Healthy Happy Loving Life: Chemo Mission Complete!

30 Saturday Jul 2022

Posted by Kebba Buckley Button in beating cancer, chemo, chemotherapy, Dealing with stress, rainbows, stress, Stress Management, the life you want

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beating cancer, chemo, chemotherapy, Grief, Kebba Buckley Button, rainbows, The life you want, UpBeat Living

Last July, I was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. I suddenly began a journey with Mayo Clinic, involving surgery and chemotherapy. Mayo is very serious about beating cancer. Within days of the diagnosis, I was in surgery, then chemo every 4 weeks for a year, plus many blood draws and scans to see how I was doing. Friends gave me many rides to my many appointments.

Here, I am sharing 4 images that are very important to me. After those many visits to the chemo unit, I wanted a photo of me in the chair. And I love the image of the drip monitor saying, “INFUSION COMPLETE”. Yes! The series is complete, and I will never need to be in that room again. We did the work. The colorful certificate, above, was provided by the nurses, a team of whom presented themselves cheerfully at the completion of my last infusion. They were wearing sparkly hats and carrying quiet noisemakers, jumping up and down, celebrating my success.

Finally, I love rainbows and their meaning as God’s promise/s that all will be well, starting now. And here is one that God offered me a few days ago, after a PET scan showed there is no longer any cancer!!

Mayo will continue to draw my blood and scan me, for several years. But now I focus on getting my strength back and enjoying my life and loved ones, my work and my clients. And that is me, shaping the new life I want, ever more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

In my daily series this month, I hope to strongly convince you that positive living is the way to be, and that it results in greater health and happiness and joy. Plus, it’s more fun! And that would be me and you, shaping our lives anew, ever more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

Kebba Buckley Button is a stress management expert, holistic healer, and award-winning author who celebrates life. She has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within: Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine. The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office. They are also available in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Franciscan Renewal Center bookstore and at the bookstore at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church. Or simply email us to order: kebba@kebba.com . Thank you!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: My Ridiculous Year Since My Life Turned On A Dime

28 Thursday Jul 2022

Posted by Kebba Buckley Button in beating cancer, Dealing with stress, loss of a spouse, stress, Stress Management, the life you want

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beating cancer, Grief, Grieving, Kebba Buckley Button, loss of a spouse, The life you want, UpBeat Living

Ron and Kebba Button. Image by Judy Mangino.

Today marks the milestone of one year since my life became ridiculous. One year ago, I suddenly became a chemo patient, a widow, and a home flood survivor. My husband was 19 years older than me, and he preferred not to have any medical help. As he had been very ill, I was not surprised when he began vomiting blood. There is no sight like 6 buff paramedics in your front hallway, each holding strange boxes and parcels of equipment. They quickly determined Hunky Husband needed to go immediately to a certain hospital– the nearest, and a fantastic emergency/trauma center. He would never come home again.

My identity as wife changed to my identity as widow in days. Most of the time I was going through chemo, I was a widow. I had his wedding band resized for me, and I wore it all the time. But now, stepping over the threshold into my new life, it no longer works to define myself in relation to that chapter of my life. It no longer works to define myself by the post-surgical pain, the chemo pain, or the pain of mourning. My husband and I each did our best in the number of years we had together. It’s time to bless and release those years. Now it’s time for me to take care of myself and do and be what I am called to do and be.

For me, as a person of faith, I saw God was clearing the decks for me to move into my New Life. It hasn’t been easy. But there was one direction in which to move: forward.

I am so grateful for the staffs of the facilities that treated my husband, and the Mayo Clinic, which has been treating me. I am grateful for the friends who took me to frequent appointments and to pick up my husband’s ashes. I am grateful for all those who helped me celebrate Hunky Husband’s life, on his 88th birthday, in September. I am grateful to my writer friends in the Ultimate Blog Challenge, who gave my life rhythm during the August, November, January, April, and (now) July blog challenges. Writing has been great therapy! So great for keeping the mind and heart fresh! And the friendships have bolstered me more than you may all know. I am so grateful for everyone who helped me, prayed for me, sent kind notes, included me in events, and rushed to hug me.

I am especially grateful for my husband’s son, who teamed with me to oversee my husband’s care in his last few weeks. Also for my Hospice counselor friend who gives me regular grief counseling, keeping my perspective ticking.

After my Ridiculous Year, I am a deeper person. I laugh if someone tries to be rude– I just don’t care. Such things are not “of me”, and they do not matter. I am more calmly caring, my rough edges worn away by pain and trials. Every good thing seems so sweet. I greet my house when I come home: hello, sweet house! I savor the friendships that have become more deep and textured in the last year.

I am grateful for the love of friends, some of whom sent cards, and some whom texted their love and support and prayers daily. I am grateful for my home prayer team, the Order of Saint Luke (OSL), whose love and compassion and prayers kept me going when I could hardly walk, and since. I am grateful for relatives understanding I needed tons of extra rest and quiet, not gatherings and calls. I am grateful to the Masonic and Shrine families, who declared their undying love and support for me, together with permanent invitations to all events.

I am grateful for the beautiful skies, sunny days and rainy ones. I treasure the miraculous sky photos I am able to capture. I give thanks for many goofy little things, like a perfectly ripe avocado, California rolls, and a new Mickey Mouse mug brought by friends from Disney Orlando. I am grateful for my conversations with blogger friends, their articles taking me where I would not have thought to go during these months of shock and juggling widowy paperwork. I am grateful that my healing clients are coming back; I love serving them. I love this one-year milestone and all of my progress. It is a huge blessing to feel my vitality and enthusiasm coming back. I have taken my wedding rings off, for embarking on this new time in my life. My Ridiculous Year is giving way, with grace, to my New Beautiful Life.

I had set the goal of not carrying this story beyond one year. So this piece is the end of my telling this story. Now I focus on my health and re-setting my home, and enjoying my life and loved ones, my work and my clients. And that is me, shaping the new life I want, ever more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Milestones and Gratitude

30 Saturday Apr 2022

Posted by Kebba Buckley Button in beating cancer, Dealing with stress, loss of a spouse, stress, Stress Management, the life you want

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beating cancer, Gratitude, Kebba Buckley Button, loss of a spouse, Practice gratitude, The life you want, UpBeat Living

Today marks a few milestones, and I celebrate my growth and life with rich exuberance– for a quiet person. Nine months ago, my husband passed to Heaven, and I became a widow. It’s all right– he was released from terrible pain, and it was his Time. It’s not quite like when I was single before marriage. There is a greater depth now, to my friendships, especially with those who have lost their spouses or other loved ones. Life has a richer texture somehow. I had my husband’s diamond wedding ring resized for me. It’s beautiful.

Today marks 10 months since I had cancer surgery and began a close relationship with the Mayo Clinic. I have chemo every 4 weeks, but only several cycles are left. I am shocking the doctors with my lack of side effects. I have all my hair and no digestive issues. But I remind them, I do energy therapy on myself daily, and I don’t eat a normal American diet. My diet is mainly organic and based on green salads and vegetables and fruits, not grains. I am now able to lift and drive. My true strength is coming back, and I am hardly ever dizzy. My mind is clear. What a relief! I am almost ready to unearth my treadmill, which I love. Over half the files and superfluous Stuff have left the house. I’m still joyfully working on clearing. It wouldn’t bother me for my home to look like the After of an HGTV project.

The UBC blog challenges–30 articles every 3 months– have helped me to have structure in this time of transition. I wrote daily through the August, November, January, and now April challenges. I got to know very interesting writers from various regions of the US and from a few distant countries. I became friends with a few. I did spiritual counseling by text more than once. I sent tiny garden gloves (hard to find!) to a 3-year-old blogger, Lia, and she later sent me tea and homemade zucchini lemon cake. Lia named the rooster painting in my kitchen when I ran a contest– he’s called “Sunshine”, so when I walk into the kitchen in the morning I can say, “Good morning, Sunshine!”

This month, I studied poetry with Vidya Tiru, painting with Amanda Trought, Lily Leung and Alice Girard, retirement plans with Roy Ackerman, spiritual topics with Victoria Juster, and homesteading with Laurie Cover. I went to State Capitols with Samantha Griffin Taki. I studied coffees (yum!) with Tamara Gerber-Stutz, and homemade cooking with Melinda Egger Brown. I learned ingredient swaps for healthy cooking from (Dr.) Dominique Brooks and got vegan recipes from Kimberly Winters. I was inspired by the kitchen refurb Martha DeMeo pulled off; I got gardening inspiration and delicious recipes and so much more from this dear friend. I studied content writing with Bing Aranzano. One extraordinary week, I got to meet Florence Callender, the learning/dyslexia expert, in person, when she came to my city for a conference. We had great fun taking photos of us both– in the same shot! I studied creativity with Julie JordanScott. And of course, I learned cool blogging/blogsite/website pointers from Paul Taubman, The Digital Maestro and our cheerful leader for the UBC.

For the April challenge, I wrote entirely new material every day, and I was more bold in telling my truth. I found I was in The Flow more than ever before. I got noticed, liked, and followed by people I had never heard of. The new material has stoked my Ring of Fire and my healing practice. I’m seeing clients again and working at a higher level. I wonder what will happen in the July challenge??

So this is my last piece for a couple of months. I’m turning my attention to writing for my new website. I hope, in this series, I have greatly convinced many that positive living is the way to be, and it results in greater health and happiness and joy. And that would be me and you, shaping our lives anew, ever more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button

Healthy Happy Loving Life: Milestones Since My Life Turned On A Dime

31 Monday Jan 2022

Posted by Kebba Buckley Button in beating cancer, Dealing with stress, loss of a spouse, stress, Stress Management, the life you want

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beating cancer, Grief, Grieving, Kebba Buckley Button, loss of a spouse, The life you want, UpBeat Living

Ron and Kebba Button. Image by Judy Mangino.

Life often has interesting twists and turns. The Chinese have a curse, “May you live in interesting times.” And my life has been a bit too interesting over the last few months. If you like, skip past the bullet points, to see what all I am grateful for at the half-year mark.

A half year ago, my life turned on a dime and then turned again, over a few weeks’ time–and nothing to do with COVID.

June 17. I showed a weird leg spot to my dermatologist, who reacted strongly and took a biopsy.
June 18. The dermatologist called me and my husband to meet with him at his office. I was diagnosed with a rare and malignant form of melanoma.
June 23. My husband and I met my new surgeon at Mayo Clinic, north Phoenix. I started some pre-surgical scans and tests.
June 26. My husband was vomiting blood and was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance. He never came home again.
June 30. I started operating 2 hospital portals, to handle my own care and my husband’s.
July 2. A dear friend took me for final tests and scans at Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, then surgery at Mayo Clinic Phoenix. I now had a 3″ incision for removal of a lymph node and a 7″ incision on my thigh, to remove the cancer and its margins. All the tissue was declared cancer-free, but I needed to begin 12 months of chemo to be sure.
July 10. My husband’s son– a fine man– arrived from California. I was unable to visit my husband in person very much, but Glenn stayed in his room for hours each day. My husband and I used Facetime a lot, and it was wonderful!
July 27. My husband, no longer responsive, was taken to Ryan House of Hospice of the Valley–clearly an outpost of Heaven.
July 28. I had my first chemotherapy.
August 1. My husband passed at Ryan House. No more pain!
August 1. The Ultimate Blog Challenge began for the month. Already registered, I decided to blast in and write daily articles as a form of therapy. No one in the UBC knew what had been happening in my life lately. I wrote for half a month before telling anyone. It was wonderful to read my friends’ articles and trade comments with them. Also, I made a few new blogger friends that month. I also completed the November UBC and the January 2022 UBC. So great for keeping the mind and heart fresh!

I have many points of gratitude. My husband had been so ill that I was relieved for him when he passed. Of course, I have missed him horribly, but with much love and support, this is getting easier weekly. I am grateful for the staffs of the facilities that treated us both, with competency, tact, and compassion. I am grateful for the dear friends who took me to frequent appointments and to my husband’s hospital to visit him. I am grateful for my husband’s son, who teamed with me to oversee my husband’s care in his last few weeks. I am grateful for my Hospice counselor friend who gives me regular grief counseling. I am grateful for the love of friends, some of whom sent cards, and some whom texted their love and support and prayers daily. I am grateful for my own prayer team, the Order of Saint Luke (OSL), whose love and compassion and prayers kept me going when I could hardly walk, and since. I am grateful for relatives understanding I needed tons of extra rest and quiet, not gatherings and calls. I am grateful to the Masonic and Shrine families, who declared their undying love and support for me, together with permanent invitations to all events; I am grateful to those who popped up at events, joyful to see me, and rushed over to give me huge hugs.

I am grateful for the beautiful skies, sunny days and rainy ones. I give thanks for many goofy little things, like a ripe pear and a cane with 4 feet and a fold-down seat. I am grateful for my recovery and emotional growth during this half-year. I am grateful that I can now drive with comfort and lift a big bag of groceries–but not at the same time. I am grateful for my conversations with blogger friends, their articles taking me where I would not have thought to go during these weeks of shock and juggling widowy paperwork. I am grateful to the friends who come to get goods and books for donations and boxes full of files to be shredded. I am grateful that my healing clients are coming back; I love serving them. I love this 6-month milestone and all of my progress. It is a huge blessing to feel my vitality and enthusiasm coming back.

I had set the goal of not carrying this story beyond the first 6 months. So this piece is the end of my telling this story. Now I focus on my health and re-setting my home, and enjoying my life and loved ones. And that is me, shaping the new life I want, ever more Healthy Happy and Loving Life^sm!

Books by Kebba Buckley Button