Thin Slices of Joy

TaRenee

Tonight I went to our county Relay For Life Survivor Dinner. The first time I’ve been seated at a table (I have been on this team as a committee member for 15 years). It was pretty special. I was also asked to be our featured speaker as a new survivor before dinner. It was quite a night.

CeliaC

Good for you, TaRenee!

ScotBird

We’re spending Easter in beautiful Crete. Can’t wait to explore. I’m lucky that my husband’s parents love looking after our dog while we are away, otherwise I would hate to leave her!

ScotBird

I was rushing around trying to complete lots of tasks before going away on holiday, and somehow I lost the keys to my car, just 2 days before we went away. Searched everywhere, but no luck. Yesterday I decided to go through all the trash and recycling but still did not find them. Then, When I was looking for something else, noticed the keys on a high shelf in the garage. I must have put them there when I was putting something else away. I had lost them nearly 3 weeks ago. I was so happy, and it also made me realise that I don’t actually need a car!

Anonymous

Glad you found your keys! I can go weeks without handling my keys, so I keep them strapped inside a small pouch along with my wallet. Have you thought of selling your car? We have just one car that spends most days in our garage. I work from home, and everyone else uses public transit.

I've been enjoying just being and trying not to work too hard. Every day I find myself laughing.

I love my kitchen! It's so much more organized and easier to keep clean.

TaRenee

Taxes done! Refund! WoooooHoooooo!!!

ScotBird

This thread has gone a bit quiet since Serenity stopped posting so regularly but I’m still practising noticing my thin slices of joy. Every night as I go to sleep, I ask myself what were the three best things in my day. Yesterday was weightlifting with my husband, playing piano with my 14 year old and watching my 12 year old run in a 4x100m relay in glorious sunshine. Doing this daily practice takes no time at all andhas fundamentally changed my life. It sounds like nothing, but it really makes a difference over time. Try it!

Thanks Serenity for starting this thread. I’m sending love and light to you today. Hope you are still enjoying your kitchen!

X

moth

My slices of joy:

It's a long weekend in BC!

Our newly adopted second dog makes me laugh.

So far taxol has been pretty easy; only 9 more to go!!!

TaRenee

Marvel Universe Movies. I watched 2 this weekend and now I need to go back and catch Infinity War and Winter Soldier. I forgot how much I loved Marvel comics.

ScotBird

Just got back from a lovely time visiting my DD in Oxford for a few days. It’s a beautiful city, and it wasso lovely to see her happy and settled. X

ScotBird

I just won tickets to see the musical Hamilton on London tomorrow evening. I’m super excited!

TaRenee

Hamilton!?!?!?!!!!!!!! I want to see that SO BAD. I can’t get tickets. You are so very lucky! Enjoy it some for me. I’ll be singing along from home. 👩🏽🎶

TaRenee

The Beach. Need I say more?

ScotBird

Just got back from visiting Barcelona. Absolutely loved every moment. Beautiful, beautiful place, great food, and lovely welcomingpeople! X

ScotBird

I’ve been doing intensive rehab physio therapy for the last 8 months as I had to have the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in my right knee reconstructed - I had ruptured it when I fell off a ladder about 4 years ago. This week I’ve been able to try running on the treadmill for the first time since the operation. I absolutely love running so this has made me incredibly happy! Only problem is I now have a really sore left hip, which I’ve ad since chemo. Nobody (physio, surgeon, doctor) seem to know what is causing the pain. Arthiritis, bursitis, sciatica or what. Still, running doesn’t seem to make it feel worse so I’m going to run!

TaRenee

I just got back from a week long vacation in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. It was amazing. While I was there I apparently lost my mind because I went Zip Lining off the side of a mountain. It was incredible! I faced my fear and did it! (I figure if I can fight Cancer, I can fight a fear of heights!)

Emalyn

This thin slices of joy forum is wonderful for me and my family. I am beginning to establish a new normal life after chemotherapy (TCHP), two lumpectomies (same breast), a month of every weekday radiation. For the next five months I will be continuing once every three weeks herceptin (immunotherapy) infusions. In addition, sometime in the next few months, I begin anti-estrogen therapy. It looks like the most difficult part of treatment is over. I consider myself one of the luckiest of the unlucky. While all aspects of the Intense treatment phase were unpleasant, my side effects were not overwhelming. Right now, my hair is growing back and I don't seem to have much lingering physical damage from the treatments.

Still, establishing a comfortable new normal is challenging. This idea of noticing and savoring those thin slices of joy as daily routine, is very helpful for me. I am finding it a gentle antidote to the trauma of coping with this disease and the treatments.

ScotBird

We got a new coffee table, this has made me very happy! Our old coffee table was horrible, it was given to me 8 years ago by a friend who was going to dump it and was worse for wear even then. I’m sohappy to say goodbye to the nasty old table, and hello to the beautiful new table!

Anonymous

Hello! I needed to take a break. I got busy with work, but I was also busy making travel plans with my daughter. We spent a couple of weeks in Europe this summer and had the most amazing time! My daughter thought it funny that I was constantly stopping to smell the flowers.

So, I do still notice little moments of joy, but I think I've been slacking off lately. I'll try to post more regularly.

ScotBird

Hi Serenity. Me too, life can get in the way, but I still notice the thin slices. You’ve made a major difference to my life, it really works. Today my lovely husband has brought me breakfast in bed so I’m very happy. I’ll also try to post more too! X

Anonymous

Hi ScotBird - Wow! I'm so glad this thread has made a difference in your life! It certainly has helped me. Breakfast in bed is wonderful. I'm fasting right now so I took a deep breath of fresh black coffee. Pup is curled up next to me.

moth

Fall is here. It's a sunny day and the birds are very vocal and happy in my garden. Whole flocks of them come, chattering away. One dark eyed junco hopped onto the deck right outside my office window and was picking at whatever debris there is between the cedar boards. They are such cheerful little birds.

Anonymous

Hi moth - Nice avatar! I love to hear the birds after a long winter.

CaliKelly

Yay! Really happy to find this one! I've tried throughout my over 2 years of treatments to find silver linings, joy and humor. My big joy is when I can help another woman to have less fear. At my gym, I overheard a woman talking about a biopsy she had just had, it was cancer, and she was terrified. I had gone through chemo, radiation, 2 surgeries and more chemo by then, but I had been working out again(My other joy), gained back my weight, hair etc. Anyway i looked fit and healthy. I talked to her, told her what to expect, I said look at me, I'm fine! Strong and healthy! Later she came to me and said after that day, she had no fears and gave me the credit for that. I felt wonderful, and go out of my way to talk to anyone about my cancer, in case they are, or know someone who is scared that life will never be the same, after a diagnosis. Several other women at my gym have sought me out now, guess the word got around😄Silver lining!

Flynn

What a lovely idea! I never saw this thread before. A friend and I decided to write down something that we’re thankful for or that brings us joy every day in November. (We’re seeing each other right after Thanksgiving) Then we’re going to compare how we feel. I do believe positive thinking during difficult times requires mental exercise.

Anonymous

CaliKelly - Good job helping others! My work is not as meaningful as I would like. I need to work on that.

Flynn - Hope you and your friend end up with very long lists! Practice makes finding joy easier (trying to avoid "perfect").

As I write my home is smelling more delicious by the minute. My husband brought home pork belly and is slow roasting it right now. Glad I'm not fasting today. Can't wait until dinner!

Anonymous

Will be watching Hallloween for the first time tonight! Got candy and wine. We’re so posh.

CaliKelly

What?!First time to watch Halloween! It's a must watch, every year! They don't make em like that anymore, they get too gruesome now. Hope you enjoyed it and didn't get too scared! Lock the doors!🍊😉

Anonymous

I did enjoy it. At one point, I yelled out, “No, don’t drop the knife!”

I don’t watch horror movies very often. My daughter said she only likes to watch them because she likes to laugh at my reactions.

Anonymous

I need to write this down as a reminder. I started this thread because I was tired of being in pain and wanted to force myself to recognize the thin slices of joy. It helped. My pain level is very low now, but I want to improve my lymphedema (it's still a mild case).

So, the Stockdale Paradox reminds me that my lymphedema will not improve if I don't do the work. I fixed my sciatica. If I do everything my kinesiologist tells me to do, my lymphedema will improve.

Things to do:

1) Move - I don't exercise, and when I'm working, I can be still for hours. But hey, do I have focus! No chemo brain here.

2) Wear my sleeves regularly - I have a new one that looks less medicinal than the old. Almost Black Pantherish.

3) Eat better - I gained weight during my summer travels. Lots of chocolates, tiramisu, and Prosecco. Lots.Anyway, I've lost some, but have more to go.

That's the plan.