A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine

I've now completed 9 of 28 treatments. Several of you who've been through challenges have reminded me to be aware of the stages of the grieving process - which will include anger, and not necessarily anger directed at the tumor. A dear friend who's been through a medical trial advised me to expect my emotions would be more extreme than normal, and along with the expected overreaction to bad or sad situations, that I might also find funny things funnier than normal. As Proverbs 17:22 says: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." With that in mind, I've been trying to enjoy myself.

So, this week I took a break from my usual thought provoking historical fiction and read Cheaper by the Dozen - borrowed from Aidan's 6th grade required reading list. I laughed out loud. Liam imitated my belly laugh - which made us both laugh even harder. Connor provided me with a long list of jokes - most of them involving bodily function humor. I'll skip the details. Attached is my father's contribution:

This week I spent time with a good friend, and went out to dinner with Bob. The real question is, why wait for a brain tumor? I'm quite sure that everything that really needed to get done was completed this past week, and in the future - laughing and having fun are going to need to stay closer to the top of my to-do list. If you have some jokes, funny videos, movie or book suggestions, please add them to your comments, or email me and I'll share them on the blog.

I've been feeling great, and it wouldn't be apparent to anyone that didn't already know that I have a medical issue. Each day during my appointment, I am reminded that while I may think I have it rough I am in far better shape than many people and have plenty to be grateful for. My radiation therapists remind me that I will likely feel tired soon, and not to be discouraged when that happens. Thank you again for your prayers and support!

To More Faith,

Amy