On 01.02.02, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Too late for surgery, I had chemotherapy, which failed. In May the chemotherapy was changed and I was soon in remission which was celebrated and welcome and lasted nine years - until October 2011. There was progression in 2011 so more treatment was indicated and I am now back in partial remission. But I'm not only a cancer patient - I also enjoy my family, walk my dogs and am learning to draw and paint. Life is good!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

It's a beautiful thing

I enjoyed this day. It's such a miracle for me to wake up each morning and realize that I've beaten cancer - so far - that I can't help but get up singing, so to speak.

At Juvenile Hall I divided the girls' therapy group into two parts today. For the first 20 minutes I taught them a grounding exercise to help them cope with flashbacks, waking up from nightmares, feeling disoriented or intense fear.

Then I showed them another way to draw within a circle - a symbol of wholeness - using their own hands and some simple shading. I offered this project last year to an earlier group and they enjoyed it too so I'm thinking I might incorporate it into their art journaling at least every three or four months, as the group changes.


Steve and I walked the dogs after dinner, a routine we all enjoy. What's that expression, "A man and his dog, it's a beautiful thing..." I don't know who said it. But here is Steve, walking ahead of me, not knowing that I've dropped behind to take his picture with Brix.

When we reached the duck pond, a mile away, the ducks were there......

First one --



Then two --



And three!

2 comments:

  1. The hands in the circle are very intriguing - they almost look like baby hands in a sonogram to me. I love your photos and your joy in each day! nancy

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  2. What a good idea. They reminded me also of a baby on a sonogram. How do you teach them the grounding exercises? I'm intrigued, my daughter has rough days with Crohn's disease and I'm always looking for something like that.

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