{"id":1052,"date":"2022-02-17T13:50:56","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T00:50:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/?p=1052"},"modified":"2022-03-14T07:08:32","modified_gmt":"2022-03-13T18:08:32","slug":"blog-6-were-not-doing-chemo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/blog-6-were-not-doing-chemo\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog 6 &#8211; We&#8217;re not doing chemo!"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1052\" class=\"elementor elementor-1052\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-72084974 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"72084974\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7d83a0d7\" data-id=\"7d83a0d7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-a449a7e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a449a7e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-ec0dd42\" data-id=\"ec0dd42\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b35cd9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8b35cd9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 20-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">We're not doing chemo!<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-38e72c2 elementor-reverse-mobile elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"38e72c2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-2ed8102\" data-id=\"2ed8102\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a931797 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a931797\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 20-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"422\" height=\"318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Chemo.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1067\" alt=\"chemo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Chemo.jpg 422w, https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Chemo-300x226.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 422px) 100vw, 422px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-182cc1b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"182cc1b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 20-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>In hospital after first chemo for fluid &amp; electrolyte replacement &#8211;\u00a0 January 2022<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-bb763e7\" data-id=\"bb763e7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-610c8a7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-accordion\" data-id=\"610c8a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 20-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-accordion{text-align:left}.elementor-accordion .elementor-accordion-item{border:1px solid #d5d8dc}.elementor-accordion .elementor-accordion-item+.elementor-accordion-item{border-top:none}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title{margin:0;padding:15px 20px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;cursor:pointer;outline:none}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon{display:inline-block;width:1.5em}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon svg{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon.elementor-accordion-icon-right{float:right;text-align:right}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon.elementor-accordion-icon-left{float:left;text-align:left}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon .elementor-accordion-icon-closed{display:block}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon .elementor-accordion-icon-opened,.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-accordion-icon-closed{display:none}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-accordion-icon-opened{display:block}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-content{display:none;padding:15px 20px;border-top:1px solid #d5d8dc}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title{padding:12px 15px}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-title .elementor-accordion-icon{width:1.2em}.elementor-accordion .elementor-tab-content{padding:7px 15px}}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-accordion,.e-con>.elementor-widget-accordion{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1011\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1011\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-ribbon\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M6.1 444.3c-9.6 10.8-7.5 27.6 4.5 35.7l68.8 27.9c9.9 6.7 23.3 5 31.3-3.8l91.8-101.9-79.2-87.9-117.2 130zm435.8 0s-292-324.6-295.4-330.1c15.4-8.4 40.2-17.9 77.5-17.9s62.1 9.5 77.5 17.9c-3.3 5.6-56 64.6-56 64.6l79.1 87.7 34.2-38c28.7-31.9 33.3-78.6 11.4-115.5l-43.7-73.5c-4.3-7.2-9.9-13.3-16.8-18-40.7-27.6-127.4-29.7-171.4 0-6.9 4.7-12.5 10.8-16.8 18l-43.6 73.2c-1.5 2.5-37.1 62.2 11.5 116L337.5 504c8 8.9 21.4 10.5 31.3 3.8l68.8-27.9c11.9-8 14-24.8 4.3-35.6z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-ribbon\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M6.1 444.3c-9.6 10.8-7.5 27.6 4.5 35.7l68.8 27.9c9.9 6.7 23.3 5 31.3-3.8l91.8-101.9-79.2-87.9-117.2 130zm435.8 0s-292-324.6-295.4-330.1c15.4-8.4 40.2-17.9 77.5-17.9s62.1 9.5 77.5 17.9c-3.3 5.6-56 64.6-56 64.6l79.1 87.7 34.2-38c28.7-31.9 33.3-78.6 11.4-115.5l-43.7-73.5c-4.3-7.2-9.9-13.3-16.8-18-40.7-27.6-127.4-29.7-171.4 0-6.9 4.7-12.5 10.8-16.8 18l-43.6 73.2c-1.5 2.5-37.1 62.2 11.5 116L337.5 504c8 8.9 21.4 10.5 31.3 3.8l68.8-27.9c11.9-8 14-24.8 4.3-35.6z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Blog<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1011\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1011\"><p>\u201cYou\u2019ve had a torrid time\u201d. My Medical Oncologist reacted in an affirming manner as I plonked myself down next to her desk. \u201cWe\u2019re not doing chemo\u201d, she said.<br \/>\u201cI\u2019m OK with that\u201d I responded wearily. The diarrheoa that had hospitalized me a week earlier had continued and I was exhausted. I had trudged out to the car that morning light-headed and with legs that felt like rubber, wondering how I could manage chemo again the following day. I knew that I didn\u2019t have the reserves to receive another poisonous cocktail, starting from a position of such weakness.<br \/>\u201cWe are not doing chemo\u201d, she repeated.<br \/>I had expected her to say that. I was stressed and unwell. I anticipated having to delay for a week before having the second infusion, giving my body time to recover. It was a relief to hear her say we wouldn\u2019t be doing chemo the following day.<br \/>\u201cAre you saying that I am not having chemo tomorrow? Or are you saying I am not going to have any more chemo?\u201d I just wanted to make sure I understood what she meant.<br \/>\u201cYou are not going to have any more chemo\u201d. <br \/>Just in that instant my beautiful caring Oncologist may as well have said, \u201cWe\u2019re just going to let you die\u201d. My heart froze and thoughts raced as I blurted out, \u201cBut isn\u2019t chemotherapy the only thing I have left for Triple Negative Breast Cancer?\u201d (TNBC). Everything I had read emphasized that surgery and chemotherapy are the only effective treatments. TNBC is aggressive and mopping up any potentially migrating cells with chemotherapy enhances long-term survival.<br \/>\u201cI understand your concern Marie. You were very sick when you were in hospital last week and your body is still struggling. You know that. It would be irresponsible of me to continue, knowing that the effects of chemotherapy are cumulative and your kidneys have been injured. Your heart rate is not controlled. We want to kill the cancer cells not you\u201d Significant dehydration had aggravated my pre-existing cardiac arrhythmias, my blood electrolytes had not yet normalised and the ongoing nature of the diarrhoea, 3 weeks after administration of chemo, had introduced an element of doubt in her mind. \u201cI\u2019m going to order a CT scan to rule out any other cause\u201d. <br \/>\u201cDo you think I might have another bowel cancer? My original bowel cancer in 2014 manifested like this, with significant diarrhoea\u201d. That was the first thing that I thought of.<br \/>\u201cLet\u2019s just get the CT and see. You are going to have radiotherapy under the armpit where the positive lymph nodes were removed from. That should provide some cover there\u201d.<br \/>As you can imagine, this was not what I wanted to hear. Disappointing \u2026 scary \u2026 I felt incredibly alone and vulnerable in that moment. I needed God to show up.<\/p><p><strong>What else is hiding?<\/strong><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1068\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/In-hospital.jpg\" alt=\"in hospital\" width=\"622\" height=\"444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/In-hospital.jpg 622w, https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/In-hospital-300x214.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 622px) 100vw, 622px\" \/><\/p><p><em>Preparing for CT scan February 2022<\/em><\/p><p>How could a CT scan possibly capture all that information so quickly? I turned up in the Medical Imaging department at 9.30 this morning expecting to be there for quite a while. My Oncologist had ordered a CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis \u2026 casting the net a little further afield, looking for any potential causes of my diarrhoea, shortness of breath and consistently elevated heart rate.<br \/><br \/>The staff were kind and attentive as I perched on the large plastic-covered chair. \u201cI am not used to seeing you like this Marie Henderson. You don\u2019t have any hair\u201d. He was stating the obvious! My nurse looked familiar to me \u2026 his face crumpled in a huge smile and body language was that of a friend glad to be catching up. It turned out I was his nursing lecturer when he first demonstrated competence as an Internationally Qualified Nurse in our Simulation Lab at UCOL in 2012. \u201cYou were my favourite lecturer. I am sorry I am a little nervous\u201d. Unfortunately his cannula insertion was unsuccessful and he called his equally friendly colleague over. Scrubbing my arm furiously with an alcohol prep swab, her face was a study of concentration. \u201cDo you always have this much trouble getting a line in?\u201d The third cannulation was successful and I soon had both nurses recalling their experiences with me at UCOL 10 years ago! Gosh \u2026 a visit down memory lane. One fetched a big tumbler of water. \u201cTry to drink as much as you can \u2026 it\u2019ll help with your scan\u201d.<br \/><br \/>\u201cBreathe in \u2026 hold your breath\u201d. The CT scanner whirred ever-faster and soon my body was being propelled through the noisy donut. \u201cBreathe away. Contrast going in now\u201d. I\u2019ve had CT scans with intravenous contrast before so I knew I wasn\u2019t wetting my pants as the familiar warm feeling crept up my neck, across my forehead, down into my feet and fingertips and throughout my pelvis. It is a bit like peeing in your wetsuit when you are scuba diving in a very cold ocean \u2026 that insidious creep of warmth. \u201cBreathe in \u2026 hold your breath\u201d. More whizzing and gliding, retracing the initial move. \u201cBreathe away. That\u2019s it. All done, thank you\u201d.<br \/><br \/>I was amazed at how quick it was. Really? How could my chest, abdomen and pelvis possibly have revealed their hidden secrets during those two brief passes through the CT scanner? Waiting for the results will not be so brief, unfortunately. I am becoming practiced at waiting. Waiting for appointments \u2026 waiting for scans and tests \u2026 waiting to meet key clinicians \u2026 waiting for team meetings and decisions to be made \u2026 waiting for surgery \u2026. waiting for recovery \u2026 waiting for medications to work or side effects to occur \u2026 waiting to discover God\u2019s gifts in this ever-changing, challenging journey.<br \/><br \/><strong>The gift<br \/><\/strong>In a previous blog I stated that in my vulnerability I am feeling more secure. That was then \u2026 I have to admit that the withdrawal of chemotherapy and wider search for malignancies is challenging my equilibrium at the moment. I was counting on my chemotherapy as a proven strategy to squash any remnants of TNBC. Having said that, though, I am incredibly grateful that my Medical Oncologist is actively pursuing anything else that could potentially be lurking, waiting to wreak havoc. I am also amazed at how many ex-UCOL students I am being cared for, all saying such beautiful, encouraging things. One thing I am certain about; this journey is a gift. No matter how vulnerable I feel, I am going to face whatever comes with gratitude and faith in the Gift-giver.<\/p><p><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Follow the link below to read about the gifts Marie has identified through this&#8230;<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1012\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1012\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-ribbon\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M6.1 444.3c-9.6 10.8-7.5 27.6 4.5 35.7l68.8 27.9c9.9 6.7 23.3 5 31.3-3.8l91.8-101.9-79.2-87.9-117.2 130zm435.8 0s-292-324.6-295.4-330.1c15.4-8.4 40.2-17.9 77.5-17.9s62.1 9.5 77.5 17.9c-3.3 5.6-56 64.6-56 64.6l79.1 87.7 34.2-38c28.7-31.9 33.3-78.6 11.4-115.5l-43.7-73.5c-4.3-7.2-9.9-13.3-16.8-18-40.7-27.6-127.4-29.7-171.4 0-6.9 4.7-12.5 10.8-16.8 18l-43.6 73.2c-1.5 2.5-37.1 62.2 11.5 116L337.5 504c8 8.9 21.4 10.5 31.3 3.8l68.8-27.9c11.9-8 14-24.8 4.3-35.6z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><svg class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-ribbon\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M6.1 444.3c-9.6 10.8-7.5 27.6 4.5 35.7l68.8 27.9c9.9 6.7 23.3 5 31.3-3.8l91.8-101.9-79.2-87.9-117.2 130zm435.8 0s-292-324.6-295.4-330.1c15.4-8.4 40.2-17.9 77.5-17.9s62.1 9.5 77.5 17.9c-3.3 5.6-56 64.6-56 64.6l79.1 87.7 34.2-38c28.7-31.9 33.3-78.6 11.4-115.5l-43.7-73.5c-4.3-7.2-9.9-13.3-16.8-18-40.7-27.6-127.4-29.7-171.4 0-6.9 4.7-12.5 10.8-16.8 18l-43.6 73.2c-1.5 2.5-37.1 62.2 11.5 116L337.5 504c8 8.9 21.4 10.5 31.3 3.8l68.8-27.9c11.9-8 14-24.8 4.3-35.6z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">The Gift<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1012\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1012\"><p>It took several days before I was able to process and accept my Medical Oncologist\u2019s decision to discontinue chemotherapy. I have read widely about the limited options to treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and have steeled myself to put up with whatever discomfort it will take to give me the best chance of long-term survival. The withholding of chemotherapy felt like I had been cut free from my lifeline of hope.<\/p><p>At the end of each day as I relax and let my mind focus on the individual events and people that have touched my life, the gifts that God pours out on me become so obvious. I have always acknowledged the words in Philippians 4:6-8 in the Bible as being a great strategy for living a really fulfilling life. But these words have never been an absolute necessity for me until now. I love the way this strategy is expressed in the Passion translation. Think of my situation as you read, and you will see why I am wanting to live this way.<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1069\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Speaking-at-GNV-rally-February-2022.jpg\" alt=\"Speaking at GNV rally\" width=\"597\" height=\"421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Speaking-at-GNV-rally-February-2022.jpg 597w, https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Speaking-at-GNV-rally-February-2022-300x212.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 597px) 100vw, 597px\" \/><\/p><p><strong>Speaking at GNV rally February 2022<\/strong><\/p><p>Philippians 4<br \/>v 6. \u201cDon\u2019t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell Him every detail of your life V 7. Then His peace which transcends human understanding will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.<br \/>V 8. Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind, and fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God; praising Him always\u201d<br \/><br \/>It would be so easy to allow panic and the feeling of extreme vulnerability dictate how I respond and what I allow myself to think about at the moment. I just can\u2019t afford to allow fear to take a grip of me, and I don\u2019t need to. There are so many aspects of this experience and journey that I cannot control, but I <strong>can<\/strong> control what I think about. I was gifted the opportunity of sharing this aspect of my cancer journey with a beautiful bunch of \u2018Good News Vanners\u2019 at our bi-monthly weekend rally at Rangiotu last weekend. The response to this bald, single-breasted old grey-head sharing her story was really beautiful; warm, accepting and appreciative. I was nervous about telling it like it really is, but I think my honesty and authenticity helped. The opportunity to share like this was a gift. I could see that my story positively impacted the lives of others. In my vulnerability, I felt stronger.<\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1070\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Marie-relaxing-on-her-ebike.jpg\" alt=\"Marie relaxing on her ebike\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Marie-relaxing-on-her-ebike.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Marie-relaxing-on-her-ebike-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p><p><strong>Relaxing between bouts of diarhoea January 2022<\/strong><\/p><p>Our motorhome is such a gift. Between the many hospital appointments Jim &amp; I are able to get away for days or weeks at a time, relax &amp; enjoy our beautiful country. Living alongside ongoing diarrhoea is a challenge, but our eBikes have been a real blessing. We can mostly get out and explore the local bike trails and towns for an hour or two in between the bathroom calling. It feels great to be \u201cnormal\u201d and not be defined by a bowel that is very attention-seeking or by being a bald cancer patient. When I am out there having fun it feels like such a gift, being immersed in nature, gliding along effortlessly on assist level 1 or 2, sometimes easing past people with \u2018real\u2019 bikes slogging up hills. Yes, that has got to be one of the highlights \u2026 not worrying about upcoming hills, just feeling the joy of cruising up at 18km\/hr or whatever it is, hardly a drop of sweat or effort.<br \/><br \/>Another really unexpected gift has been the validation of my professional impact on nursing students and others. My career was really important to me. I wanted to do a really good job as a nurse and latterly as a nurse-lecturer. The most important thing to me was to be caring. It was a thrill to meet the two internationally qualified nurses yesterday who seems so pleased to see me 10 years after their experience at UCOL, remembering me as a really caring lecturer. I had some emotional roller-coaster rides during my almost 48-year career, as we all do, and it is very healing and affirming to be remembered in that way. There is a Maori saying, \u201cHe tangata, he tangata, he tangata \u2026 it is people, it is people, it is people\u201d. We will not be remembered for how much money, beautiful houses or possessions we had, but by our love. The greatest gift of God is love.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;re not doing chemo! In hospital after first chemo for fluid &amp; electrolyte replacement &#8211;\u00a0 January 2022 Blog \u201cYou\u2019ve had a torrid time\u201d. My Medical Oncologist reacted in an affirming manner as I plonked myself down next to her desk. \u201cWe\u2019re not doing chemo\u201d, she said.\u201cI\u2019m OK with that\u201d I responded wearily. The diarrheoa that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1052"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1052"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1124,"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1052\/revisions\/1124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thegift.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}