a link to my blog about his run again and encourage people to do what they can in the Fight against Cancer.   I can't stress it enough. 

On one final parting note -  each of the gals who are in "Choosing to smile" have a blog so you can keep current with their daily lives.


****excerpt posted with permission from author (copyright)