An afternoon post...............

This morning was a perfect morning for weeding.............. To bad I never made it out there to do so. One thing led to another and another and now the afternoon peace has decended upon the house and I am listening to Dave while waiting for the nurse to arrive for her weekly visit with one of the residents.

I talked with my sister this morning. Cardiac Rehab is going well. She is increasing her time and speed on the treadmill, and feeling great. I am really proud of how hard she is working to be responsible for her health and well-being.

While we were talking, she shared a story she was seeing on the Today Show about how eleven people from one family all had their stomachs removed secondary to having some form of cancer. (or pre-cancer, or something....... I was talking to her so she missed some of the details.) I have heard of women having breast removed because there was a history of breast cancer in their family, but I would guess it would be much easier to live without a breast than without a stomach. Not that I am making light of what it would be like to lose a breast, but from a body system point of view.

The stomach breaks down nutrients, and sends them off to the various cells of the body. If the stomach is removed, then it is my (uneducated) guess that they hook the esophagus right to the intestines, so how does the whole nutients sent to the cells things happen? I have never heard of stomach transplants, but maybe they have them. If they don't have stomachs does that mean they have to blend everything before consuming it? Can you imagine drinking a blended steak? Salad? Cheese? I had a hard time imagining...............

Yet say no to the removal of the stomach and know that you would be saying yes to cancer, and a painful poor cure rate cancer at that? How does one ever begin to wrap their mind around those choices?

Brings me right back to counting my blessings. There is no way that I can hear a story like that and whine "poor me" about anything. I have been blessed with health, and an ability to take care of myself and my family. I have been blessed with loving, caring relationships, both from a giving and receiving perspective. (My) life is indeed good, and I am richly blessed!