Surreal Sweetness

So the scans revealed a complete...

Somehow, it happened. It's surreal, I haven't actually digested it yet.
But, somehow my scans continue to be clean.
This will be my first birthday since I was twenty one (turning twenty seven in two weeks)
that I will be cancer free.
Life is amazing.

And who do I have to appreciate and thank for all of the years of support
that lead to this wonderful news? yeah, that would be....

 

You!

Thank you all for believing in me,
even when there were moments that I did not believe in myself
or that this could ever in a million years be a reality.

Sending love and tons of light!

B

As the week unfolds...

As the week unfolds I will be heading to New York City for my lovely PET/CT Scan.  It's hard to believe it's been three months since I was declared cancer free, time certainly does fly when you are healthy.

We obviously hope that remission continues, if it does not though -- we do have a plan of attack as always. This week, I hold some of Kirsten's poetic words, close to my heart as I head in for testing and am hopeful for good results.

Kirsten's words:

I am

I am writing to you now from this place of strength. From this place of heart-thumping, heart-held tenacity. I am writing to you now to remind you of the spirit that lives and breathes, rises and falls, deep within and beyond these walls of the body. That lives out there, amongst the woodland owls, the ancient oaks, the cherry blossom petals that dance as if ballerinas poised in a slow curtsy to the ground. I am writing to you now so, should you need me in the future, at a time when struggle overtakes you, to say this: You are the owls, the oak, the cherry blossoms. You always were and you always will be, no matter the body that holds you now.

Sending love and light,
B

There are no words..

The entire Hodgkin's community (especially the refractory club) and I are completely heartbroken over Kirsten's passing on Monday morning.  We send our love and light to Ian, Susan, and the rest of K's family. There truly are no words for such a sweet, kind, warrior.

Kathy, mother of Eric --
posted this on a tribute to Kirsten on our Hodgkin's forum,
she posted this specific poem because Kirsten posted it for Adrienne.

Three great warriors.. whom will always be held close to my heart.
Please remember to hug the ones you love...

-------------

For Kirsten,

A Parable of Immortality
by Henry Van Dyke

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says,
"There she goes"
Gone where?
Gone from my sight . . . that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar

as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the place of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment
when someone at my side says,
"There she goes"
there are other eyes watching her coming . . .
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout . . .
"Here she comes"

-------

Sending all of you love and light,
B

Lighting a candle for Kirsten

I have the amazing opportunity, to connect and meet lots and lots of cancer warriors.  Through the lovely web-sphere, and just everyday life I am constantly forming, beautiful relationships with fellow sisters and brothers who face some of the same adversity, that I do.  Although there is a very significant bond between any cancer survivors, there is an incredibly intimate one between refractory HLers.  It just happens -- I can't explain it, but we all understand each other in a way no one else would.

One of those women, is Kirsten.  I can't even begin to tell you how this woman inspires me -- and has been such a tender, loving, form of support. But she has. Besides her amazing humor and wit, she practices meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and surrounds herself with positivity in a way that I strive to do in my everyday life.  When, I was down and out last year and this summer, Kirsten and her mother both sent incredible healing vibes and positive thoughts my way.

Now it is our turn, Kirsten has been having some difficulty with her treatment, and although none of us know exactly what is going on in Vancouver, we are all thinking of Kirsten.  Her family, has asked Kirsten's friends and family to please light a candle for her in the next few days, to give her comfort.  I hope you take the time, this week, just for a few minutes in your own house, if you have candles or when you see the sunshine or any form of light (because that is what Kirsten, truly is) to think of her, her mother Susan, and the rest of her family.

Tonight, and every night this week, we light a candle to send love and light to Kirsten in hopes that Kirsten is not in any pain, and strength for Susan, Ian, and the rest of Kirsten's family during this very difficult time.

To visit Kirsten's blog please: click here.
Please, please, keep Kirsten in your thoughts as this week unfolds.

Sending love and light,
B.