In 2015, Chris was diagnosed with cancer. Needless to say, we learned a lot over the next year but today, I want to share something that helped save her.
Each one of us is made up of three parts. Our mind – you could say our mental and emotional part – and included in that would be attitude. Next, our body and, last but not least, our spirit.
At the beginning of this journey, one of Chris’s doctors told us to “prepare for a year of hell.” I remember thinking, “You have no idea what we have been through. If you knew, you would know we have already been there.” You see, I was connecting the loss of our sons with the experience she was referring to in relation to the next year of our lives and Chris’s treatment plan. She said that the most important thing was that Chris maintained the right attitude through everything she was about to face. She explained that the attitude would determine much of the outcome.
Now, let me remind you that we are talking about cancer and cancer treatment. I thought, “No, it’s the meds you give her, it’s the chemo, it’s the radiation that will determine the outcome.” Over the next 55 weeks, we were to find out just how much her attitude would play a part in the outcome.
What We Learned
It wasn’t about her attitude actually healing her but it was about her attitude saving her – saving her from misery over those 55 weeks versus the alternative.
During this year of hell, I made many phone calls, reaching out to the men in my life that mentor me and help me through life – the good times and the tough times. On one of these calls, early on, Phil told me that each of us has three parts: our mind, our body and our spirit. If two of these three become weak at the same time, it can get really hard; we can get stuck and possibly never get out.
The lightbulb came on. Chris was going to be weak physically; there was nothing we could do about that. The chemo weakens you. One doctor said it like this: “We are nearly going to kill her to save her life.” But her mind and her spirit needed to stay strong. If she was this weak physically and then she was weakened mentally or spiritually, think of where that could go – depression, blaming God, the list goes on.
As you know, my wife made it through and, today, she is cancer free. Her attitude saved her while she was traveling through this year of hell. How did she do it? How did we do it? We focused on the things that strengthened her mind and her spirit. To name a few: staying connected with people and groups, attending church, reading the Bible, reading positive things, listening to inspiring music, physical exercise, eating right and more.
One of the questions I would say out loud often was, “What does it look like to trust God with everything today, sweetheart?” As her husband, I wanted to do all I could to help her maintain a strong mind, mentally and emotionally, as well as a strong connection with God, which I knew would keep her spirit strong and healthy. Now, I don’t want you to get me wrong. We had tough days and tough talks, and even bad thoughts. But we dealt with them quickly and we focused on the truth and what we could control.
What Are You Doing to Stay Strong?
It is a tough time in our world and in our lives right now. What are you doing specifically to keep the right attitude, to stay strong mentally and emotionally, to stay in good physical and spiritual condition? Message me and share what you do to get through tough times. If you are struggling, make the choice to get in shape, to stay in shape. Strengthen your mind, your body and your spiritual condition.
May God help us all as we continue through this uncertain time in our country and our world.
God bless.