| 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 |
