Friday: A Week in Review

August 27, 2010 ~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:: Plain and Ordinary
I sat down to write my Friday post, and I found myself struggling for content. Much, okay – all of what I write is taken straight from my life experiences, for better or worse. I love plain and ordinary weeks; however, plain and ordinary does not make for an interesting blog. So, we’ll see how this goes.

JoeandCharlie — A picture message for Joe and Charlie's cousin, Shannon.

10 Things About This Plain and Ordinary Week
10. 12 days have passed since I have had ice cream.
9. My child threw a peppercorn in a teacher’s ear. SCORE!
8. I took a great picture of my boys, because they wanted to send a note to their cousin.
7. I enjoyed eating fresh, plump blueberries. (So sorry the blueberry season is over.)
6. I picked up my neighbor’s son from school, because her keys were locked in the car and she couldn’t find her spare key. (It’s nice to know it is not just ‘me’.)
5. I started watching season 4 of Dexter, thanks to Netflix. (I love Dexter.)
4. I watched my neighbor’s kids for a couple of hours, enjoying the chance to hold a baby and rock her to sleep.
3. I set up a dinner date with my friend for next week.
2. I’ve made it 12 days ice cream free. (Yes, this is mentioned twice. I’m proud, people!)
1. I had relations with my husband. Wait. Maybe that was last week. Meh, I’m still glowing, so it counts.

P.S. I hope next week is plain and ordinary, too.

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.:: Seeing is Believing, and Sometimes that Stinks
As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, I have a friend whose Mom is battling Cancer. Until Thursday, my friend had not seen her Mom since learning of her Cancer diagnosis. And, since the diagnosis, her Mom has undergone two periods of chemotherapy.

Knowing her Mom was coming to town, my excitement for her has been building all week. I sent her a note asking her if her Mom was in town yet, in a similar fashion to kids asking if they are at their destination yet: “Is she there yet? I she there yet? Is she there yet?”

While letting me know her Mom had not yet arrived, she added that she was a bit nervous about seeing her. I understood. I was nervous for her. All week, my excitement for my friend was combined with anxiety, nervousness and happiness. My friend had not seen her Mom, and she had no idea what to expect.

This week I have been thinking about my Dad. Because I was living out of town, there was a period of 5 months where we did not see each other. The last time I saw him, he was in the hospital. I was not prepared for how my Dad looked. Not prepared. And, I spent this week hoping my friend would be better prepared.

Hair loss? Yes, she was expecting hair loss. I think for my friend, she was more anxious about her Mom’s overall appearance, like her weight, facial features, mobility, etc. And, as the time of her mom’s arrival neared, my friend wondered if seeing pictures prior to her Mom’s visit would have been a good idea. Regardless, it was time. As her Mom has said many times, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

My friend’s Mom arrived. Though she looked frail, my friend said her Mom looked better than she expected. The hair loss? Yes, the hair loss is evident. In fact, her Mom took off her wig early to get ‘the show on the road.” But, the anticipation and uneasiness is now gone, at least with regards to appearances.

The fact of the matter is that seeing her Mom walk through the door wasn’t the tough part. The tough part was seeing the reality. Now my friend has to be present in the moment of her Mom having Cancer. My friend has to be present in the moment of what had been only words spoken over the phone or typed via email. Now the journey becomes a tough journey – a real tough journey.

And to my friend I say, “I love you very much.”

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.:: Giving Until I Get Old
If you read my post from yesterday, please pardon me as I repeat a little of what I said yesterday. I spent two days helping in the call center during the WSB Talk Radio Care-A-Thon, benefiting the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Care-a-Thon. (Actually, day two is taking place as I type.) The Care-a-Thon benefits the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorder Services. This was the 10th year for the WSB Talk Radio Care-a-Thon, and I was honored to participate.

One of the calls I received was from a 97 yr old woman. Please understand, she shared her age without me asking. As a woman, I respect my fellow women, and I respect the unwritten (but famous) rule to never ask another woman her age. This woman volunteered her age, and she let me know she has been calling in every year in support of the Aflac Cancer Center; then she apologized.

“I’m sorry. This year I can only afford $20.” The woman said to me. “I wish I could donate more, but I just don’t have the money right now.”

[Insert deliberate pause here.]

I hope I live to be 97yrs old, and I hope I am able to pull together $20 to donate to a charitable organization. God bless that 97yr old woman. Even though she is limited financially, she still made a point to give. And, I am here to tell you, every single dollar we received mattered. Every. Single. Dollar. Mattered. And that woman – that generous woman? She can teach us all a thing or twenty.

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Be sure to take care of yourself and others.

Double-Dog Dare

July 19, 2010 ~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

Parents did not have enough money. The budget did not have the funds to offer assistance. Kids were being turned away. Then, someone spoke up, “I will donate $100 to the cause, and I challenge each and every one of you to do the same.” Suddenly, folks pulled out their checkbooks and wrote checks. Suddenly, folks pulled out their wallets and billfolds, pulling out whatever cash they found. The line was long, and the donations were steady.

The above is a true story. And, I was one of the folks who pulled a checkbook and wrote a check. Days before the impromptu donation, I had updated our budget spreadsheet for July. We are already in the red this month, with more bills to be paid. Still, I knew we could end the month in the black by ‘sacrificing’ frivolous spending. (Like not spending $4.00 for a pint (aka ‘one serving’) of ice cream.) As I wrote the check, there was a part of my cringing because we would have ‘go without’ some perks this month.

My belief? Give to the point that it hurts. I’m not saying put a 2nd mortgage on the house, so you can increase your charitable donations. Rather, I am suggesting you cut back on the Starbucks, Ben & Jerrys, McDonalds, cute shoes, etc. You don’t have to run a marathon, participate in a triathlon, run a relay or ride a bike. Instead, provide financial support to the runners, triathletes and bike riders. Financially support the fundraisers and charitable organizations. And, support these people and organizations to the point that you feel it, financially; because, until you feel it, you may not understand the impact it makes on those who need it the most.

You have so much. So many have so little. So many go without more than you can imagine. So many battle horrible illnesses on a daily basis. Is this too depressing? Do you really not want to dwell on the crap in the world? Well, those suffering don’t want to deal with it, either. And, many of those suffering are not depressed. In fact, many of those suffering in some way, shape or form, could teach us all a thing or two on how to live and appreciate life. Give them a chance to teach you this lesson. I challenge you to give. I challenge you to give until it hurts.

Life threatening illnesses surround us: Cancer/Leukemia, Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle-cell Anemia, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, etc.
In addition, life is a struggle for those battling Autism, Poverty, Starvation, Scleroderma, Turner’s Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Alzheimer’s, etc. The reality is that there are countless other illnesses affecting our population. And, let’s not forget the animal kingdom. Animals are in need of our help, in part – because of our own mistakes.

I am confident you know someone battling an illness or helping a furry friend. Support your loved one. Support your friend. Support the furry companions. If nothing else, consider your financial support an investment in your future. Who knows, you may find yourself battling a life threatening or life altering illness in the future.

Below are several charities to consider supporting financially. Accessing Charity Navigator is another way to access reputable charitable organizations. I beg you to make a donation today. I dare you to make a donation today. I double-dog dare you to make a donation. Thank you.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

CURE Childhood Cancer

Pick of the Litter

Team in Training

Murphy-Harpst

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.

Angel Flight

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Rockefeller University