Lady Traveler is Home

Alone, but not forgotten!

... lay aside every weight (fear, anxiety)
and any sin that does easily beset us,
and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us!
Hebrews 12:1

Everyone is talking about it,
writing about it,
and praying about it
while we are in shelter-in-place/lock-down mode in our homes.
Not just in our town,
or our state,
or the USA,
but the whole world!

Never have we been through such a challenging time.
Yes, there was WW1, WWII, many wars.
But this is a different kind of war.
I won't go into any details about the
Coronavirus
(I know how to spell it because of the famous beer)
but this pandemic started in China
and quickly spread throughout the earth.
But in your hours at home,
I'm sure you have researched the details
that come out moment by moment.

It is definitely a new day.
A new world.
A new way of life.
A new world order, as many are calling it.
The Bible speaks of the 'last days'
but who knew we would actually live to experience them?

Remember ...
This is an emotional war.
Many are fearful. Stressful.
Anxious. Depressed.
Sad, but true.

REMEMBER ...
This is also a spiritual war. We must be
Fearless.  Steady.
Praying.
Ready for battle against our enemy.
His name is Satan, you know.

Emotions are running wild.
At the same time,
the warriors in the army
of the Most High God
stand with their armor on.
Don't worry,
this is not a 'shoot em up!' kind of war.
This is praying, standing,
and running toward, not away
from the days ahead.

Of course I experience fear and anxiety.
We are all human.
But it is our choice where we choose to live:
in fear, or in faith.

Choose today who you will serve.
The end times are drawing close.
Be prepared for the exciting days ahead,
when we can see the Hand of the Lord.

TIP: Stay away from the main-stream-media (MSM).
I have tried over and over to watch my once favorite
TV stations ... ABC, NBC, CBS.
Just won't waste my time anymore.
They promote fear and division.

Instead,
open your Bible and read.
I won't quote scripture because
I want you to do some searching for yourself.

I will close with a 'praise report' regarding my sweet brother John:

He just finished his second immunology treatment.

He's feeling good (pain has subsided)

and my sis-in-law Ger told me yesterday that his

appetite has returned.

(he's down to 169 pounds from 185)

Thank you for your prayers!

We're believing for a miracle!

Read Psalm 91 for comfort,

then read,

The Lord is my Shepherd

I shall not want ...

... though I walk through the valley of 

the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

for thou art with me, 

thy rod and they staff, they comfort me ...

Psalm 23

I wish you oceans of comforting blessings!

And remember, whether near or far,

Keep reading and keep that body movin'!

www.sharonleaf.com

www.amazon.com/author/www.sharonleaf.com

Lady Traveler's Journey with brother John Part 2

(UPDATE on brother John at the end of this blog)

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of striving safely 

in one pretty and well preserved piece,

but to skid across the line broadside,

thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting

GERONIMO!!"

Up and Away ... Brother John and me on our Mexico cruise
(Cabo San Lucas)

The above quote describes me on most days,

(especially the 'thoroughly used up' part)

because then I know that I've accomplished something,

no matter how small.😓

I felt like this on my "Making Memories" cruise last week

with my brother John, Ger, Christie, Todd, and my Robinski.

Since returning from our California/Mexico trip last week

I haven't done much in the way of communicating to anyone.

Just me and my thoughts,

and Robinski and Popcorn, which is adequate for the moment.

Today is the first day that I've felt like sitting myself down in front of my iMac
in Lady Leaf's Lounge.

I don't know how long I'll sit here so I'll type

the first thoughts that come to mind.

As I wrote in my previous blog,
the purpose of our Mexico Riviera cruise was to 

spend time with my baby brother John.

He was and is my priority,

so whatever he felt like doing, I did.

I followed him around like a puppy.

Watching every move.

Listening to every word.

Holding back tears.

Wondering if these might be the last words I would hear him speak.
(I'm just being honest)

THEN, I told myself, "SNAP out of it, you little baby!

Where's your faith, hope, and love?"

Or maybe it was Jesus speaking to me, not sure.

The first day on board after breakfast, we were walking on the top deck exploring,
when suddenly he stopped and unashamedly said,

"I'm going to my cabin to take a pill and rest."

Me and brother John having dinner on our first night at sea.

I did a lot of talking to myself on the cruise (silently of course),

and even more, talking to Jesus,

especially at night when I returned to our stateroom at the back (aft) of the huge ship.

I'd wrap myself in the long white robe that the large Havana staterooms furnished,
(remember, this was the LAST cabin available when we called!)

and go out on our spacious veranda to 'sit and sip'

while watching and listening to the sounds of the Pacific Ocean kicking up waves below,

and sometimes counting the stars in the sky.

These were some of my favorite moments on our cruise ...

Each night sitting, listening, watching.

These moments took me back to my fourteen months when we sailed
the seven seas and three oceans on the WWII ship Restoration back in 1994,

only this time on a ship that had stabilizers and air conditioning.

The view from our balcony on the Carnival Panorama Mexico Riviera cruise.
the deck below is private for "Havana staterooms" ... two jacuzzis and a serenity pool. 

Morning coffee and evening wine on our spacious Havana balcony 

Each day I silently listened as John shared his heart with me.

Pure straightforward honesty.

I wasn't going to bring up half the stuff he talked about,

but he is so brave, and honest, and funny.

He made talking about stage 4 cancer seem easy,

until he began to speak about leaving his beloved family behind.

Yes, we shed tears together,

but knowing where his strength and his hope comes from,

gives us both courage to face each day that God gives.

Taxi boat to shore in Cabo San Lucas (our ship in the background. Big, huh?)
Christy, John, Ger, and lil ol me!

We shared a week of fun and laughter,
combined with somber, yet peaceful moments.

A glass of wine with John, a margarita with Christy in Cabo and Mazatlan,

and gallons of coffee on board with everyone.

My humble, kind, loving, and funny brother.
Last day in my cabin preparing for departure.
How I hate to leave my baby brother.
A prayer and a kiss,
Until we meet again ....

There was more but I'll ponder those memories in my heart for now.

Upon John's return home to Zion, Utah, his doctor 'installed' a port.
He will not go the chemo route.

Instead, John is now waiting to be approved for
"Keytruda immunotherapy."

I will keep you posted.

John and our family appreciate your concern and prayers,
more than you'll ever know.

(Update below)

I am blessed to have a humble, kind, loving and funny man of my own!
I love you Robinski, especially in Cabo!

I wish you oceans of daily blessings!

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,

but only one gets the prize?

Run* in such a way as to get the prize.

I Corinthians 9:24

*For whatever reasons, many of us can only walk. 

That's okay, as long as we're moving toward the prize that is set before us ...

Eternal Life with our Lord Jesus Christ.

UPDATE MARCH 2022:

Two years now, and the Keytruda therapy is no longer helping.

The cancer has spread.

John's doctor gave him two options:

Chemo or hospice.

At this writing he is choosing chemo.

He is weak, yet strong in spirit, never complaining,

only speaking the reality of his journey.

Rob and I are on standby but at this writing we'll be driving to

Utah the end of April to spend precious time with him.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

A miracle is appreciated.

Sweet precious brother John went to heaven

March 25 2022

Lady Traveler's Journey with brother John Part 1

(LAST UPDATE on John at bottom of page)

There will always be the unknown.

There will always be the unpredictable.

But faith confronts those frontiers with a thrilling leap.

Then life becomes vibrant with each new adventure!

It all began with these two ... Mom & Dad's wedding at
Shaw Air Force base Sumter, SC  1944

So far the new year 2020 had been good to me.

Just to be alive is pure thrilling.

Even before my first cup of coffee.

But two weeks ago things changed when my sister-in-law Ger called
to tell me that my sweet brother John (72) was diagnosed with stomach cancer.
(several weeks earlier he thought it was just an irritating pain).

A week later, more news.
John calls me with all the test results:
 Stage4 cancer.  Stomach.  Liver.  Lymph nodes ...
6 to 9 months to live.
Now my stomach is hurting ... and my heart is aching.
I pull myself together, and reply, 

"that's the doctor's report.
We believe in miracles, so there!"

Mr. Doctor tells John if he feels up to it,

go ahead and take the 8-day Mexican Riviera cruise on January 25th
that he and Ger had planned months ago.
"And here, take these pain pills with you," he adds.
With a nod from Rob, I immediately ask John,
"Would you mind if we join you on the cruise?"
John started laughing and crying at the same time.
"Could you? That would be so great if you could!"

I hung up and Rob called their Carnival travel agent,
telling her our circumstances and how important it is that we are on that ship.
"Hold on ... let me see ... well, we just happen to have one cabin left."
"We'll take it!" we said in unison through the speaker phone.
She added, "This must be God that we have this cabin."
We replied, "It is definitely God working on our behalf!"

Brother John & Ger in their garden
 Zion Utah Summer 2016

Long story short:
Rob and I are sailing on an 8-day cruise with my brother John and his wife Geri,
his daughter Christy and husband Todd.

I know many of you have been through this when you receive what we call
Bad News.
You've felt the shock, the pain, the hurt, the fear ... every emotion there is.
And then Jesus ...
He reaches out and holds you tight and whispers,
Everything will be all right.

Let me take this opportunity to tell you about my sweet brother.
I'm probably writing to myself but that's okay.
I need to get this part of my journey down in writing.

My brother John is fifteen months younger than me.
We shared the same bedroom until I was in seventh grade.
We had an invisible line in the middle of the room that spoke,
"You keep your trucks and teddy bear on your side,
and I'll keep my dolls and panda bear on my side."
Then one Christmas Santa left him a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans ranch.
That's when I agreed to meet him in the middle so I could pretend to be Dale Evans
riding the range on Buttermilk!

I was elated when Daddy converted our garage into John's bedroom.
My very own bedroom! I never took my bedroom for granted.
I loved my privacy, and my pink walls!
There was only one problem ...
brother John had to walk through my room to get to his room. Yuk!
He still reminds me about the night I made him
walk through the back yard in the rain just because
I was talking on the phone to one of my many boyfriends.
I know, selfish sister.

Years passed, and we were married with kids when Mommy was diagnosed with
Multiple Sclerosis and needed full-time nursing care.
 John and I worked together to help Daddy cope with this situation
until she went to heaven at the young age of 66.
A few years later when Daddy was diagnosed with Parkinson's Decease
we pulled together again until he went to be with Jesus at the young age of 91.

Yes, we are a brother and sister who loved our parents,
and showed it by giving a little something back to them ...
our time and our love.

You and I have been told over and over that we know not what tomorrow holds.
So again I remind you and encourage you (and me)
to hold close to those you love, both near and far.
And no matter what the circumstances look like,

never lose your faith in miracles.

Bro and Sis at his home in Zion 2016


I am blessed to have a brother that laughs and has a sense of humor
(we inherited these traits from our funny parents).
John is loving and kind and loves Jesus, his family, and his friends.
He is a simple man, like our Daddy.
I have the best brother in the world and I'm honored to be his sassy sister!
I've learned through my 74 years
that a simple, loving, and kind man is the best kind.
And I also happen to be married to one!

I thank all of you for your friendship, both near and far.
And most of all, thank you for praying for John as the Holy Spirit leads you to do.


By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed by God's command,
that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
Hebrews 11:8-10 NLT

UPDATE EARLY MARCH 2022:

Two years now, and the Keytruda therapy is no longer helping.

The cancer has spread.

John's doctor gave him two options:

Chemo or hospice.

At this writing he is choosing chemo.

He is weak, yet strong in spirit, never complaining,

only speaking the reality of his journey.

Rob and I are on standby but at this writing we'll be driving to

Utah the end of April to spend precious time with him.

UPDATE LATE MARCH 2022:

No time for chemo. Less than a week of at-home hospice.

Rob and I are on the road to Utah mid March

and arrive just in time to give hugs, kisses, and our

last "good-bye, see you in heaven."

Heaven-bound on March 25th, 2022

May 24, 2022

Today is John's first birthday in heaven

and I'm down here missing him like crazy.

I miss his nightly/daily phone calls that we shared over the last two years.

He spoke slowly, softly, and in the end couldn't speak so

our phone calls ended.

That's when Rob and I hit the road to Utah.

Tonight I'll light a candle on a cupcake and try to sing 

"Happy Birthday, sweet brother,

happy birthday to you ...." 

"Let's Get Physical, Physical"

Huntington Beach, CA 2012

I have blogged random thoughts about everything from travels, friendship, moving, writing, publishing, Israel, beauty. I wrote several blogs about women's health issues--from heart attacks to cancer--and when I recently received an email from someone who had read my blogs regarding cancer, it brought back flashbacks of a dear friend of mine who died last year, of Rob's best friend's wife who died two years ago; and of several friends who have survived ... cancer.  The C word.  Even Olivia Newton-John, the beautiful singer of "Let's Get Physical" is a cancer survivor.  Research continues, support groups are bountiful, and there are people like David Haas who dedicate their lives to this field.

I've never had a guest on my blog before, but when David wrote and asked if he could share an article on my blog, I was delighted.  Joining the organization in 2011, David is a cancer support group and awareness program advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. In addition to researching the many valuable programs available to the site's visitors, David often blogs about programs and campaigns underway at the MCA, as well as creative fitness ideas for those dealing with cancer, while creating relationships with similar organizations.  Here is one on his articles.

Utilizing Exercise for Cancer Patients

Many cancer patients find a desire to live a better lifestyle not only to survive the disease but also to live longer after recovering.  From the time of diagnosis, exercise can help cancer sufferers to deal with the stress, anxiety and depression that come with cancer.  Exercise that also works on the relaxation of the mind, such as yoga is especially beneficial.  Furthermore, physical fitness can help regain appetite that is often lost during treatment of cancer.

The type of exercise undertaken is highly dependent on how cancer has affected the patient.  Some days, the cancer sufferer may not feel well enough to do any physical activity especially while undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation that cause high levels of fatigue; however, the patient should try to exercise as regularly as possible as even a few minutes of exercise is better than none.  Reports show that studies of numerous types of cancer have shown that obesity reduces survival time after cancer treatment and increased chances of recurrence.

Exercise can be broken down into four categories: aerobic, strength training, balance, and stretching.  A cancer patient, whether in the treatment stage, remission or even just diagnosed, should cover each of these areas.  Although at times the cancer sufferer may not feel up to doing much, just 10-minute blocks of exercise throughout the day can be highly beneficial.

Aerobic exercise is particularly useful t feel better during treatment.  This can be something as simple as walking, an exercise which can be practiced immediately after undergoing treatment. When combined with strength training, the body decreases body fat and builds lean muscle most efficiently.

Strength training is highly important for cancer sufferers who are undergoing chemotherapy, commonly used for the treatment of mesothelioma, because it causes a loss of bone density and muscle.  Through weight training, cancer sufferers are able to increase muscle in order to maintain bone density.  They should consult their doctor before beginning a regimen.

A sense of balance may be slightly impaired by medications, making falls more likely.  Chemotherapy patients especially run the risk of breaking their more fragile bones.  There are very simple exercises that can improve balance and can be completed even on days when the cancer patient has little energy.  Such exercises include balancing on one leg or a grapevine moving by crossing one leg in front of the other.

Too much bed rest can lead to stiff joints among other problems.  Stretching relieves this discomfort while providing the body with gently exercise.  It can also help to stretch areas that have developed a weakness due to the treatment such as the rotator cuff in breast cancer patients who have undergone mastectomies.

I want to thank David Haas, for all the work he does with the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.  You can read more of David's blogs at www.mesothelioma.com

As we enjoy the last days of summer, let's get physical and connect with those around us.  A smile, a kind word, sharing valuable information with those in need.  You are God's hands, eyes, heart.  We were created to get physical.

Oceans of blessings,

Sharon