Summer is slipping away!

Summer is slipping away - It's actually cold outside today!  You know summer is about over when your flower pots need thrown out and refreshed...and dirty windows beg to be washed.

I'm still working on basket updates for the Wings of Angels website.  Changes will focus on affordability, so there are more beautiful choices when the budget is tight.  The Tea Time basket will allow the giver to choose from a selection of meaningful books.  And the smaller version of a Recovery Care Package will soon come back.

I've got an urge to make some hot soup!, so I'll go get that started...

Warmly,


Linda

Finding True Meaning for Myself before Sharing with Others

It's been fun enjoying end-of-summer pursuits -- walks outside and looking forward to one more beach trip.

Stacy Shelton

On Wings of Angels business, I've been enjoying finding things to change in some of my baskets.  It's a time consuming process because I'm looking at books, and carefully reading and evaluating before deciding to share with others.  I'd like to add a selection of books for the Tea Time gift basket.  What I didn't expect is how touching and meaningful the book selection experience would be.  I'd like to tell you about a couple of the resources:

Stacy Shelton wrote of her roadmap journey from fear to solace in Me, the Crazy Woman, and Breast Cancer...a "hauntingly moving memoir that will leave you knowing all of life's lessons are to be cherished".  This book took me back to memory lane making it a difficult at times to read, but still could not put it down.  When I was done reading her book. I gave Stacy a call to let her know how beautiful the book was written and all the ways of how her story touched me.

I've been getting more involved with communicating with children about Cancer through my work with Tender Talk gift baskets and Ellen McVicker's Butterfly Kisses and Wishes On Wings Book.  Here's a great resource from CancerCare for Kids - a one page fact sheet on talking to your kids about your cancer diagnosis. 

As I come across cancer meaningful resources, they get posted on the Wings of Angels facebook page.  So see you there!

Warmly,

Linda



Camp Mourning Glory and AseraCare's Journey of Care

Greetings!  Hope everyone survived our big heat wave OK.  Yikes!

I've been inside, busy making baskets.  Some went to AseraCare Hospice Journey of Care program here in Mountville PA, and I also made for Camp Mourning Glory.

It's a special honor to be a part of AseraCare Hospice's Journey of Care program:  "AseraCare Hospice has developed the Journey of Care program to enhance hospice services and provide a beautiful and comfortable transition for patients with a life-limiting illness...making the hospice journey more meaningful.   The Journey of Care program celebrates life — reassuring patients and their loved ones that even the simplest of things can be valuable to those with minimal time left to live. The Journey of Care program adds life to days when adding days to life may no longer be possible." (Golden Living Quality Highlights, 4thQTR2009).

I fit into the program by making beautiful care baskets, a personal and very human touch for those going through the most difficult of times.  For example, bereavement baskets with carefully selected items show caring beyond the more standard gift of flowers (although I'm surely not knocking floral gifts!). 

Camp Mourning Glory was held in Lancaster's Buchmiller Park this past weekend.  It's a fun and therapeutic grief camp for kids ages 5 through 12.  I've been doing more work with addressing the special needs of comfort for children.  My Tender Talk basket collaborates with Ellen McVicker's Butterfly Kisses and Wishes On Wings book and creates activities to foster an open dialogue with children.  Camp Mourning Glory uses butterfly release as part of their fun activities.  Serious feelings and topics can be dealt with in a positive way for children, and I'm so happy to be a part of that.

Hope you all are finding rewarding ways to Beat this Heat!

Warmly,

Linda

Exercise after Chemo - Another way to feel better!

Just because you're a cancer patient, doesn't mean you can't exercise.  There's a nice article on LIVESTRONG.COM about it.  Go with what your health care team recommends, but you may be surprised to learn you can enjoy 15 minute walks, some mild weight-bearing exercises, even yoga!  It's just another way to take care of yourself - both mind and body.

Warmly,

Linda

"The Day I Found Out"

Just wanted to share this website "The Day I Found Out".  I really think this is a special project.

"The day you find out that you or your loved one has cancer can be one of the toughest days of your life. A hundred questions race through your head: Why me? What will I do? What will happen to my family? What’s next? For many, there is an overwhelming sense that they are alone.

The truth is: You are not alone. People have stood where you stand now. They have weathered similar battles. And many have emerged from the fray transformed—stronger, wiser, a benefactor of their scars.

While we created ‘The Day I Found Out’ primarily as a place where the recently diagnosed could find inspiration from the people who’ve been there, we also hope the storytellers will find healing in the telling, as well"

Many tell about how they've come through a dark time, to now find new meaning and joy in Life. 

Warmly,


Linda

Magic Carpet Rides at Ten Thousand Villages!

How "cool" is this!

Last week's blog talked about zest for the simple things in life that comes with cancer survivorship.  Just had to show you the fun of volunteering at Ten Thousand Villages on June 5th.  I was helping in the "Rug Room"; getting people dressed in costumes for the magic carpet ride!

Warmly,


Linda

It's Relay for Life Weekend in Lancaster!

Time to have some fun, and enjoy the Lancaster Relay for Life.  It's this weekend June 10-11, 2011, held at Conestoga Valley High School.



Breast Surgery Recovery Basket



Now you must think that spend all my time in cancer related pursuits, like making Wings of Angels baskets.  Not so!  Although being a survivor and caring for my fellow survivors is an important part of who I am...the best parts of the cancer experience come from the zest for the simple things in life.

Ever go to Chickies Rock Park in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania?  Gorgeous views, hiking trails.  You can hike, and see remnants of the old Trolley Line that ran from Columbia to Marietta. 

How about Lancaster's Central Market?   Very "cool" place.  It has what you'd expect at a wonderful old farmer's market, but also a lot of specialty foods and crafts that you wouldn't expect to find in Lancaster County, PA.

Another favorite pastime is just enjoying the weather.  It's been perfect lately - warm but not hot, low humidity.   I feel like a flower turning up towards the glorious sun!, soaking up the rays.

Feel free to comment back and let me know non-cancer related pursuits that bring you happiness.  :-)

Warmly,

Linda