Judith L. Pearson's Blog, page 8
October 25, 2012
Monsters and Mammograms
Is there a monster under your bed at night? Maybe it’s in the closet …. Silly, right? But to children, not knowing for sure what’s there practically makes it true. We grown ups are afraid of the unknown, too. We don’t get mammograms because what if ….
Okay, time to stop hiding under the covers. Pretending something is there isn’t going to make it so (check under your bed – I know there’s no monster!). But ignoring what could be a life saver isn’t the right way to go, either.
Be vigilant about your health – you are your own best advocate. Get the tests you need and THEN deal with the results. We’re all here for you – we’ll help you fight off the monsters!
October 24, 2012
Patience Practice
We live in a world where everything is instant. Lights, computers, television sets and dishwashers turn on with the press of a button. Instant gratification, however, is the polar opposite of patience. And patience is required in abnormal quantities when dealing with a life challenge like cancer. So here’s a handy little list of things to remember when it comes 
to practicing your patience:
1. Look at the big picture and see it from as many angles as you can.
2. Patient people live better lives. Being impatient causes stress and that’s a bad thing.
3. Remember, you only have what you’ve been given to work with, no matter how much you wish you had more.
4. Remember what really matters.
5. You will always get what you need, which is sometimes more important than what you want. (When in doubt on this one, refer back to #4.)
October 23, 2012
See It, Believe It
Athletes do it, politicians do it, actors do it. It’s called visualization – seeing yourself in the place you really want to be. But can it be as effective when we face serious illness? I think it can. 
The more we lament the worst case scenrio, the more negative signals we send to our brains and our bodies, and the more we begin to believe in that dark scenario. It soon becomes our reality.
But the reverse is also true. If we visualize ourselves as healthy, happy humans, it can become our reality as well.
I am neither doctor nor theologian, but I KNOW prayer, positive thinking, and visualization works. If you see it, you will believe it. After all, what have you got to lose?
October 22, 2012
Making a List, Checking It Twice (and Thrice!)
A few weeks after my surgery, a very dear friend told me about her darkest days. When all seemed to be closing in on her, she made a list of 5 things she was for which she was thankful – things that couldn’t be 
taken away through loss of money, health, or even death.
What a great idea! Ever the over-achiever, I made a list including 10 things for which I was thankful. I put a copy in my wallet, one at my desk and one in my night stand. I read those lists multiple a bunch of times every day. Try it!
It makes my heart swell each time I remember how much good surrounds me.
October 18, 2012
Check!
Today’s to do list:
Schedule a hair cut. Check!
Buy Halloween candy. Check!
Do a self breast exam. Check!
Pick a date. Do the exam every month. Know thy breast!
October 17, 2012
Courage Is Contagious
We think of courage when we think of firefighters and soldiers and police offers. We’re hesitant to associate the word with ordinary lives, and we NEVER seek the label for ourselves. NEWSFLASH: courage comes in sizes 
to fit all people and all occasions!
If you’re battling cancer or any other disease, you’re courageous. If you’re a loved one watching the battle, you’re courageous. I you have helped a child, an animal a senior citizen, a homeless person to have a better day, you’re courageous. If you struggle just to get out of bed in the morning, you’re courageous.
Most importantly, every tiny act of courage you do, is a lesson in courage for those watching you. Courage is contagious – spread it around!
October 16, 2012
Buddy, Can You Spare Some Change?
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer big changes are on the horizon for her and her family. Their lives will never be the same – even with a good prognosis and a clean bill of health. Change is inevitable. But is that a bad thing?
There is an urban legend that the Chinese word for change is made up of two characters – one means danger and the other, opportunity. Doesn’t matter if the legend is true, what a powerful way of looking at change!
We change every day with every experience. We must.
We can hide our heads in fear that the change will bring bad things to our door. Or we can look for the opportunity that change brings us: a new appreciation for life, meeting new people we otherwise wouldn’t have, finding new purpose for our lives.
So buddy, can you spare some change?
October 15, 2012
When Little Is Really BIG
When you receive a diagnosis of breast cancer, your world becomes filled with BIG things. Every test, every conversation, every decision has HUGE consequences.
In the end, though, it’s the LITTLE things that warm your heart. A hug, a smile, a little ditty to remind you how special you are. The Sparkle Caps Project is like that.
Using her own money plus any donations she receives, a lovely lady from South Carolina (a breast cancer “winner” herself) puts together gift bags with books, goodies, and sparkly caps for women who need a little pick-me-up during their treatment.
It’s one of those LITTLE things that’s really a BIG deal!
October 14, 2012
Blessings Count
All those who think they have absolutely the worst problems in the world, please raise your hand. Absurd request, right? Yet, when dark things happen, like a diagnosis of cancer, we can’t imagine our 
worlds could be darker.
I tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but there were moments lying in bed at night, when I thought things couldn’t be worse. I was a newlywed, my son was being deployed to Afghanistan for 6 months, and I had breast cancer.
Then I met a woman in England whose name I never knew. On the very same day as I had my mastectomy, her husband of 30 years killed himself. Six months later, she was still wondering why.
In the grand scheme of things, my plate was not only full, it was full of blessings. I had a wonderful, supportive, loving husband. Both of my sons are fabulous young men who have done their country and their family proud. And my breast cancer? Gave me such a richer view of life, like learning that blessings really do count.
October 12, 2012
Am I Beautiful?
Even when their hair is gone, their boobs are gone and their spark is sputtering from fatigue, all women want to be beautiful. Breast cancer patients are no different from healthy women. 
So what makes a woman “beautiful?”
It is the crinkle at the corner of her laughing mouth. It is the warmth of her loving hand. It is the light in her eyes when she’s passionate about something. It is the love she has for others.
It has nothing to do with hair or breasts. It has everything to do with what’s inside.
