1st August 2009

The Power of Instinct 1 reply

This morning I was going about my morning routine when my neighbor stopped to chat.  He informed me that his wife has a brain tumor.  My mouth dropped open.  My neighbor’s wife has been suffering from something for two years, progressively worsening.  She will have surgery - they will see the doctor Monday - and from there, surgery will take place sooner rather than later.  It’s likely benign, as 90% of brain tumors are according to my neighbors’ information. 

Here’s what amazes me - they’ve known something was up for two years.  In fact, when she took a fall about two years ago down the stairs, they scanned her head for something then.  They didn’t see anything.  Now it is revealed that they missed it.  In fact, the doc pulled out the original scan and compared it to what she has now - and it was there, even then. 

As I’ve written about doctors in relationship to Melina in the last post, many moms who are also clients of mine, told me to trust my instinct.  In fact, a trusted male friend of mine told me how much he has learned to trust his wife’s instincts as it relates to his son.  If something in your gut says something’s wrong, or something’s off-kilter, why is that we filter these things out?

My neighbor’s brain tumor is now the size of a ping pong ball - and has the potential to serve up some serious risks, including 50% chance of stroke.  She’s lived a tough life for the past two years, including slurred speech, cognitive problems, and a progressively worsening unsteady gait.  To think all this time, it was a brain tumor that they quickly ruled out initially. 

Trust your instincts and get a second & yes, third doctor’s opinion when something is bothering you physically.  I have a sister-in-law who persisted on an odd mole or freckle - she’s a smart nurse - mother of four, and thankfully because she persisted after two doctors dismissed as “nothing”, she actually had stage 2 skin cancer (stage 4 is where they tell you to prepare your will).

 At the same time, you also have to trust in positive energy, which feeds a lot of our health, both physical and spiritual.  Which leads me to a really nice sentiment tonight.  I was pondering over a comment made by a colleague about my blog.  I choose to write about things personal, despite having a professional career.  It’s possible that my personal blog could affect other parts of my business in some way.  That said, as one of my female/mother/clients said - stay true to yourself.  I’ve often hoped that my writings would one day be recognized in some way - as it relates to my daughter - again, a personal instinct - non-medical but just a “feeling”.

I wanted to write about how I felt tonight, and I opened up my email, something which I typically avoid on Saturdays as I need “one” day to be offline (off work).  I received one of the best emails I think I’ve received in a very, very long time from an entity that will remain nameless until I’m given permission to mention them.  But basically, they’ve compiled a fascinating piece of work about bloggers along a particular historical timeline.  They’ve asked if I could be mentioned in this piece of work, and they attached an excerpt from this blog. 

What they chose to excerpt brought tears to my eyes as a blogger, as a Mom, and as professional working woman.  I’ll hold off on referencing it until I hear more details from them on what’s allowed to be said in regards to this piece of work.  I thought it was ironic, considering that on one hand, I might be questioned as to what I write on my blog.  I’ve always loved writing, and in fact, owe it to a former boyfriend who told me I needed a hobby.  I was 100% workaholic at the time.  If there were two things that I could do, and money was no object, it would be writing and photography, somehow intertwining the two. 

This evening I recalled my morning and the news of my neighbor.  I thought it was nicely ironic that I had chosen to photograph that one wild sunflower peaking in my front garden.  When I heard about her brain tumor, there was no other place that the sunflower belonged, other than in a colorful spring vase of cut flowers for her in her house.  I delighted in being able to take something from my garden and pass it on to her, if something so simple as a bright sunflower and some orange mums that were beginning to bloom.  I had the pleasure of seeing goldfinch birds feed off of that sunflower as the vase sat on her front porch for a portion of the day.  I was glad I had photographed this one wild sunflower, which has never grown there before, and was not intentionally planted, so that another person who needed it more now, could enjoy it.

So tonight, as I talk about a mother’s and a woman’s instinct - it’s only fitting that someone, somewhere has captured what I’ve shared before on my blog and wishes to publish those comments - and I’m so happy to say - it’s in reference to my daughter and the power of emotion. 

One Response to “The Power of Instinct”

  1. The Power of Instinct | film news says:
    August 1st, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    […] here: The Power of Instinct Tagged as: antarctica, december-2007, environmental-awareness, global-warming, lost-twin, […]

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