THREE IN ONE - CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAYS 119, 120 AND 121

As you can see by the title, today I am going to catch up as I have missed posting for a couple of days. Usually when I skip something it is because I either forgot, I was sick, or I had too many medical appointments in one week.  While I did have 6 appointments last week they are not the cause of my falling behind in blogging.  Actually this week I have been preoccupied due to the death of an old friend and colleague.  Martin  lost his long, painful, valiant battle with lung cancer.  He and I were diagnosed with lung cancer about the same time, and I was so fortunate that my surgery was successful and due to early detection I did not have to have chemotherapy or radiation.  Martin was not so fortunate as by the time his cancer was discovered it had already spread.

He was younger than I, married to a wife he adored, and a wonderful father to three beautiful daughters and grandfather to an adorable little girl.  He had more faith, hope, and courage than I have ever seen, and he touched many, many lives in his lifetime.  He was a dear friend to all of us who knew him and he will be sorely missed.

The three messages I am tardy in writing are ironically so appropriate for the way Martin faced his illness, and he was an inspiration to all who knew him.

I AM BLESSED!

HEART WIDE OPEN

NO WHINING

The Doctor Is In And Eisenhower Medical Center Is The Place To Be

Even more often than usual, my calendar is filled with medical appointments.  Scan for this.  MRI for that. Biopsy of something else. Injection for small tear in rotator cuff. I have some doctors whom I have been seeing since moving to the desert six years ago.  Now I have added two new ones just this week.
Since moving here I have encountered only three doctors I chose not to remain with, and I replaced them with different ones who actually seem to be interested in my health.  I am thrilled to say that the two additional physicians are in that same category so I am feeling very blessed as I face some new health challenges.  When you must put your life in the hands of strangers it is imperative that you at least like these people, that they listen to you and address your questions and concerns, and they do not crank patients in and out of their offices as if  they were factories.  My two new doctors and my existing physicians all serve me well, and together they encourage, comfort, heal, and treat me with unfailing kindness.  I am very thankful for each one of them and for Eisenhower Medical Center which provides great care and high standards to all who enter their doors.  Lucky me to have the good fortune to live in an area with such good health care.