Wow! My last post about the visit to the ostomy nurse really generated a flurry of fabulous comments! You guys are all so incredibly supportive and loving – I swear I couldn’t get through this without you. I’m truly grateful for all of your kind thoughts and especially your prayers.
I’ve been meaning to tell everyone this for a while now: from my end of the blog, I’m able to pull up one big long list of all the comments ever submitted. Sometimes, when I’m feeling like I need a boost, I hop online and just sit there re-reading everybody’s comments, all the way back to the very first post in July. When I do, I inevitably end up all weepy and overwhelmed with gratitude. It’s like having everyone of you around me in a big group hug!
So, I mostly wanted to say THANK YOU for every bit of love and encouragement and support you send. And not just in the form of comments to the blog, but in the many ways you each show you care: email messages, phone calls, greeting cards, homecooked meals, thoughtful gifts, visits, and more. I’ve been blown away by the continued out-pouring of love that comes my way daily.
Many of you have expressed your thanks to me for writing about what I’m going through, which always takes me by surprise. I had no idea when I began this that anyone beyond my family and a few close friends would want to read it and follow my progress. So I’ve been pleasantly shocked by the sheer volume of folks who seem to be interested in keeping up with my story. But more than that, I never could have imagined how healing it would be for me to put my experience onto the page (not to mention sending it out for the world to read). Simply voicing my fear and anger and despair has actually kept me going at times when I thought I wanted to “give up.” And having a way to share all my small and large victories has truly made them even sweeter.
So, thank YOU for going on this journey with me, for holding me up when I needed it, and for cheering me on throughout.
P.S. – My pre-op appointment at Presbyterian Hospital went very smoothly yesterday. Thank you to Shawn, once again, for driving me to Albuquerque and sitting with me as I was poked and prodded, X-rayed and EKG’d. All of the healthcare folks I saw were professional and efficient. There was even no problem getting blood from me (thank goodness!) and we were done with the whole appointment in about an hour-and-a-half .
"Walk on the Wild Side" Carrot Cake at the Flying Star Cafe
Which left plenty of time for us to have a nice lunch at the Flying Star Cafe. I had “comfort food” (homemade mac-n-cheese, creamy tomato bisque soup) while Shawn ate the very healthful vegetarian “Winter Stew.” Okay, I also brought home a big slice of carrot cake for later. And was up to 110 pounds last night!
A Different Wholeness 