Lou’s Journey Continues to Make a Difference
Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 1:48PM The past few years have been a time of reflection and growth as my dear sister, Lou, (our mothers don't know it but we must be blood related...) ventured through the dizzying sea of the C-Word. Diagnosis, Chemo, and recovery, had us all chasing our tails for the answers we were convinced in one remedy or another. Yet after her treatments, hair loss, and all the self help Cancer strategy manuals on the planet, we discovered one truly valuable insight for anyone facing the challenge of Cancer. You've heard it a million times, "mind over matter", Cliche'? Perhaps, but it was how Lou approached her diagnosis which was a lesson I will carry forever. She called me and said, "Bring it on! It's a whole new experience I've never had and we might as well make this interesting!". As we went through her treatments, she welcomed my camera as our escort, our friend, our weapon, our advocate...I found myself shooting the strangest things, wigs on stands, angels overlooking the chemo chairs, chemicals going into her body.
Although we created Lou's Journey a while ago, (she is now recovered with a thick gorgeous head of hair), it seems that weekly I hear of a friend who's loved one or friend is newly diagnosed with this journey no one would purchase a ticket for. As Lou and I were keeping this slide-show mainly for friends and Cancer patients, it is now a story we are sharing without limit, with hopes that it can continue to help others who could use a little encouragement, to see that although 'mind over matter' may or may not cure, it certainly does allow one to create memories along this path filled with love and laughter, inspiration and courage. Everyone may wrangle their diagnosis differently, however Lou made a choice to do so with a golden lasso, and I am forever honored to call her my friend.
Lou's Journey:
Reader Comments (2)
Mic, thank you for your loving friendship with Louan and the time and love you committed to memorializing her journey. It seems eons ago that I wept as I first viewed this slide show - it wasn't so long ago was it?
Having watched from afar as Louan emerged through the chemo and having personally shared the mastectomy experience with her, I can attest to the amazing grace and humor of this dear friend. We giggled like school girls at an all-night slumber party in the hospital the night after her surgery - all the while she was caretaking the other patients and joking with her surgeon. That's our Lou!!
I want everyone who reads this to know that Louan snowshoed with me last month in Park City, Utah and I found it difficult to keep up with her!!! Hooray! And the most amusing result of this cancer experience? The woman who battled thin hair her whole life has the most amazing thick locks you can imagine - she now gets it THINNED!!!
Mic;
Once again the dynamic duo inspires, humbles, entertains, comforts, encourages, inspires and blesses. Thank you and thanks to our Sister Lou for using your incredible talents to have such a profound impact on others. My Dad shared a lot of wisdom with me in the day, but one of the most memorable truths was "Use the gifts God has given you to serve others and the outcome will infinitely greater than you could ever have imagined." You live that truth and the world is the recipient.
I've shared "The Journey" with at least 1/2 dozen friends that have been diagnosed with malignancies and your work and Lou's willingness to share has without question had a powerful impact in each case. The other day I heard from a friend of a friend of one of those friends, thanking me for sharing the link with them. And the beat goes on.....exponentially.
Blessings to you, Mic! And to our dear, loving, sweet Sister Lou! May God continue to take your work to places you can't even begin to imagine.
Rick