Reeling and Healing Midwest Blog

Well, there she is all over the news, being interviewed and questioned. Elizabeth Edwards. One more woman surviving breast cancer, working hard to take back her life from her first battle, fighting past the underlying fears of ���will it come back again���, even writing a book about the support she has received and her endeavor to help others struggling and surviving cancer.

And there she is now, diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in her bones.

I met Elizabeth last fall at the Lance Armstrong Foundation���s Inaugural Summit on Cancer Survivorship. She was the last speaker to take the stage, share her story, share her inspiration, share her future goals, share how her life had changed for her family and herself, and more.

The portions of her speech I will never forget are those that were peppered with the letters written to her from individuals - cancer survivors and caregivers - whom she had never met. The anonymous writers had reached out to her to share simple thoughts and stories of their journey, acknowledge her courage and hope, to bolster her resolve and encourage her to fight, to share their prayers with her, and most importantly, to let her know that she wasn’t alone on her journey.

Those words produced flashbacks of the women I have met at our retreats - who have journeyed through their battle and survivorship - and not alone. Each of them, on their own terms, found purpose in sharing their stories, sharing their hope and their choices with those they met along the way - on and off the river. Their outreach and comfort prevail onward and are there whenever called forth.

I have lost friends who, having battled their cancer the first time and claiming a triumphant win, were later diagnosed with more havoc within their bodies. These men and women continued on their own way - some by beating the disease once again, some by making the best of their last days, some by subjecting themselves to clinical trials, some by knowing after a span of months or years, that it was time to stop taking the pain killers and the medication - that the disease had become extremely relentless and wasn’t going to loosen its hold - ever. Each has been a hero, an inspiration. Each has been courageous and beautiful. Each is similar to Elizabeth.

Who are we to question what their choices should be? With 3 out of 4 families affected by cancer in our nation, with the possibility of 1 out of 2 men contracting cancer in their lifetime, and 1 out of 3 women contracting it as well, don’t you think they should be making their own decisions and living their life on their own terms?

I applaud Elizabeth for sharing her story and undergoing the scrutiny from the public and media. At times our media seems to be as relentless as cancer. However, the good to come from her telling/sharing her story is that our community is becoming more aware of the havoc that cancer does cause, the good that is being done to prolong life and survivorship, and hopefully it will open new doors, understanding and research so we can rid the world of cancer altogether.

And as I applaud Elizabeth, I applaud all the survivors, caregivers and advocates I know, and have known, who share their stories, reach out to lend a hand, give support to the best of their abilities, and encourage hope and life on their own terms.

Fish On!

There I was, manning the booth with two wonderful gentlemen, Dave and Wally. They had just returned from a much needed break and now it was my turn.

I had decided to head into the main show arena and create the opportunity to connect with some of the vendors and guides who have supported us in the past years. Armed with business cards, I combed back my hair and made a run for it.

As I strolled into the arena, I noticed a friend with whom I hadn���t seen in quite some time, but always made an effort to ask about - whether his well-being or what he was currently involved in within the world of fly fishing. The past few years he had written a book, received a number of awards and was diligently fighting the big corporations who were buying up water rights throughout the Midwest. I was excited to see him and have the opportunity to catch-up and share our latest life stories.

Little did I know how his life was changing.

He was surrounded by others who had the same mission of connecting. I said, ���Come by my booth later���, gave him a hug and went on with my first mission. After completing my rounds and then stopping by to visit with the ���Bug Man���, Dean Hanson (awesome guy, fabulous exhibit and a cancer survivor) I made it back to the Reeling & Healing Midwest booth. Dave and Wally were proud to announce they had sold t-shirts, hats, and raffle tickets.

A little while later, my friend stopped by the booth. He���s 72 years old and was tired from all the activity at the show. I pulled up a chair for him and we started to share. I could tell by the look in his eyes that something was amiss. And as fast I recognized it, he blurted out, ���I have something to tell you. I haven���t told very many people. But my health is not well. I have lung cancer.��� I stood there numbed by his words, hopeful for him and focused to stay ���present��� and listen to his story.

He wasn���t the first person to share his cancer diagnosis with me, but hearing the words from him, having know him for a length of time, I couldn���t help but become very affected by the grim picture he was painting with his words. So affected, that I struggled with how to follow-up with him in the days after our meeting.

What follows are some of the words that I shared with him via email (he���s hard of hearing and we struggle with phone calls).

Here goes�Ķ

I���m sorry that you have cancer. I can���t state it any simpler than that - and there���s no sense in making it sound fluffy. Bottom line is that it sucks that you have it. It sucks what you���re going through. It just sucks. I thank you for sharing your story with me.

Please know that though I work with so many individuals who are diagnosed, battling, surviving and kicking cancer, the news always affects me differently - especially when it���s a person who has been in my life for a period of time. And especially someone like you who is such a beautiful, infectious and vital spirit. Dave and my prayers are with you and your family.

Last Fall, I was honored to be chosen by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to attend their First Inaugural Summit on Cancer Survivorship. I traveled to Austin and spent 3 days with Lance and a few hundred individuals who are trying to make the lives of cancer patients and survivors better. I encourage you to venture onto their website at www.livestrong.org. They provide all types of support and assistance.

Even if you���re not interested, please read the LAF Manifesto or watch the video. It inspires me to continue to help others in the fight against cancer. And I tell you, hanging with Lance was inspiring too. His goal is to find a cure and he���s hell-bent on achieving it.

I am first and foremost a teacher. I just happen to be one that uses fly fishing as a tool to help others reconnect their spirit back into the world around them with the help of God���s great and wonderful outdoors. In my 10 years of volunteering with the Reeling & Healing Midwest retreats, I have seen great healing, joy, love and hope culminate in everyone who attends. As you journey through your treatments, doctor visits, tests, bills, etc., don���t hesitate to make that time to take yourself back to the water - be it a lake, stream, river, pond. Knowing what I do know about you, I believe that���s where you find some peace. And though you may not believe it, being next to or in the water will help you heal - mental, emotionally and physically.

Just before dinner on the first day of a retreat, I coach everyone who attending for the first time on how to shout at the top of their lungs, ���FISH ON!��� I start out by saying that almost every fisherman I���ve fished with yells the call when they hook into a trout or fish. Then, I share that beyond the excited fisherman they will soon become in the river, is the spirit battling cancer. And just as Nike shouts the triumphant slogan of ���JUST DO IT���, and Lance Armstrong has filled the world with yellow and his fight song of ���LIVESTRONG���, Reeling & Healing Midwest has the deeper meaning of ���FISH ON!���

It is then that everyone gathers together and in unison, thunders out, ���FISH ON!��� And you can���t help but feel the power resonate from those words.

So my friend, keep ���FISHING ON!���

Fish On!