Over the course of 11 years and when I first started researching cancer. My first goal was to learn more about chemotherapy and how a cancer patient can overcome their harsh side effects …quickly learning chemo without supplements … is inhumane and barbaric. When I think first place cancer survivor stories…. two that stick-out mostly have to be cancer survivors that have had long term success with brain tumors.
Thereby, Scott Hamilton Refused to Let his Third Brain Tumor Diagnosis to Keep Him From Enjoying Life!!! Outside of his family, Hamilton has been touching the hearts of thousands through motivational speaking engagements and his Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation, which raises funds for cancer research and provides support and resources to cancer patients.
“The Cares Foundation started out here in Cleveland as a Cares Initiative. What I wanted to do was thank the Cleveland clinic for giving me my life back,” Hamilton explains. “But I knew there were gaping holes in the cancer community. I went online to find out what I needed to know about testicular cancer and all I found were medical journal papers with 12-syllable words, five to a sentence … So we created ChemoCare.com, which is everything you need to know about chemo therapy in 8th grade English and Spanish. Every drug is listed. Every side effect is listed. It’s an amazing accomplishment. Also Its sister side is RadCare.org, which is everything about radiation therapy.”
This thought came to my mind this morning as I was walking through the Golden Gate Park to UCSF for my 11:30 am radiation appointment. I …was amazed that overall I felt very well. Way better than what I had expected when I first showed up to San Francisco.
I was walking faster, my cognitive abilities were clearer, and my emotions were way higher than I had expected, for the beginning of my 4th week of radiation.
As I walked this morning I realized that my own expectations could really mislead me; they could really decay me into less and less.
I had expected that during the radiation I would be very fatigued, I would be in bed all day long, I would have no energy to cook dinner, or take a shower, or pretty much anything at all. That’s what I mentally had told myself. I had low expectations.
And that was how it started out. I’d say my first 3 days in San Francisco, getting ready for the radiation treatment; my expectations put me on a downhill fall. Steep and fast. And I did not like what was to come.
I practiced walking to UCSF from the apartment where I was staying. I’d drag my feet and felt very fatigued already, even though the radiation had not even started. I timed myself and it took me 45 minutes to get to UCSF. I still did not expect much out of myself.
I worried that once the radiation began I probably would not even have the energy to walk, but would need to take the MUNI transportation.
Actually when I first showed up, my thoughts were all about me; me, me and me. Could “I” handle it, could “I” take care of myself, could “I” remember how to get to the hospital? (I was going to be alone at times, because I wanted my husband to spend time in Oregon too so that my son Clint would not have to be alone for over a month.) I did not have much confidence in myself; I had very low expectations about myself.
This morning as I walked, I looked back trying to figure out when it changed. Up until this morning I had not really given it much thought. It had just changed from bad to good. And WOW there was a big difference.
My walk to UCSF was 10 minutes faster than when I started. I had the energy to head out after the radiation to go to the beach, Pier 39, doing loops all around the Golden Gate Park bird watching. (Well there were some days I was more tired, because I had done too much the day before!)
As I walked I got a big smile as I really noticed and acknowledged the huge difference between my initial expectations verses how I felt now. What changed it? Then I knew.
I realized that in the beginning, it was all about “me” and my abilities (or lack thereof). After moving into the apartment and settling in, thank goodness my attention changed. Well, it’s actually thanks to God.
Pretty soon after my arrival I had gotten back into starting my day in prayer and reading the Bible. As soon as I got away from thinking about “me”, and got back to starting the day thinking about my Lord Jesus Christ, things changed.
I love the verse – James 4:10 “Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
When I was in prayer to my Lord, I truly humbled myself and gave it all over to Him. And as the Bible says, I was lifted up! I had more energy. I began walking faster. I smiled more often. I even began singing at times (as long as no one else could hear!)
Well the birds could. 🙂
It’s amazing how much my expectations changed. Well I should not say changed, I would say they just went away! Like a burden taken of my shoulders. Now I’m not thinking about myself, but about Jesus and the strength He blesses me with.
Preview Cheryl Broyles – “Why climbing a mountain is like fighting brain cancer”
Cheryl Broyles – “Why climbing a mountain is like fighting brain cancer”