Is there a difference between hearing and listening? When someone says, ‘Hear me out,’ do they really want you to just hear them? Or, are they looking for something more? Hearing is a simple act. Listening is an essential part of hearing. When a teacher asks, ‘Are you listening?’ they are seeking more than just [...]
“The name of the game is calories.” Dr. Vigneri, my radiation oncologist, informed me. “Forget what you’ve learned about healthy eating. I don’t care how you get those calories. Bulk up. I guarantee you will lose weight and you don’t have much to lose. Milkshakes with every meal. All the Haagen Daaz you can eat!” [...]
When I mention to people I had oral cancer, very often I am greeted with a dumbfounded expression and the comment, ‘Huh? That’s a thing?’ My eyebrows rise, my head tilts, I flash an all-knowing grin and nod. It's so remarkable that one can get cancer in the mouth, people genuinely want to know more [...]
When fighting for my life, I lamented the many lost opportunities to raise my children knowing the value of donations and charity. My focus shifted to building a foundation of family values. I purchased a custom charity box with modern lines and accents of metal curves which brought attention to the personalized message emblazoned in [...]
Vying for my attention became a constant and fierce rivalry between my two children. No matter how hard I tried to equalize my time, it was a fight to make up for the weeks they were denied while I underwent treatment for oral cancer. We would start an art project, and while I was admiring [...]
Bedtime had the makings of the perfect private moment to integrate a personal blessing into our routine. After we snuggled up to a story, I cupped my hands on my son’s head and began: “Dear God, thank you for blessing us with our son Jeremy who is ...sensitive to other children’s feelings...who calls Grandma without [...]
On the auspicious and final day of radiation treatment, I left the treacherous terrain behind me and settled onto the road back to the rest of my life. Leaning on my husband's strength, we walked at a slow pace to the car. He opened the door for me as he always did since the day [...]
In the hospital, during many long hours alone and in pain, the mind wanders. Since tissue from my hairy thigh replaced the forearm tissue which was moved to my tongue. Would thigh hair now grow on my inner wrist? Would arm hair now grow on my tongue? This was my worst nightmare! Would I have [...]
As anyone who has undergone a major surgery knows, all things familiar and safe immediately fall away. As the backward countdown begins, you find yourself crossing the threshold into a cold, dark space with room for only one. The clear path forward is to seek out signs pointing in the direction of hope. Once hope [...]
Motivational Speaker Eva Grayzel tells a hospital story about how music transported her to a happy place. Read more stories on her blog.
