Excerpts from BALD COURAGE
by Randy Peyser
The purpose of this book is to help you get through the Big C.
The Big C stands for Courage.
This is an experience you didn’t sign up for.
But here you are…on Mr. Toad’s wild ride.
Even if you don’t feel courageous right now, the deeper you go on this journey, the more you will learn about yourself. You might even find that your capacity to love increases, and from this love, your courage will grow.
After the brief introduction that follows, please turn to any page, and you will find a laugh, a little nugget of inspiration, or encouragement and advice from those who have been there, to help you get through the day.
SET UP YOUR DAY
Every morning, make it a habit to come up with a word or phrase regarding a quality that you want to experience that day.
It’s truly amazing how your day can unfold when you do this practice.
Phrase your qualities using positive words, rather than negative words. For example, rephrase “I ask for a day where I’m not in pain” to “I ask for a day where my stomach relaxes,” or “I ask for a day where I easily digest all that I eat.”
Make the quality you want to experience in your day simple and short.
Here are more examples:
I ask for a day of peace.
Today, I feel empowered.
Today, I experience ease in my body.
FIND JOY IN SIMPLE PLEASURES
A friend kindly suggested I make a list of the things that bring me joy and distribute it to help others who wanted to lend their support. What I found is that the act of creating this list gave me joy.
A few examples of my simple pleasures:
Toasted raisin bread with butter
Watching hummingbirds
Turning my phone off
A bath with Epsom salts and candles
Fresh flowers
A walk in the trees
Candlelit dinners
Music playlists
Conversations that run deep
Movies that make me think, laugh, and cry
Getting letters in the mail
I loved this exercise so much that I encouraged my supporters to create their own lists. Many told me how much they enjoyed the experience and thanked me for the reminder of the simple things.
I got great satisfaction from helping others see life differently. It was one way that I could give back. It also gave more purpose to what I was going through. The bonus was that we all got to experience more joy in the process.
Ame-Lia Tamburrini
RIDE THE WAVES
When we are in emotional pain, it feels like forever. It’s rarely forever. Pain comes and it goes. Sometimes it comes again. Then it goes again. Keep riding the waves as each one surfaces. This process takes time and courage. Trust that there is a greater purpose at work here. Have hope.
2 BEST THINGS I EXPERIENCED ON CHEMO
Better parking spaces, and my thighs no longer rubbed together when I walked.
LOOK IN THE MIRROR. YOU ARE STILL BEAUTIFUL.
Remember the wisdom of that famous sage, Popeye, “I yam what I yam.” Yes, you are who you are, and who you are is enough. You deserve love and all good things just because you are you. Look in the mirror at the most special being in the world—YOU—and say, “Hi, wonderful You. I love you.” Go do it now while I’m watching.
MORE PRAISE!
“I loved Bald Courage! I hope it can be shared with women in treatment
as well as their support networks. It’s short, humorous, and easy to
read.
The text’s length and clean layout are perfect for someone with an
overwhelmed attention span who doesn’t have the bandwidth to
concentrate on a longer book. It’s also hilarious – the first section
on losing her hair is worth a read. It’s funny and irreverent in the
best way.
I also really appreciated her section about what tasks you can assign
to all the people who want to help. I wish I had that list and clarity
of thought when I was in treatment. She also draws in voices of other
survivors, which is helpful and really adds to the message of support
and strength she conveys throughout the book.
I’m excited to add it to the Womencare collection!” – Lucia Orlando, WomenCARE, Soquel, CA