HOW TO SHRINK A TUMOR
I do not know if the tumor that has invaded Terry's body has begun to respond to the radiation and the chemotherapy she is now receiving. We will not know that particular detail for several weeks. What I do know is that when cancer strikes it invades both body and spirit. When the doctors told us that the first step in this battle was to shrink the tumor before surgery they were talking about the physical presence of the cancer. I have learned that there is also a need to shrink the spiritual and emotional presence of the cancer. To accomplish that I recommend a heavy dose of family and friends therapy. We tried it this past weekend and it really works.
Four days into treatment Terry and I traveled north to our cottage on Lake Louise to host a wedding shower party for our daughter, Mary and her fiance, Andrew. People began to arrive on Friday and our place exploded with friends and family in great humor all through Sunday evening. We laughed. We sang. We told stories on one another and we experienced the power of this kind of gathering to put illness in its place. Emotionally and spiritually we shrank that tumor and put it into proper perspective in our lives. This too is a part of the battle - keeping cancer at bay to insure that it does not take over.
One dear friend knew just what to say when Terry talked about confronting the fact that she is sick. "No." Judy reminded her. "You are strong and healthy. You have a disease, but you are strong and healthy and you are battling a disease." Her words were targeted directly toward the emotional presence of that tumor. May the shrinking continue.
Dave Gladstone