1 Making a Difference: Day 93-Susan G. Komen-Race for the Cure

1 Making a Difference: Day 93-Susan G. Komen-Race for the Cure: "This time last year I was training for one of the most physically challenging events I have participated in my lifetime. My mom and I not ..."

Day 93-Susan G. Komen-Race for the Cure

This time last year I was training for one of the most physically challenging events I have participated in my lifetime.  My mom and I not only trained but completed the Susan G. Komen 3-Day. We walked 60 miles in three days to show our support for breast cancer survivors, those that lost the battle and family and friends who have been affected by this disease.

If people actually thought about what they were signing up for they would never do it. Just think about, walk 60 miles in three days. That is equivalent to 2.3 marathons in three days.  My mom and I signed up without thinking because one of our dearest friends was diagnosed with breast cancer. When someone you love is diagnosed with this terrible disease there are many ways to react and we reacted by doing something bold, something that showed her we with her through this battle she was about to embark on over the next year.

My friend has a happy ending.  Through various treatments her cancer is gone and she can say she is cancer FREE!  She walked this year in the Susan G. Komen-Race for the Cure. My gift on this day was a monetary donation in support of her walking team.

This year I won’t be walking the 60 miles, but I will be praying and sending e-mails of encouragement to those that are.  May God give them sunshine, cool breezes and no blisters!

Day 91- No e-mail, no texting but a hand written letter!

About a week ago I received a letter in the mail from a friend.  The receipt of this letter made my day.  Everyone today, even I, get so caught up in texting and e-mail that written letters are thoughts of the past even though they are, what I believe, more meaningful and personal.

One this day my gift was to several friends just letting them know what they mean to me, I appreciated their friendship and their support and thanks for them being in my life. 

I encourage you today to take five to ten minutes to write a letter of encouragement, thank you or “just saying hello” to someone that could use a little uplifting nudge in their day!

Day 89-Donation to Kris Brown Family

I believe I was very lucky to grow up in a small, rural community in Indiana. A community that comes together in good times and in bad. On this date I made a donation to the Kris Brown family.  This is a family I have never met, but it was the right thing to do. 

Kris was in my sister’s class in high school and still lived in the community where I grew up, Versailles, Indiana.  In March his two young daughters were killed in a tragic car accident and his wife was left in critical condition.

It is on days like this my gift doesn’t give me a warm and fuzzy feeling, yet a feeling of sadness. After all of these months I am sure the family could still use your prayers.

1 Making a Difference: Day 88- and 90-Thank God for Good Nurses

1 Making a Difference: Day 88- and 90-Thank God for Good Nurses: "At the end of March I had to have a minor surgery. I guess anytime one goes under the knife it can be a bit frightening. I am always ner..."

Day 88- and 90-Thank God for Good Nurses

At the end of March I had to have a minor surgery.  I guess anytime one goes under the knife it can be a bit frightening.  I am always nervous that I won’t wake up.  I saw this on an episode of Greys Anatomy once where a girl went in for minor surgery and never woke up.  That show is real....right?

We had to travel to Illinois for the surgery and arrived very early.  My husband was starving so we stopped at the Corner Bakery Café to grab a bite to eat. Well my husband got to eat and I had to sit staring at him since I was not allowed to have any food prior to my surgery.  I was starving. I hadn’t eaten anything since the prior evening and seeing coffee cakes, bagels, eggs and bacon made my mouth water. While we were there I saw this nice cellophane wrapped coffee cake.  I knew after my surgery I would be out of it for the rest of the day so I had to tackle my gift prior to going under the knife.  I bought the coffee cake and had decided to give it to the staff that would be involved in my surgery today.

Fast forward a couple of hours when I am lying in my hospital bed with my gown and shower cap on with an IV sticking out of my arm.  The nurse came in and I handed her the bag with coffee cake. She was so surprised and didn’t really know how to react.  I shared with her about my gift giving journey and today my gift was to her, the other nurses and doctors that would be with me during the day.  I was basically saying, “you are going to feel really bad if you killed me!” Just kidding, but the thought did cross my mind!

Two days later I would mail a gift card for the Corner Bakery Café to Nurse Jodi.  She was the nurse that was with me when I came out of surgery and stayed by my side until I went home.  She was so caring, compassionate and patient and took extremely good care of me.  The gift card was to say thanks and that I appreciated her kindness.

These were both fun gifts to give because they were unexpected, well deserved and probably to two women who often go unappreciated.  Take time in your life to say thank to those that go above and beyond to help you out, make you feel comfortable in your time sickness and pain. Hopefully you will be as lucky as I was to have wonderful nurses taking care of me.