Attitude - "A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes."

I was recently reading an article that talked about Attitude and found the above quote. It really got me thinking about our situation and many others.  Yesterday Craig went back to his doctor for his 3 month checkup.  He took another PSA blood test which would show any level of cancer still left after the surgery.  We were elated when the results came back as “0”.  He is cancer free and will only need to go back to the doctor yearly to keep an eye on his PSA.  What a blessing this is!  During these past few months when I have been really sick, I have been so grateful that it was me that had to have chemo-therapy instead of Craig.  There is no way he could go to work and make a living for us feeling the way I do.  So that helped my attitude. 

Today at chemo I had another attitude shift.  I had a CT scan done on Monday and the doctor was going to tell me the results today.  I was a little bit nervous, but optimistically hopeful that the cancer would not have started growing back.  I breathed with a sigh when he affirmed this information and told me that my CA-125 had now gone down to 51 (normal being 0-35).  How thrilling!  Yet after talking to him more, he feels like I still need to get a mammogram and take the BRCA 1 & 2 test which will tell me if I have the "cancer gene" or not.  He suggested if I have the gene, then I might want to be proactive and have a double mastectomy to thwart the chance of me getting breast cancer.  Needless to say as I went in to start my chemo – I had mixed feelings.  I was grateful that my numbers are going down, but worried what will happen to me next.  I guess that’s when I realized that I needed an attitude adjustment.  The guy sitting two recliners down from me in chemo was told that his white blood count was too low and that he wouldn’t be able to receive treatment today.  Then they told him that he would have to have a shot every day for the next week and and then they would re-check his blood and see if his count was good enough to treat next week.  I saw the disappointment on his face, and my heart totally went out to him.  Even though it’s not the most enjoyable thing for me to have chemo every week – at least every treatment I receive, gets me closer to the finish.  I have been blessed that my blood counts have been high enough every week!  Today that helped me have an attitude adjustment and try to focus on the positive things in my life!  I want to share a story with you and I'm pretty sure some of you might have already heard it. But when I read it today, it made me cry and realize how important my Attitude really is and how it can affect others around me!

“There were two men both seriously ill; who occupied the same hospital room.  One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.  His bed was next to the room’s only window.  The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.  Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. 

The man lying down in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world described outside.  The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.  Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.  Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.  As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.  Days and weeks passed as they shared these beautiful scenes. 

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the  lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.  She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.  As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.  The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.  Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.  He strained slowly to turn and look out the window beside the bed, only to find it faced a blank wall.  The man was in shock.  He asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased friend to describe such wonderful things outside the window.  The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.  “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you,” she said. 

Wow what an uplifiting story!  The article ended by saying, "A person's attitude toward himself can have a profond influence on his attitude toward his family, friends, business, future and many other significant areas of his life."  What a true statement.  This has really made me stop and revaluate how much more I can do at helping other's have a better attitude about things, just by me having a good attitude.  A good challenge for all of us!