~ Yoga & Water Aerobics

So far, today has been fairly routine.
1.5 hours of yoga followed by 45 minutes
of water aerobics and laps in the pool.
Will be back to pounding the pavement
tomorrow...


Monday, August 27 ~ Rest Day
Today was my official "rest day" so I took a break from walking or yoga or swimming. I did go downtown to big Baylor for a very special book premiere of TORCH, Tales of Remarkable Courage and Hope. This book is a collection of personal cancer stories written by ovarian cancer survivors and just from reading the Acknowledgements by Survivor Becky Teter and the Forward by C. Allen Stringer, MD, it is obvious that this is going to be a unique and special read. I will also add that although this is about ovarian cancer, the spirit of the book easily crosses over to any malignancy.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the cover artwork painted by Shannon Kincaid-Stringer (wife of Dr. Allen Stringer). It is a compelling image of a woman that will indeed infuse courage and hope in all who take time to study it. It is the manner in which the woman is postured in spite of the wind, the determination in her face, the strength of her arm that holds high the torch of hope, the regal purple garment, the hellish firey background that are all testament of the battle she leaves behind as she goes forth extending promise, hope and courage for those who have yet to enter the war. Copies of TORCH can be purchased at Ernie's Appearance Center in the Sammons Cancer Center Lobby at Baylor. So, why not take a drive down to Baylor, stop in Ernie's and buy a copy in support of these women survivors who have so courageously shared their stories. By then, someone in Ernie's should know the final display location for this awe-inspiring piece of art so you can go view it for yourself.

I was able to get two copies of the book at the event and I plan on sending one of the copies to a very special friend of mine in California. I met Janis through a long term survivor mailing list I've belonged to for years (I encourage you to look at this great website: http://www.acor.org/) and also in person when she was in Dallas last December on business. Anyway, Janis was diagnosed at age 17 in 1970 with advanced ovarian cancer and beat it. As you can imagine, her journey has been a long and complicated one, yet I can tell you that she is vibrant and her spirit remains strong. Recently, she went back to Yale for a check up and she has been declared the longest survivor of ovarian cancer that Yale has ever had. Now THAT speaks volumes! Janis, if you're reading this, you are at the very top of my "hero heap"!