Living Well – Living Well While Surviving Cancer

A Humorous Look at Fulfilling New Year’s Resolutions

Have you given up yet? LOL

Yes, we have made it to January 9, 2020. 🙂 So, after 9 days (including today), how are we doing with our New Year’s resolutions?

For a humorous look at fulfilling New Year’s resolutions, check out the three images below.

A Humorous Look at Fulfilling New Year's Resolutions

A New Book of Poetry to Start 2020

Food for thought!

Once again, it is my honor to assist David Fox in publishing a new free book of poetry. This is yet another example of what we can do regardless of our limitations.

As we said last November:

David is a true inspiration. Despite being born with Cerebral Palsy and having suffered from mental illness in his 20’s, David has written poems for children and adults for over 20 years. His poetry has appeared in Bell’s Letters, Ceremony, Great South Bay Magazine, Humoresque, The Oak, Opossum Holler Tarot, Performance Poet’s Association Literary Review, Poetic Expressions, Poets’ Roundtable, Reflections, SMILE, Tale Spinners (Canada), Visions, Wanton Words, Whispers of Poetry and Write On!! Poetry Magazette. He is still a participant at UCP Long Island.

Click the image to access the new book. Note: A free, simple login is required. 🙂

Animated Happy New Year 2020 Images

Let’s celebrate and look forward to a great 2020. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

First, a funny quote.

Now, some animated New Year’s 2020 wishes.

Embrace Life and Live Well in 2020

Live life every day!

As we look forward to the future, we need to be thankful for what we have. And not be unhappy for what we don’t have. Now, we offer our annual message. To embrace life and choose happiness in 2020.

Why We Should Embrace Life and Live Well in 2020

As many of you may know, I am a VERY lucky survivor of pancreatic cancer. Thus, I am thankful each and every day to celebrate the blessing of life. On February 12, 2020, it will be five years since I had my successful Whipple surgery. My longevity is related to my embracing life and choosing happiness.

Only 7 percent of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive for 5 years. Thus, I am both happy and sad.

Today, I want to share some FREE resources I have developed and tell my personal story. Why? To provide hope and serenity for anyone with a serious disease and their loved ones. We must never forget that our caregivers suffer and endure along with us.

Resources to Better Embrace Life and Choose Happiness

Since recovering from my surgery and follow-up chemotherapy, I view my life’s mission as assisting others with a terrible illness. To me, this is a responsibility that I welcome as one of the relatively few long-term pancreatic cancer survivors. In my mind and heart, I MUST give back.

So, please take a look at these resources.

Surviving Cancer and Embracing Life: My Personal Journey

With this book, I want to share my personal cancer journey with you. I want to offer hope and support to those dealing with a terrible disease and their families. Why? To quote the late NY Yankee star Lou Gehrig when he was honored at Yankee Stadium while dying from ALS: “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

The book is a hopeful, but realistic, view of my journey from diagnosis through treatment through return to work and my being able to walk my daughter down the aisle at her wedding. It has some humor and many quotes to ease the reading.

Click the book cover to download a FREE copy of the book. Then, share it with someone you love.

LIVING WELL While Surviving Cancer

During the summer of 2018, I started a new blog to share health-related information and inspirational stories. It features infographics, videos, articles, and more. And despite the title, it relates to a wide range of health issues.

Click the image to visit the blog. Then, PLEASE sign up to follow us.

Other Resources

Finally, check out these resources. and sign up to join me Welcome aboard!

- - - - Facebook Page: Welcome to Living Well with Cancer
        
        LinkedIn Group: Living Well While Surviving Cancer
        
        Twitter Page: Living Well with Cancer (@well_cancer)
- My personal advice:
  - - - Do not avoid the doctor because you are afraid of what he/she may find.
        
        Early detection is the best way to mitigate your health problems. Have regular checkups and blood tests.
        
        Listen to the medical professionals!
        
        Surround yourself with family and friends who are supportive.
        
        Be upbeat; getting down is counter productive. [(a) When diagnosed, I set two goals: to dance at my daughter’s October 2015 wedding and to deliver a toast. Mission accomplished. I never thought these things wouldn’t happen. (b) People don’t believe me when I remark that I never said “why me”? Instead I say, “boy was I lucky to be diagnosed so early.”]
        
        Seek out your friends/acquaintances who have also dealt with cancer. They can be a wonderful resource and sounding board (when you don’t want to further burden your family).
        
        Be active. [I went to the gym while undergoing chemotherapy.]
        
        Live for tomorrow and the time thereafter.
        
        And to give back as much as I can, since July 2019, I am volunteering twp days a week with United Cerebral Palsy of Long Island. I LOVE it and find it so rewarding. If you decide to volunteer, you’ll see that it’s a win-win!!!!!

Sit Back and Relax

To help you relax and reflect, we add this post to the one yesterday.

We Wish You Happy Holidays

Many thoughtful quotes.

In the United States, we are sometimes our own worst enemies. For example, see a post about our under-use of vacation time. But, it’s the season for happy holidays 2019. Enjoy your time with family and friends.

Food for Thought: Happy Holidays 2019

We hope these quotes make you more reflective. And do things to make others happy. Which in turn will make YOU happy.

Fred Rogers — “I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending.”

Kate Klise — “During the holiday season, it’s easy to forget that sometimes the best gift of all is simply the gift of time. I can’t think of anything a writer would appreciate more than being given time and space to work.”

Ainsley Earhardt — “Giving back to those in need is something that everyone on all sides of the political aisle can relate to. And it is beautiful to see people come together, especially during the holiday season.”

Geoff Stults — “The holiday season can be an especially trying time for our service men, women, and families. Military service and deployment create empty seats at holiday tables, religious services, and celebrations.”

We conclude with these wishes.

Annual U.S. Report on the Status of Cancer

The 2019 report with topical links.

Each year, the National Cancer Institute at NIH (National Institute of Health) produces a report on the status of cancer in the United States.

Here are a few highlights from the 2019 report:

- Overall cancer death rates continue to decrease in men, women, and children for all major racial and ethnic groups.
- Overall cancer incidence rates, or rates of new cancers, have decreased in men and remained stable in women.
- In adults ages 20 to 49, women have higher cancer incidence and mortality rates than men.
- This year’s Special Section focused on cancer trends among adults ages 20 to 49.
  - For all age groups combined, incidence and death rates were higher among men than women, but among adults 20-49 years, incidence and death rates were lower among men than women.
  - The most common cancers in this age group were:
    - Breast, thyroid and melanoma of the skin for women, with breast cancer far exceeding any of the other cancers; and
    - Colorectal, testicular and melanoma of the skin for men.

To learn more, click on these images.

Annual U.S. Report on the Status of Cancer — **RESOURCES**