The Gift of Good Health
This Thursday I am so thankful for my health and the health of my husband and daughter.
It's something we take for granted so often, being healthy. We go about our lives not really appreciating the fact that we can do the things we do without chronic pain, disease and other issues.
Yesterday, while I spent the day exploring my own town and introducing Punky to sand, two people were having surgery. One of them was having cysts removed from his back. The other was having surgery to remove bowel cancer. While one is much worse than the other, both have been suffering for some time and both have quite a ways to go for recovery. One has slimmer chances of a full recovery.
My Grandmother died from cancer, after battling many other health issues for most of her adult life. She was upbeat and positive to the end, but it was hard seeing a woman with so much zest for life and the sharpest mind around, confined to a bed and unable to look after herself.
Last week my Aunty (my Mum's sister) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent emergency surgery to have a shunt placed in her bile duct. It's now a matter of time and lots of tests to find out just how bad the cancer is and what the plan of treatment will be.
My Uncle's (my Mum's brother) cancer seems to have had the pause button hit. It's not going away but it's not growing. But his chest is still very weak and pneumonia is an almost weekly occurrence.
My cousin (the above Aunty's daughter) gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy 11 days after I had Punky. He was born 6 weeks early and has multiple health complications, as well as Down Syndrome. This week, after 9 and a half months of life, he was finally given the OK to come off oxygen. He is doing amazingly well, the hole in his heart has healed, he's had hearing aids fitted and his speech pathologist says that he is above the normal range for children his age. No mean feat for a child the doctors said should have been terminated and wouldn't survive beyond a few days after birth.
My father was diagnosed and succesfully treated for prostate cancer just over 5 years ago. He's been cancer free for 5 years now, and despite having developed Type-2 diabetes he is doing ridiculously well.
With all of the health issues that face my family and my friends, and the fact that through genetics I am highly predisposed to certain health issues and cancers myself, I am reminded every day of just how lucky I am to be healthy, and to have a husband and daughter who, despite my husbands high blood pressure (genetic, he's had it since 19) are in amazing health. It gives me new motivation each day to find new ways to look after myself and to lose this weight I've been carrying around.
It doesn't matter how much money or stuff you have, if you don't have your health you haven't got a whole lot and I'm determined to look after mine and to try and set a good example for my daughter so that she will have the gift of good health for many years to come.
It's something we take for granted so often, being healthy. We go about our lives not really appreciating the fact that we can do the things we do without chronic pain, disease and other issues.
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| We are so lucky that our little girl is strong and healthy and that both Dave and I are in good enough health to be able to take our baby exploring and discovering sand for the very first time. Not everyone is as fortunate. |
Yesterday, while I spent the day exploring my own town and introducing Punky to sand, two people were having surgery. One of them was having cysts removed from his back. The other was having surgery to remove bowel cancer. While one is much worse than the other, both have been suffering for some time and both have quite a ways to go for recovery. One has slimmer chances of a full recovery.
My Grandmother died from cancer, after battling many other health issues for most of her adult life. She was upbeat and positive to the end, but it was hard seeing a woman with so much zest for life and the sharpest mind around, confined to a bed and unable to look after herself.
Last week my Aunty (my Mum's sister) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent emergency surgery to have a shunt placed in her bile duct. It's now a matter of time and lots of tests to find out just how bad the cancer is and what the plan of treatment will be.
My Uncle's (my Mum's brother) cancer seems to have had the pause button hit. It's not going away but it's not growing. But his chest is still very weak and pneumonia is an almost weekly occurrence.
My cousin (the above Aunty's daughter) gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy 11 days after I had Punky. He was born 6 weeks early and has multiple health complications, as well as Down Syndrome. This week, after 9 and a half months of life, he was finally given the OK to come off oxygen. He is doing amazingly well, the hole in his heart has healed, he's had hearing aids fitted and his speech pathologist says that he is above the normal range for children his age. No mean feat for a child the doctors said should have been terminated and wouldn't survive beyond a few days after birth.
My father was diagnosed and succesfully treated for prostate cancer just over 5 years ago. He's been cancer free for 5 years now, and despite having developed Type-2 diabetes he is doing ridiculously well.
With all of the health issues that face my family and my friends, and the fact that through genetics I am highly predisposed to certain health issues and cancers myself, I am reminded every day of just how lucky I am to be healthy, and to have a husband and daughter who, despite my husbands high blood pressure (genetic, he's had it since 19) are in amazing health. It gives me new motivation each day to find new ways to look after myself and to lose this weight I've been carrying around.
It doesn't matter how much money or stuff you have, if you don't have your health you haven't got a whole lot and I'm determined to look after mine and to try and set a good example for my daughter so that she will have the gift of good health for many years to come.
Comments
Have the best week and enjoy the outdoors - isn't the weather just beautiful at the moment.
Me
Glad to hear your cousin's bub is doing so well :) but sorry about your Aunty! That sucks man.
Let's get working on this health biz. More walking less coffee!
x
I hope those who had surgery are recovering well. I hope your aunt and uncle are doing okay and I'm very happy to hear about your cousins boy is doing so well. A wonderful thing to celebrate.
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