Things I've Learned....(Part 6)

Things I’ve learned while living with cancer and in Recovery.


Part 6: “My life will never be the same.”

(Medical Update: I will meet with my oncologist on 11-19-09. We will talk more about the chemo, the steroids, and the remission… and how I am doing. I am having LOTS of swelling again. Look for an update a week from today… sooner, if the news is worthy.)

Tonight I went to a Celebrate Recovery leadership training program. Actually, it was more of a leadership renewal program. The education team brought us together to help us reevaluate our own recovery and to help us re-direct and re-focus our own healing as we reach out to others who are in suffering. After a few wisely chosen songs and strategically selected scripture readings, we addressed 16 questions about our recovery. Lots of soul searching those 16 questions will create for me.

Then, Randy Roper, a minister from a neighboring church came and shared with us a story of how he and his wife, with God’s amazing help, made it through the full-term still-birth of their baby daughter some 7 years ago; and then the two miscarriages that followed. Heart wrenching; touching.

Randy told about a nurse that stayed with them as they prepared for the still-birth delivery. How she catered to their needs, and how she was, in his words, “an angel of mercy.” He told us that at one point the nurse said, “You know, this will become your ‘new normal’.” When Randy said “new normal” I froze as they sunk into my mind.

I will use this concept of a “new normal” in my next few blog entries and how the events in my life (surgery, cancer, remission, recovery, etc.) have created my new normals and how they have affected my life. So, if you are following my blogs, please chew on the idea of how change (good or bad; pain or pleasure; sadness or joy) brings a “new normal” to your life. Answer this: What is the event(s) in your life that changed your life forever, and gave you a new normal?

I look forward to sharing my insights with you over the next few weeks.

Grace & Peace,
-Bob