A Dose of Gratitude to fight Cancer

Enough about exercise let’s move on, or rather back, to my second resolution:

2. Before getting out of bed, give thanks for five things.


If you have read my first book, Cancer Journey: A Caregiver’s View from the Passenger Seat, you may remember that one of the first lessons I learned when confronted with cancer was that I was to respond to my situation with thanksgiving—not for the cancer, of course, but for the good that God could bring from it.

It should be easier to give thanks when all is well in life, but after a long period of adversity, often we are lulled into thinking that we have earned our blessings. Not wanting to fall into that trap, during this welcome time of Jim’s remission, I decided to make a conscious effort to thank God for the blessings of the day—morning and night.

The Bible gives clear instructions about giving thanks. "At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" (Ephesians 5: 20). Like many commands in the Bible, to give thanks in all situations seems not only difficult but counterintuitive. However, life experience has shown me that all of God’s laws were designed for our own good that we might have joyful abundant lives. This one is no exception.

Gratitude has lately become a buzz word among health experts. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reported that people who maintain an “attitude of gratitude” tend to be happier and healthier than those who don’t.

Robert Emmons, a scientific expert on gratitude and the editor-in-chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology has done research indicating that gratitude not only can increase happiness but can even help people with chronic health problems.



If gratitude goes against your grain, don't worry. Change your behavior, and the attitude will follow.

1. Follow my lead and start and end the day with thanksgiving. If you can't find five reasons to be grateful, start with one. Even if you don't "feel" thankful, do it anyway.

2. You might also keep a gratitude journal, recording daily the blessings you have received.

3. Make it a point to thank those who perform a service for you.

4. Write a note or send a card to someone whom you appreciate.


Start today. After a few weeks you should see a change in the way you feel.


And, Thanks for following my blog.

Scanxiety Revisited

I have lost count of the times we have made this trip to Houston over the past eight years. Thirty, maybe? I'm not complaining. in fact, I'm grateful that Jim is alive and able to get here. We have hit every season and most holidays. While it is not a "home away from home," we have established a comfortable routine some of which is enjoyable.

Today we braved the heat and walked to Rice Village for a late lunch and dessert at Ruggles. We topped the afternoon off with 90 minute foray in the second hand book store. The eight books we bought served as hand weights for the trip back to the hotel. If I were trapped alone in a n elevator (one of my fears)I could survive if I had just come from the bookstore. I could probably even endure solitary confinement in enemy territory (another fear) if my captors threw in a book every day or so. I'd prefer something other than political propaganda, but if that's all they offer, I hope it's well written.

I've already finished one of the books, Very Nice Ways to Say very Bad Things: An Unusual Book of Euphemisms. The thesaurus for every writer who has struggled with the right words for a delicate subject. Funny, but I doubt I'll use any of the bawdy alternatives in my upcoming articles.

Also bought: Game Change (an inside look at the 2008 presidential campaigns), Every last One by Anna Quindlen, Somewhere Inside by Laura and Lisa Ling, Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson, and a few books on writing. I hope they are engaging enough to distract me from the real purpose of the trip.

Those of you who read my book will understand when I say that I am holding at Code Yellow.I'd like to think that I've made progress in handling the pre-scan anxiety. More likely I'm in denial--which is exactly where I'd like to stay. Thank you very much. I'm quite comfortable here with my head in the sand. My rational mind is telling me that the cancer has not had time to outsmart the last round of drugs,so we're safe for a while.

I hope the anxiety level will hold through Tuesday when we get results. Unfortunately fear is like grief. We never know when it will overtake us. I just have to keep my mind on what I do know: God is in control and God is good.