| Preface |
viii |
| Foreword |
x |
| Acknowledgments |
xi |
| Introduction |
1 |
| Chapter 1. Caught in the Storm |
5 |
| The Wrong Side of Cancer |
6 |
| Attitude Is More Important Than Facts |
7 |
| Because of You, I Took the Helicopter |
8 |
| Impossibilities |
10 |
| Passing the Flame of Life |
12 |
| The View from Remission |
15 |
| The Deal With God |
16 |
| When the "Shrink" Gets Cancer |
18 |
| A Few Words on Cancer |
20 |
| The Poem and the President |
22 |
| Lucky 13 |
24 |
| Mind Over Body |
26 |
| Bone Marrow Transplant Pioneer |
28 |
| Enjoying Life Again |
30 |
| A Race for Life |
32 |
| The Positive Effects of Cancer |
35 |
| Welcome Back |
36 |
| Crawling Along |
38 |
| What Did I Have to Fear? |
40 |
| To Live or to Die? |
42 |
| Two Miracle Patients |
44 |
| Neil: The Heavyweight Champion |
46 |
| When Life Stood Still |
48 |
| When Time Stands Still: Is It Cancer? |
50 |
| A Second Chance |
53 |
| Don't Stay in the Basement |
55 |
| How Sweet This Perspective Is! |
56 |
| Roots and Records |
60 |
| Slaying Dragons |
62 |
| Chapter 2. Love: The Best Umbrella |
65 |
| Twelve Roses |
65 |
| I Did What I Had to Do...And Won! |
68 |
| Expression of Love |
70 |
| The First Wedding Anniversary Celebration |
72 |
| Lullaby |
73 |
| My Very Special Teacher |
74 |
| The Ambush |
76 |
| Another Day Together |
79 |
| The Most Beautiful Woman in the World |
80 |
| The Bag |
82 |
| Let Us Think of Hands |
85 |
| A Survivor's Story |
86 |
| Finding Love and a Chance to Help Others |
88 |
| Chapter 3. Family Ties Reach Beyond Gray Skies |
91 |
| Show Me the Good in This Crappy Day! |
92 |
| Hearts |
94 |
| All the Love Poured Out on Me Has Healed Me |
96 |
| Granny, Go for It! |
98 |
| Lucky to Have Her |
99 |
| Gifts That I May Never Have Found |
100 |
| The Cancer Changed Him |
102 |
| A Miracle in the Shadows |
104 |
| A Reason to Go On |
106 |
| The Cancer Christmas |
108 |
| Camp CARE |
110 |
| Reflections on Womanhood in the Face of Cancer |
111 |
| Now! Don't Wait! |
112 |
| Persistence Pays |
114 |
| The Wedding |
116 |
| Chapter 4. Personal Connections: A Guiding Light Through the Cancer Experience |
117 |
| My Seventh Friend |
118 |
| LEAPS and Bounds |
119 |
| Precious |
120 |
| Compassionate Coworkers |
121 |
| World Turned Upside Down |
122 |
| Returning the Blessing |
123 |
| Living With Loneliness |
124 |
| CyberSisters |
126 |
| The Spider Man |
129 |
| Bluebirds of Happiness and Hope |
130 |
| She Found Her True Calling |
132 |
| From Victim to Victor |
134 |
| Chance Encounters |
137 |
| To My Friend |
138 |
| Victory in the Valley |
139 |
| Computer Companions |
140 |
| Where Do Rainbows Go? |
142 |
| Chapter 5. Style and Wit: A Compass Toward Healing |
143 |
| Twelve Steps to Recovering a Sense of Humor |
144 |
| The Field Trip |
147 |
| The Dance Remedy |
148 |
| Boxer Boldness |
150 |
| One-Day-at-a-Time Attitude |
152 |
| I Flipped My Wig! |
153 |
| The Affair |
154 |
| My Knight in Shining Armor |
155 |
| Knowledge Is Both Powerful and Humorous |
156 |
| Not By Choice |
158 |
| Double-Checked |
159 |
| “What About Wet T-Shirt Contests?” |
161 |
| Just Following the Doctor's Orders |
162 |
| Being a "First" |
163 |
| The Green Glow |
164 |
| New Doors |
166 |
| Move Over, Energizer Bunny! |
168 |
| Feeling Lucky |
169 |
| Finding Joy in All Circumstances |
170 |
| Coping With Southern Style |
171 |
| Holder of the Golden Bucket |
172 |
| Chapter 6. Cherish the Rainbows |
175 |
| A Symbol of Strength |
176 |
| A Positive Pansy |
178 |
| Lessons in Life |
179 |
| Prayer From Camp Bluebird |
181 |
| From Black and White to Full Color |
182 |
| Bonding Through Baldness |
183 |
| Turning Up the Volume |
184 |
| Celebrate the Memories |
186 |
| Desires of the Heart |
188 |
| A Blessing in Disguise |
189 |
| Thinking of You in Kalamazoo |
190 |
| Wealth and Wisdom |
192 |
| Window of Opportunity |
194 |
| Ordinary Days Equal an Extraordinary Life |
196 |
| There Is Life After Breast Cancer |
198 |
| There Is Only One You |
200 |
| Carolyn's Story |
202 |
| Quest for the Silver Linings |
203 |
| On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! |
204 |
| Learning to Love |
205 |
| Anonymous Charity |
206 |
| Eighty Years Young |
207 |
| Chapter 7. Spiritual Discoveries: The True Silver Lining |
209 |
| Beyond the Tears |
210 |
| Feed Your Spirit |
212 |
| Miracles! |
214 |
| Deeper Reflections |
215 |
| What Has Cancer Brought Me? |
216 |
| What Cancer Can't Do |
218 |
| A Slow Fourth |
219 |
| I Wear a Crown of Faith |
220 |
| My Friend Is a Hero |
222 |
| The Bliss of Being |
224 |
| All Through the Night |
226 |
| Never My Soul |
227 |
| World |
228 |
| God, If You Call Me |
230 |
| Author Index |
234 |
| Resources for Patients With Cancer |
236 |