First, I want to thank those of you who read and commented on my essay, “Runaway Writer Found on Beach, Heart Broken, but Alive!” It will be up at http://www.gutsyliving.com for the rest of the month, then voted on August 1-14, and winner announced August 15th.

Souvenirs from My Heart; Postcards-Two

“Leukemia and other cancers do not seem to strike sick people.” This is a direct quote by me, with no qualifications whatsoever. Yes, this is only my personal conclusion from anecdotal evidence. (Remember, no statistics here.)

My conclusion comes from the hundreds of stories and memoirs I’ve read in the last five years. It comes from the many patients and caregivers that I met during our year in and out of hospitals and clinics. Instead of being unhealthy, most cancer victims were like my husband; healthy, non-smokers who got plenty of exercise. Many ate healthy diets and logged daily hours running, biking or working out at a gym.

Cancer can happen to anyone, at any time. Sure, there are high risk groups for some cancers, like those caused by smoking, and those passed down through genetic inheritance. Sadly, I’ve heard and read repeatedly, “But she/he was so healthy.”

Being prepared might speed up your treatment, it might help make an accurate diagnosis, it could even save your life. If you can’t do what it takes to be prepared for yourself, do it for the ones you love. The ones who will have to go through piles of paperwork, make a lot of phone calls, and piece together the vitally important information that medical staff will need to help you.

Postcard 2:  Please don’t live as if you were immune to bad things happening. I don’t believe that being prepared will bring the universe down against you. Being prepared is a loving thing we do for others, not especially for ourselves. Are all your current medications listed in one place, like your purse or wallet? Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a copy, then add vitamins and other over the counter medicines or supplements that you take to the list

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To read SMH; Postcards-One go here. This is serialized version of a section of my memoir. It’s kind of serious huh? Hopefully readers will find enough value in the information I provide here, that they will hang in for the lighter sections.

Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think.

Patti