Edible First Aid

I was so surprised to see this in the store.

 I've had peanut butter and honey sandwiches in my lifetime, but never used it as medicine. When I researched on the all-knowing Internet, I found a couple of articles that state honey is good for your outsides AND insides. (Just don't eat the bandages.) 

However, it's NOT good for your insides if you're an infant, but if you were an infant, you wouldn't likely be reading this now, would you?

Interestingly enough, on the other end of life, honey is an ancient embalming ingredient.

See the articles here and here.

Do you like honey?

Which Of These Things Is Not Like The Others?

As the speedometer flies, our house is 25 miles north of the intersection of Bluff Street and St. George Boulevard. (I measured very scientifically, using the car odometer and everything.)

It may not seem like much distance, or it may, depending on your frame of reference, but perhaps this next nifty fact will turn your head, or at least raise your eyebrows.

According to the Internet, our little villa in unincorporated Washington County is 2,386 miles higher in elevation than St. George. 

Sooo, we might as well be in our own weather zone. This point is illustrated by our car parked in this St. George parking lot.

Which vehicle do you think is ours?

Here's a hint: it doesn't look like the others.

Here's another hint: LOOK FOR THE SNOW ON THE GROUND!

Yes, we get snow in the springtime when everyone else in our county is trying on their bikinis.

Well...maybe not everyone...I hope not everyone...actually, I hope not anyone.

But we're not talking about the subtle sexiness of one piece women's bathing suits here.

 We're talking about SNOW. Do you like it?

If so, do you like it in the spring? Or are you a warm weather lover?

Immunotherapy Smile

At my next-to, next-to-last immunotherapy session this past week, the nice nurse drew a smile on my wristband. I didn't even notice until I left the Cancer Clinic, but it gave me such a boost, I wore it for the rest of the day.

An interesting thing I've learned during cancer treatments (only TWO MORE TO GO! YAY!) is that people under treatment are some of the happiest, most optimistic people I've ever encountered. Even those who've told me they're incurable are smiling (at least their eyes are smiling above their masks) chatting, and viewing the world in a generally rosy light.

I met a first-time-visit lady in the waiting room, accompanied by her husband, adult daughter, and adult son seeing to her paper work, lab work, and generally radiating concern and love for her. 

As I left the treatment room after my immunotherapy, I saw her hooked up to her own cocktail of anti-cancer drugs. She lifted her hand toward me, so I walked over and took hold of it. As we gazed at one another, tears rose in both our eyes. Then I whispered, "You're going to be just fine." I didn't know her prognosis. I just meant that whether she lived or died, she was surrounded by love, which truly makes everything just fine.

Why are the outlooks of these people so positive, even for those who will experience their dying day on this year's calendar?

I don't know. Maybe it's because after cancer patients face death up close, they determined to live what's left of their lives for the truly important things. 

What use is a brand new car, shiny jewelry, or runway clothes if you aren't around to use them? 

Why hold grudges if they just hurt your heart? 

What good is anger toward cancer if it's not going to cure it?

I find these attitudes very inspiring.

In a way, it's too bad that I have to receive cancer treatments to be around such uplifting people, caretakers and patients alike.

I'll just be happy to see them around town instead.

What experience have you had that changed your point of view?