Stepping Stones For Survival

Cec Murphey has a talent for being down-to-earth and transparent. He has lived up to his reputation in this gift book.

Cec has made the book of Ecclesiastes come alive with examples from his life and through his humble prayers.

In a gentle way, he helps the readers understand that for everything there is a season whether it be a time to tear down and a time to build up, or a time to embrace and a time to turn away.

I highly recommend this book for those going through some of life’s changes, such as divorce, death of a loved one, a life-threatening illness, a job change, a move to another city or aging.

Nancy J. Locke provided exquisite photographs that add to the hope and comfort of each chapter

Pastors, parents, chaplains, Bible teachers, counselors, doctors and nurses will find this gift book a wonderful addition to their library and a book they can share with others.

People often ask me how I hung onto hope in the midst of cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. They also ask how they can hang onto hope in the midst of cancer. I tell them about the things that worked for me.

A CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

Those in a cancer support group are in all stages of recovery. Those who have been in remission ten, fifteen or twenty years provide encouragement and support. Because of them, we newcomers don’t feel alone or misunderstood in the midst of cancer.

FAITH

When we face a life-threatening disease, God can become our strength, our comforter, and our dearest friend if we let him. We can memorize Scriptures that bring us hope and cling to them. Church friends and activities can remain or become a part of our lives.

FRIENDS

After surgery and during cancer treatment, some of us can’t socialize as much as before. However, we can talk with friends on the phone, enjoy short visits, and go to lunch or dinner with them.

JOURNALING

We can journal our thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or rejection. We can write to heal on paper or at the computer.

LAUGHTER

“A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Daily doses of this good medicine include watching comedies, reading joke books and asking family and friends to send us humorous cards.

MUSIC

Music calms the heart and soul. I like classical music, especially violin and piano and therefore, listened to it. Praise & worship music can be especially soothing and uplifting. It helps us keep a proper perspective and focus on God.

PROPER REST AND NUTRITION

We can sleep eight hours at night and feel better in the daytime. If we need a nap, we take it without guilt and shame. A balanced diet of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, and grains helps more than we can imagine. Some of us do better without fried foods, shell fish, and pork, and so we avoid them.

 If anyone has any other suggestions for hanging onto hope in the midst of cancer, please feel free to comment.

 Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega July 30, 2010

Nehemiah 9:28: “And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.”

 In Nehemiah chapter 9, the people listened to the Book of the Law for a quarter of the day. Afterward, they confessed their sins and worshipped the Lord for another quarter of the day. Chapter 9 reminds us of God’s love and compassion for his people. As we read about how many times the Israelites turned away from God and then suffered the consequences of their sins, we might be tempted to wonder how they could have been so stubborn and foolish. We might even think they were dumb. And yet we do the same thing. We cry out for help. God hears us and helps us turn our lives around. Then like the Israelites did, we get comfortable. We forget about God and live our own way. It’s amazing that a small nation like Israel survived and rebuilt the temple in fifty-two days. We too can cry out to God, confess our sins, and rebuild our lives, our marriages, our families, our jobs, and our churches. Then we also can stand and praise the Lord for his compassion to us time after time.

 Dear God, help me confess my sins to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 Application: When will you praise the Lord for his compassion to you?

 Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega June 15, 2010.

 Revell will publish the second edition of my book, Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer, in September 2010.

 My  blogtalk radio show, “Hope for the Journey,” is on Tuesdays at 10:00 am EST at www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey . Archives are available.

 Please visit my Web site at www.yvonneortega.com or my blog, Stepping Stones, on my Web site. Please read my book, Hope for the Journey through Cancer, Revell.

 ***This devotion is also available in Spanish.***

 If you do not wish to receive my weekly devotion, please hit reply and write “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Thank you.

 May God bless you richly.

Jeanne Breden was one of the first writers I met at the Maine Christian Writers Fellowship in August 2000. She enjoyed poetry and started a poetry round robin. Each person in the group would submit a poem and the next person would critique the first poem and submit one also. I signed up for the poetry round robin and later looked forward to the monthly envelope of poetry submissions from several writers in Maine. Jeanne won awards for her Tanka poetry and her devotions.

Jeanne was the first person to tell me God had called me to write and speak. I don’t know how she knew, but she did. She and Vicki Schad prayed over me for God’s blessings on my future ministry.

Beautiful e-greeting cards arrived in my inbox once or twice a week from Jeanne. No matter what the occasion, I could count on a musical e-card from her. She seemed to sense my needs and sent me appropriate e-cards when I needed them.

I attended the Maine conference three summers in a row. Jeanne invited me to teach a workshop for the conference in 2001. Initially, I refused. She e-mailed me back and listed all the reasons why I should. I presented the workshop and enjoyed a reunion with Jeanne and the others.

In 2002, Jeanne invited me to present another workshop. I accepted without hesitation and enjoyed a second reunion with Jeanne and the other writers in Maine.

Jeanne was my friend, a prayer warrior who faithfully interceded for me and my family, an encourager who brought out the best in me and others, and a creative person who sent me surprise packages. My book, Hope for the Journey through Cancer, has cosmos flowers on the cover. Jeanne sent me refrigerator magnets with pictures of the cosmos flowers in her backyard and the word, “hope,” on them. The magnets reflected Jeanne’s creativity, her love and her friendship. The cards and surprises continued until Jeanne’s diagnosis of a brain tumor in 2009.

Jeanne went home to be with the Lord on January 23, 2010. I miss her, her prayers, and her encouragement. I can still hear her gentle laughter. I treasure the cosmos magnet on my refrigerator and look forward to seeing her again one day in heaven.

 Copyright © March 2010 by Yvonne Ortega

• Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide.
• About 473,000 cases of cervical cancer occur worldwide yearly.
• About 253,500 women worldwide die each year from cervical cancer.

1. For women age 21 or older, have an annual pap test (smear) which detects abnormal cells that can lead to cervical cancer.
2. For women age 30 or older, have the pap test and the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) test together annually. The HPV test detects the virus that causes cervical cancer.
3. Ask your doctor for the HPV vaccination for two of the types of HPV which is available for girls 11-12 years old and for girls and young women up to age 26.
4. Even with the HPV vaccination, women still need to go for annual screening.
5. Take the pledge to prevent cervical cancer sponsored by the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation at http://www.cervicalcancercampagin.org/
6. Sign up for a free annual reminder for your pap test and HPV test at the above Web site.
7. At www.thepearlofwisdom.us/ purchase the “Pearl of Wisdom” pin, the symbol of cervical cancer prevention.
8. At the site mentioned in #7, choose a free “Pearl of Wisdom” banner for your Web site, blog, Facebook, or MySpace page to raise cervical cancer awareness.
9. If you have cervical cancer or HPV, call The National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) at 1-800-685-5531 and ask about the phone/e-mail pals program which will match you with a woman going through the same thing you are.
10. If you have questions or concerns about cervical cancer, HPV, or the HPV vaccination, submit them to “Ask a Doc at the same Web site already cited.

Copyright © January 2010 by Yvonne Ortega

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. What are you doing to protect your lungs? Many people say they don’t smoke and presume they are safe. However, they work with or live with smokers. Perhaps they go to public places where smokers are. They are exposed to secondhand smoke, a combination of smoke given off by the burning end of a tobacco product and the smoke exhaled by the smoker.

We are exposed to more than 4,000 chemicals identified in secondhand smoke; 250 are harmful, and 50 of them cause cancer.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. National Toxicology Program, the U.S. Surgeon General, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (see American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org), secondhand smoke is a human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). It causes lung cancer and heart disease in non-smoking adults. In children, it increases the risks of sudden infant death syndrome, lung infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis in children younger than eighteen months, and increases the number and severity of asthma attacks in children.

Some people think if they separate smokers from nonsmokers, ventilate buildings, and clean the air, those measures will help. However, no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke exists. To protect our lungs and those of our children, we need to lobby and vote for laws to make all public buildings totally smoke-free. We need to seek places where we can be in a smoke-free environment.

Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega November 17, 2009

“I have pancreatic cancer, Yvonne.”

“The tests showed that?” Tears streamed down my face. “Oh, dear God.” I bit my lip so I wouldn’t cry on the phone.

“I’ll have surgery to remove the tumor.”

I struggled to concentrate on what she said next. I remembered her bout with breast cancer eight years ago. She went through radiation but didn’t need chemotherapy. Now this.

I attempted to get more information even though I wanted to curl up on the floor and sob. “Where will you have surgery?”

“Sentara Norfolk Hospital.”

Arleta has been my friend and spiritual mentor for years. We met when she and her husband were missionaries in Puerto Rico, and I lived in military housing. They moved to California. I left for California a year later. What a joyous reunion.

Three years later, they transferred to Virginia Beach. God knew I needed their friendship and a spiritual mother. How wonderful when he brought me to Virginia one year later.

I hated the news from her doctor. What a brutal reminder that life is fragile.

“God loves you, and I do too.” Even though I’m a cancer survivor, I grappled for words.

Inside, I felt fearful and angry. Arleta and Bob served as missionaries in Haiti for fifteen years and in the Dominican Republic for fifteen years. Now in their 80s, they traveled yearly to France for a month to minister to the churches there. Arleta still taught Sunday school. God, this isn’t fair. They’ve served you all their lives. Please have mercy on her. Her husband and grown children need her. I do too.

“I’ll pray for you,” I told her.

“Thank you, honey. I knew I could count on you.”

“I love you and will pray for you and your family.”

After I hung up, I prayed through tears for them. O God, please don’t take her from us.

Copyright © June 2008 by Yvonne Ortega

          I drove into the parking lot of Wareham’s Pond Clubhouse at Kings Mill in Williamsburg, VA for the breast cancer survivors’ retreat. Women in all stages of recovery met to share in a day of “Health, Hope and Healing.” The Women’s Imaging Pavilion, Sentara Hospital in Williamsburg, Phillip West Memorial Cancer Resource Center, and the Williamsburg Regional Library sponsored the retreat. They honored breast cancer survivors with a day of self-care, education, and pampering.
          A tall blonde in a pink flowing gown, a tiara on her head, and a wand in her hand caught my attention. I would soon meet René Bowditch, the Good Health Fairy and co-founder of Beyond Boobs! Inc., the Williamsburg breast cancer support group.
          A continental breakfast of fresh fruit and bagels waited on the tables for us in one of several rooms in the clubhouse.
          After breakfast, René made us laugh as she showed us her white tennis shoes with hot pink shoe laces under her lovely gown. She also explained the history of the breast cancer support group.
          Dr. Louise Lubin, Ph.D. spoke on the power of taking charge, of how to embrace silence and relax, and about the power of our thoughts. She provided each of us with a folder of breathing and relaxation tips and exercises. Dr. Lubin also allowed us to share our experiences and ask questions throughout her presentations.
          Joy Thompson taught us gentle stretching exercises. After sitting for a while, we appreciated the opportunity to move around and stretch.
          At lunch time, we chose from an array of healthy salads and sat at tables with white linen and china. Many of us hadn’t met each other until that day. However, we chatted as if we had been friends a long time.
          Before and after lunch, we browsed through books on cancer and related topics from the Williamsburg Regional Library. Janet Crowther, the librarian, allowed us to check out books, and she answered our questions.
          Mary Beth Gibson, co-founder and president of Beyond Boobs! Inc. addressed the topic, healing through writing. However, I missed part of it. Retreat participants had a chance to sign up for a fifteen minute chair massage compliments of Kerri Mueller. Unfortunately, my massage occurred during Mary Beth’s presentation, but at least my neck and shoulders felt better afterward.
          Back again in the central meeting room, we saw drums of all sizes, tambourines, and various other instruments on the floor. Megan Cordova from Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center asked us to pick up an instrument and engaged us in a drumming circle. After a while, some of us stood and danced to the music. We danced and laughed together. Who says only kids know how to have fun?
          We welcomed an afternoon tea in an adjacent room and then returned to the central meeting room. A panel of doctors answered our questions about chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and reconstructive surgery.
          After the closing ceremony, we each received a parting gift of a pink tote bag full of surprises. One of them was “A Calendar to Live By” with pictures of breast cancer survivors for each month in the calendar. Another was a large pink candle from the Yankee Candle Shop.
          As I drove home from the retreat, I felt renewed and encouraged. I wished every cancer survivor could have the chance to attend a similar retreat.

Copyright © November 23, 2007 by Yvonne Ortega

The last time I saw Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis she led the survivors’ lap at Relay for Life at York High School in June 2006. As a fellow cancer survivor, I also walked that lap. Her willingness to speak for all of us and increase public awareness brought tears to my eyes. I spoke to her briefly about my book, Hope for the Journey through Cancer due out May 1, 2007.

In February 2007, her cancer returned. I later mailed Jo Ann a gift copy of my book. My own congresswoman battled cancer, not only with grace and courage, but with an unshakable faith in the Lord. She never gave up. By example, she taught us how to live with cancer and how to die.

Jo Ann passed away on October 6, 2007 during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Daily Press on Sunday, October 7, 2007, quoted her husband as saying, “She was a fighter . . . She didn’t lose this fight, either. She won this fight. She’s healed completely. She’s where you and I want to go.” His words reminded me of Philippians 1:21 (NIV): “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Jo Ann lived with love and determination to fight for her district, “ America’s First District,” as she called it. She died only to this earthly life. She went from this world into the arms of the Lord. Mrs. Davis could have quoted 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV): “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” God probably greeted her with the words of Matthew 25:23 (NIV): “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Copyright © October 2007 by Yvonne Ortega