Inspiration : All Things Calm

I'm trying my best to psyche myself up for next week. Next week, chemo cycle 5 will take place. What happened to the time? I know. It was eaten up by the side effects and that nasty virus that hit me. I'm 90% recovered from the virus today and when I looked at my calendar, I was shocked to see that I only have a few days left to do my "stuff" before I go into my 5th and more importantly, SECOND TO THE LAST treatment. I can't cry over spilled milk. That's just going to stress me out unnecessarily. Instead of whining at how little time I have left this round, I'm making a conscious effort to prepare for the next date with the Frienemy.

Starting today, I'll focus on being CALM. That's a really tall order, if you know me well. I'm hardly calm, mostly panicky. But I need to do this in order to make sure that my next cycle won't be as bad as the 4th. Like I always say, it's all in the mind. My mind won the last time. I'm hell bent on not allowing that to happen again. 

I don't know exactly how I'm going to do it but I'm starting out with this

Photos of things that relax me ... a day on the beach with the family, watching the sunset (yes, this never fails), a Swedish massage (preferably 2 hours of it), scented candles all around, a cup of tea by myself or with friends and outdoor lunches with friends or loved ones.  Just thinking about them is making me feel a sense of calmness. How I wish I could run off to the beach right now, but that will have to wait 'til the summer. 

Will this work? It has to! One week to go!

Inspired - please watch this video

I've never ever been told "you're inspiring!" so many times before. It's always heartwarming to be told that you've got a positive effect on people, despite the challenges you go through on a daily basis, despite your difficult circumstances. I try my best to stay upbeat but I do struggle sometimes, so don't think I have super powers. :) 

I came across this today on Twitter and this time, I would have to say that I'm the one who's truly inspired by this family. Ryan Woods has since passed on from Glioblastoma. He was only given 1-4 months to live upon diagnosis and it seems his doctors were right. He left this earthly world in November last year. 

This video interview of him and his wife made me tear up, not because they cried the whole time, but because at the point of this recording, his illness was already so real to them. Yet they didn't look desperate or depressed. Sad, maybe, to a certain extent. But definitely not negative. 

If you can, please watch it because it'll do you well. It pinched my heart but it also replenished my strength, knowing that there are many others out there who are not as blessed as I am, but are ablet to accept their fate with so much love and positivity. This attitude is what enabled Ryan Woods to infuse quality into his remaining days. 

My favorite line in this video : "We're all in the process of dying, so the question is ... what kind of story are we gonna live out as we're dying. I would just invite people to live out a beautiful story, to live out their life and make beautiful music regardless of what kind of brokenness they have to deal with."

VERY POWERFUL.