“We can support you through your treatment.”
That statement brought a tear to my eye as I watched my chemo nurse, Angela, preparing me for a chemo infusion. She said the words in response to my anxiety that chemo had so quickly depleted my white blood cells. She was telling me that by receiving neupogen shots after chemo, my bone marrow would make more.
As she spoke, I realized that not only would Angela and the other nurses be there to give me shots and infusions, they would be there to give me emotional support as well.
Bless her. Bless them all!
Angela–in support of Gayle
After all, isn’t support really a recognition–a recognition to validate I am here.
How many of us at some time in our life have had the urgent need to be acknowledged. To be seen. How many of our actions today are motivated by this one inner desire?
Look at the child who calls so beseechingly to his mother, “Look, Mommy, look at me!”
Does that longing ever go away?
I don’t know the answer to these questions, even though I like to THINK I do :-). But I suspect that as we begin to see others, we recognize our self, and as we begin to see our self, we recognize others. Could it be that as this happens, self-doubt begins to go away, exposing the love that has been waiting.
I’ve come to think that every thought, every interaction is either in support of another (or self) or a lack of support, and that support is the physical manifestation of love.
I don’t know, maybe I’m making way too much about this thing called support. But what I do know is that the support I have received and continue to receive raises me up. And somehow I know that the person giving support receives support in direct proportion, if not ten time more, than given. Maybe there’s a Support Bank in the sky that registers our credits until we need it.
But, really, don’t ALL of us need support ALL of the time?
If so, who might you be in support of today? Could it be everyone you meet? Why not. You never know who you might recognize!
Your recognition of everything that touches your life …touches mine when you share. You are such a blessing to me and so many others. I can’t wait to share our love of painting tomorrow with you!
Hi Deb, Me, too. My tail is waggin’ and my nose is wet at the prospect of paining!
Support is love given and received
That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
You are totally right that support is very important. My husband has wonderful colleagues at work. They are sending cards, visiting him and each time we are at the university they have something great to say. It is building my husband’s strength and it is wonderful to go there. Now when my husband is cancer free , but must still take preventative 4 months of chemo his colleagues are still for him.
my husband has also great friends in Poland and we Skype with them at least once per week. There are lot of laughs and memories. They celebrated when Jacek had a great diagnosis and were worry about every step in this difficult journey. They all were for us for the last 6 months.
It is opposite with my colleges at my university. My dean is great because her husband went through cancer and my best friend supported us,one Chinese nice couple also cares, but the rest just as nothing has happened…even I stopped teaching and had to go on FMLA to take care.
People maybe don’t understand how e-mails, phone calls and the cards are important and necessary in healing.
You are so lucky to have so many friends !!!!!!
Best in healing
Krystyna and Jacek
Thanks Krystyna. Glad to hear you have so much support! Life is so much easier when we do that for each other. And you’re right about how meaningful cards are. One male friend of mine once remarked how they really aren’t very helpful to send. Glad my women friends know better! You and Jacek remain in my prayers!
Beautifully said, and Gail you may not realize the support to others that you have been giving. Bless you! Your words, your photos, your smile has given so much in confidence to see through your enlightenment. Love to you.
Hi Sandra: Takes an enlightened soul to see an enlightened soul. ha! ha! Thank you for the kind words. I’m one of your biggest fans!
Continue to be amazed by the bravery and wisdom of our friend and family member, Gayle.
working hard to see things thru that optimistic spectrum…….aint easy! xoxoxoxoxo
Hi Cuz, Easy when one is feeling good. 🙂
Let us know if you need more tape in order to take a shower. I found some new patterns, that could look quite snazzy on you.
Liz and Dennis
Thanks, Liz, but I’ve been able to take a shower without tape since my surgery. They took the offending gallbladder out–along with a few other choice bits. 🙂
Hi Gayle,
Of course we all seem to need support of some kind. I don’t know why, when we should just believe in our self. Thank you for our last visit and reminding me that I should truly believe in myself! By the way, I see fairies and fish in my two paintings
Love,
Lynda
Hi Lynda, I loved joining in your art project–so much fun! I see a woman’s face in mine. Took me a while to recover from the bug that bit me that day, so haven’t done anything further. (Not even send cat pictures for you to paint.) Will get to it! Let’s continue to support each other–shall we!
Support – yes!!!! It comes in so many, infinite forms. I have to share a little event about support that just happened: yesterday, as I was leaving a medical building, suddenly a tiny, barely-fledged-out bird fell a good 14 feet from his nest in an overhead light to the hot concrete below. The mother could do nothing – I scooped him up and my son and I rushed him to the Wildlife Center, 10 minutes down the interstate. The woman there took him so tenderly back to an incubator where he was put in oxygen. She just emailed me to say he is sitting with her at the front desk, looking quite wonderful, and she is feeding him every 15 minutes! Talk about a support team! We are all here for each other, or to quote Ram Dass, “We are all just walking each other home.”
My ever ongoing loving support of you, dear one! -Rita
Love the story–and love the quote from Ram Dass. Both would make good additions to your magazine, laJoie! Thanks for sharing.
Gayle…You hit the nail on the head regarding SUPPORT….NO! You are not making too big of a deal about this concept…..every word you write is the truth, and I love that you’ve done a blog about it……it should be in every newspaper across the world!
You’re the best, and I thank you for the support you’ve given me to heal very old wounds. Thank you, Angel! Francie
Hi Francie, What a great day with you and Bill in the park last week! I have always wanted to have a picnic there and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have had it with! The food was great, too, as were the flowers! A day of support and healing for us both!Thank you again.
Gayle, I just reread this message and it is so full of love and insight. Thank you for sharing with all of us. Thinking of you and caring so much.
I love your caring, thank you! Also happy to know you enjoy the blog post–inspires me to write more! My best.
Gayle, my dear, I awoke with you on my heart this morning and remembered that I hadn’t gotten a blog since this one. There you are on the West coast and me on the East. Your thoughts have always brought encouragement to so many. I have a dear niece who has followed them as she also as she has had treatments. She has been like you in keeping the faith and trust in the Great Spirit that keeps us all. I have appreciated so much what you have shared and am so glad that you have had the wonderful support that you have had along this trail you have traveled. So this note is a long hug for you . Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Much love, Sandra