My Friend Debbie Had Cancer

I was a young child in the 1960s, yet I remember how the adults whispered when someone was diagnosed with cancer, the dreaded C Word.

Now spoken of openly because of increasing survival rates and media attention, it is still feared.

My friend Debbie passed away in January, 2009; one year after entering the emergency room with abdominal pain, and subsequently hearing, “You have stage three ovarian cancer.”

How can we stop this horrible disease that attempts to take our lives, often succeeding. It is a beast, mean and ugly. It also has friends, two of which are named diabetes and heart disease. Where did they come from and why don’t they go away?

Many of you have been attacked by the cancer beast. The rest of us, too, for our family members and friends have experienced this major challenge. Even our favorite celebrities have caused us sadness; recently, Elizabeth Edwards.

As tough a battle it is, let’s continue our fight against the beast and its friends. The human body is strong and amazing. Let’s take care of it as best we can so that the beast and friends will back off! And if they do get their hands on us, let’s keep the fight going.

Continue your prayers, your hope, your learning, your doctor visits, your financial contributions to research, your improving diet and exercise, your support to those who need it, and your desire to live.

How has cancer touched your life?

In memory of
Deborah Renee Gilliam Goodman
11/17/59 – 1/21/09
“Debbie”

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Image is a symbol for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Another One Bites the Dust - Addictions

What’s your addiction?

Running, exercise, TV, food, reading, writing, blogging, men, women, volunteering, politics, scrapbooking, sports, gardening, Twitter, Facebook, FarmVille, decorating, cleaning, collecting...?

Another bloggy friend has called it quits…bitten the dust…blogger burnout. In her case, it was a matter of wanting to spend her free time doing other things. She wrote a gracious letter as her last post, thanking us and wishing us well. I will miss her blog.

In other cases, one blogger wrote a quick three liner, basically leaving us hanging. Another left a video post that was critical of the process and of a few bloggers – indicative of the stress she incurred doing this “hobby.”

And a fourth, who was very popular, still blogs, but has changed her format to promoting products with giveaways. I miss her mischievous sense of humor and her dedication to good causes, which was very encouraging. But, she did what she wanted or needed to do.

Some have taken sabbaticals – a summer or another period of time away from blogging - while others admit their addiction in a blog post, perhaps as a way to get control over it.

Regardless of what it is that you’re spending a LOT of time doing, I assume that it is wise to assess your motives, rewards, and costs periodically; and when necessary, make some tweaks and changes along the way.

Have a good year!

Are you enjoying your "addiction" or is it causing a problem in your life?