“I’ll always be there for you”

A few years ago, enjoying a local park

Just as my holidays and book writing are gearing up, I think I’m getting a message from God to slow down.

Yesterday I visited “my old friend”, our eliptical machine, for a workout.  After showering, I walked down the steps when I felt a sudden sharp pain shooting from my hamstring to my calf. I could barely walk. No worries; I looked it up on the Internet and I have the classic symptoms of a tendon pull.

I was able to hobble to the car to pick up my daughter. For the first time, I needed her help rather than the other way around. What an angel!  She was ready to do whatever was needed. She put together an ice pack and brought me things I needed. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

As I put her to bed last night, I thanked her once again. She replied, “Ill always be there for you Mom.” It was a bittersweet moment. I said it back to her, but then came the lingering uncertainty about whether or not I would always be there for her.

Of course, this passing thought made me angry and more determined than ever to make sure I will always be there for her. I decided that no disease can take me without my permission. I’m not going anywhere; I simply can’t. As one of my fellow survivors who has four kids once told me, “I have no choice. My kids need me.”

There are so many examples of the body-mind connection. Terry McBride, a recent guest blogger, was able to overcome an e-Coli infection that threatened to leave him paralyzed. I just read a story in our local paper about a couple who had been married 61 years and died within a day of each other.

Just look at the Miracle Survivors I’ve interviewed for my book. All of them had one thing in common: an incredible drive to survive even though the odds were against them.

So can I tell my daughter with absolute confidence I’ll always be there for her? If I keep my mind in check and my heart with God, I can. I know God has great things in store for me, my daughter and my husband, and I’m going to be around to treasure every moment of it.