When Cancer Met Its Match


Have you ever had a conversation with a friend...and just about when you are ready to hang up, you get some jaw-dropping, eye-bulging, "I-can't-believe-this-is-true" kind of news? 

Such was the case in a recent conversation I had with my friend Louise Sattler.  Some of you may know her from Signing Families.  You may know that she is one of the recipients of our Kidlutions Preferred Product Award.  You might know her because she has helped train countless number of EMS and medical staff in the use of American Sign Language in crisis situtations. 

If you know her, you know she is a force to be reckoned with, inimitable and indomitable!  She is a live wire...or as she refers to herself...."FESTIVE".  She's all of that and then some.


The inimitable, indomitable Louise Masin Sattler. 

So after discussing business and other fun ventures, we were just about to hang up and she drops the bomb...

"I'm having a little surgery on my thyroid...."  and "it's cancer."  "But if you have to have cancer, it's the best kind to have.  I'll be off to MAC World and it will business as usual within 2 short weeks."  GULP!

CANCER? Are you kidding me?  Are you serious? 

YES. (Find out more of the deets here.)

Wait a minute...you dropped a bomb.  You can't just say that and end the conversation.

Several conversations later, I know that Louise is ready.  She is preparing for the battle that will take place in the operating room tomorrow.  (I think she's been preparing since she got the news...the news that she kept to herself for so long).  Tomorrow, she goes into surgery, surrounded by a team of experts she has amassed, ready to slay the dragon.  She'll also be surrounded by her PRAYER WARRIORS, the ones who will be with her in spirit...reaching out from all corners of the world...until she emerges, victorious.

Cancer can do a lot of things.  One thing it CAN'T do is infect someone's spirit.  Louise has put on her boxing gloves.  Attitude has a huge impact on one's overall adjustment.  It's easy to have a great attitude when all is well in our world.  It's when the chips are down that what one is really made of shines through. 

Louise, you are a force to be reckoned with.  Cancer has met its match.  Put up your dukes.  It's lights out for the cancer tomorrow. 

And when it is all said and done, you can add this to your list of accomplishments:

CANCER SURVIVOR

Thanks for showing us all how to rise above, keep our head in the game and charge fearlessly into that which we could choose to let destroy us. 

You are some kind of wonderful!

Godspeed, my friend!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Wendy- thanks for being such a great friend and more importantly a friend and educator to countless others. When they wheel me in tomorrow I will be slugging away for me.. and for thousands of others.

What can all of you do? Please ask your physicians to check your thyroid. Especially if you are hoarse, have a persistent cough, feel an irregular lump or thickness in your neck or have difficulty swallowing. Also, if you have been exposed to a bit of radiation. For more info go to http://www.thyca.org

Save a life and be vigilant about self exams (for thyroid, breast, prostate cancers and others through regular check ups)

Off to war now... thanks again everyone!
won said…
I will be thinking even more about Louise tomorrow than I have been these last few days!
Unknown said…
UPDATE: Wendy - I was just sent this article by someone researching my work with children who use sign language... I had forgotten about it and must say that I am so grateful that you wrote it on my behalf. And so sorry that I have forgotten to update your readers.

I wanted to let your readers know a few things that I learned about "slaying the cancer dragon"....

1- There is no substitute for good old support from family and friends. Those who face the cancer battle should wear their support and prayers like a cloak of armor.

2- Surround yourself with the best health professionals and be an advocate for your health. Sometimes that means traveling a distance, begging to stay with friends who may live closer to a treatment facility or bargaining with insurance companies.

3- Cancer does not define who you ARE... it is just "one block" in the grand tapestry of your life. My cancer block has been sewn in to the fabric that makes me who I am... but I am now busy sewing other "blocks" that will be part of my being, too. I refuse to be defined as the person who has cancer, but as Louise, mom, wife, daughter..... blah...blah.. and ... OH... who HAD cancer!

And lastly, know that cancer, albeit very scary, is not always a death sentence. I slayed my dragon with the help of any army of friends, family and doctors. I pray that other do the same.

Once again, thank you my friend.

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