WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Sunday 20 October 2013

Misty Sunday

October is the month for awareness of  Breast Cancer.    My little collage is for a couple of friends that have survived it and live active lives today.  Also to friends out there who are fighting it and also who have survived.   I took them also for other dear friends that are maybe not well with this awful sickness.
Health is the greatest gift that god gave us.   We must cherish it and nurture it. For without it we are nothing.

We are all aware of this terrible disease.  It can strike at any time.  When one least expects it.
Cancer can attack the body in so many forms and in so many different organs and places.



              Yesterday, I found out that a very dear close friend and neighbour of mine  is in hospital with colon cancer. Colon Cancer month is March .
    I myself feel that we should be aware of all these different horrible cancers every day.   I was very sad to hear my dear friends voice on the phone.  She is in good spirits. Now its waiting, for results she will be operated on this next  Thursday.
 Like breast cancer.. Colon cancer has good ratings of survival.  I pray that this will be the case for my dear friend.


                          Peace and love to you all my dear friends.    Keep stress at bay.! Take care

Live for today.  For tomorrow..we do not know what will happen.  Capture the beauty that is all around.
                     For my dear friend Tony.. She is a neighbor and Dutch..   lovely appropriate blue tulips.


A very very big thank you to the 15 friends who left me messages on my last post.
I myself have been very busy.    Annual exams and all that.

Today, I am just watching the sun coming through the mist.   How blessed I am, to know that I have such loving caring blogging friends.

Happy weekend.
see you soon
val

41 comments:

  1. Dear Val, Thank you for this thoughtful post. I think most of us have been touched by this awful disease in some way.
    Your collage is lovely and the sentiments you have conveyed meaningful.
    Thank you for your friendship.
    Betty ox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So far we have been lucky in our family. No one has had the awful sickness.
      I have friends who have.
      I will visit my dear friend before she has her operation.
      Thak you Betty... you are a kind friend

      Delete
  2. We should all be happy that they have made so much advancement in cancer treatment over the last 30 years.
    It was 32 F degrees this morning but did not frost so the wood furnace is going, smells and feels like fall now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will be having my wood delivered soon.
      I love the smell of the burning wood.
      Yes, indeed..we are lucky that great advancements have been made in the last 30 years.. thanks for your comment.

      Delete
  3. Such an heartfelt and meaningful post dear val . My mother survived breast cancer twice and it's traumatic to go through the various stages of chemo therapy..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Pallavi. How wonderful that god brought your mother through cancer twice. I hope that she is well now.
      xx

      Delete
  4. my oldest sis went through colon cancer surgery and chemo treatments. she has been clean for almost 3 years, now. i hope your friend will be okay, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh that is wonderful news Tex. I think every day, they are making advancements in this area.
      Thanks for your kind words.. i will visit my friend this weekxx

      Delete
  5. Dear Val, I am so sorry to hear about your friend. Sadly, we are all affected by this terrible disease. All we can do is take care of ourselves and take care of our friends.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Gina,
      I will be visiting my friend in hospital this week,before she has her operation.
      Yes..we have to take care of ourselves and help our friends where we can. I am lucky..our family have not had the dreaded disease.. but friends have.

      Delete
  6. A lovely post and what you say is so true, Val. My second breast cancer diagnosis was in October, so I was surrounded by pink as I got ready to go into hospital. That was 8 years ago and (touch wood) I'm fine now. I do hope your friend's surgery and any follow-up treatment is successful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Perpetua.. How good is our dear lord. You have battled cancer twice.
      I am sure you give thanks to him every day.
      I will be visiting my dear friend in hospital before she is operated on this thursday.. god bless..xx.x.x.

      Delete
  7. Thank you for this post. We lost a dear friend to breast cancer yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jan,
      My condolences for the loss of your dear friend. You must be heartbroken.
      my prayers are with you.
      I am going to see my friend today.
      god bless. val

      Delete
  8. Dear Val - it is very upsetting when a dear friend or relative is diagnosed with cancer. We have a tendency to fear the worst, but the treatment for most cancers has improved so much over recent years.
    Hoping that everything goes well for your friend and that her prognosis is good following her surgery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you dear Rosemary,
      Tony , is a dear friend to me. we meet once a week to catch up.
      They are an elderly Dutch couple who bought a lovely house in our village and love it here.
      Yes, the treatment of cancers have improved. We hope for a good result.
      Thank you for your kind thoughts.
      xxx

      Delete
  9. So sorry to hear about your friend. Cancer seems to be so widespread these days it has affected 2 of our family this year. I don't remember it being so dominant in my parents generation. Hope your examinations were OK.
    Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a horrible sickness and disease Sarah. I am sorry that it has hit your family. Our family have been lucky so far. But, i do have friends who have it and have had it. I agree..it wasnt so dominant in our parents time.. could it be eating habits! we have to take care of ourselves.. we are what we eat.
      I will be going this week to get my results.. routine..but i must find out how my spine and hip are..seem to have less pain at the moment.
      xx

      Delete
  10. My husband had a colonoscopy this past Monday and for some reason couldn't 'finish' going all the way up through the colon. Now he has to have another study. His doctor was not to worry, but i am concerned. I am sorry about your dear friend. Prayers for her. Sandie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is exactly what happened to me.. they couldn't see all through.. i need to have another one Sandie..but I hate the drink we have to drink..its horrid.
      Thank you for your kind wishes, and for keeping her in your prayers.
      xxx

      Delete
  11. Dear Val thank you for a lovely, meaningful post. I love the pink collage, and am celebrating October in my own pinky way on my blog. Now 18 months free of cancer, I am glad to be a survivor right now. I did not know blue/March was for Colon cancer, which my mother had. The advances are wonderful and we must all be vigilant and aware, and look after each other as I was cared for by so many friends. Good luck to your friend and so glad you can visit her before the surgery. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Patricia,
      I thought of you, as i was writing this post. Thank you for your kind words.
      You have come on leaps and bounds. nearly 2 years now. Our dear lord is good.
      Yes, colon cancer, is in fact the biggest killer in women.(so i have heard)
      I have diverticuli.. and sometimes very uncomfortable.
      The advances are truly wonderful. Agree. we must all be vigilant.
      look after each other. I am visiting my friend this afternoon.
      xx

      Delete
  12. A very thought provoking post Val and unfortunately most people seem in one way or another to be affected, either with the disease or by knowing someone with it. Lets hope they keep coming up with more things to deal with it. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Suzy.
      I went to visit my friend today.. she was in as good spirit as she could be.
      I pray that our dear lord will watch over her and bring her back to good health.

      Delete
  13. I have known several people who have died from cancer. My Mother was one of the lucky ones when I was little to have survived from ovarian cancer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh what an awful sickness this is. Your mother was lucky.
      Each day there are new discoveries.. lets pray they find more and more.
      thank you Betty.

      Delete
  14. A very poignant post, lovely Val. It was a pleasure to notice this morning that you have become a follower on my Travel Tales Blog, I do hope you will enjoy it as much as News From Italy. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Lindy lou Mac
      thank you for your kind wishes.. You have gone through a lot yourself very recently. Yes.. i joined your new blog. its lovely. I am looking forward to reading more. hope you have joined me again.. so we can keep updated

      Delete
  15. A very thoughtful and caring post.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm so sorry to hear about your dear friend, Val. May God be with her during this difficult time. I love this quote on here today, and am going to write it down. It came at such a good time for me, as things have been a bit hectic lately. The blue tulips are nice for your friend. Blue is such a pretty color.

    Have a happy week, Val.

    Love,
    ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for you kind comment Sheri. I went to visit her today.
      she was looking frail. She was happy to see me.
      Hope that you get settled down , pleased you liked the poems..
      I love blue tulips too.

      Delete
  17. So glad to meet you Val! I like your blog and I'll follow it with pleasure.You have a so important topic today! Cancer has already affected my father, he isn't alive, two cousins of mine and my aunt.Sometimes I don't want even think of it because I'm so afraid!I know that we must be vigilant but we can't live with this fear...I believe in God and sometimes I become fatalist...I'm not right but ...
    Anyway, have a happy week and I wish you have good news from your friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So nice of you to come over to my blog.
      I now have a new follower Things and Thoughts.. i like your blog name.
      Nice to meet you too.
      Yes..cancer is an awful disease.. I agree with you.. we have to live for today. we cant live in fear. Our dear lord has it mapped out for us.
      wishing you a happy week.

      Delete
  18. Hello, Val. This post is so thoughtful and caring. I am so sorry to hear about your friend. I hope all comes out well for her. For all these terrible illnesses, early prevention is the best fighter. If we can do that for ourselves, then the rest is in God's hands..Happy Monday..Judy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Judy.
      You yourself have been through bad times with your dear Tami.
      My friend is in the theatre now.
      I have a candle lit for her.

      Delete
  19. A very touching post, Valerie! You are absolutely right one doesn't know what tomorrow will bring and we should therefore live in the present! I do send good and positive thoughts and wishes to your friend Tony but also to you, dear Val! Christa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Christa... yes.. we must enjoy today.
      tomorrow is another day.
      Thank you for such kind comments and wishes..
      lovexx

      Delete
  20. A post full of hope and care ,dear Val ! All we had beloved that we suffered from the cancer ! I wish your friend will be strong and have good results ! We must live for today ,tomorrow is another day and who knows what it will bring ...
    Have a nice night !

    ReplyDelete
  21. I am back on my computer after a month or more of absence – thanks for writing comments on my pre-programmed posts – I reread all your comments. You asked if I use picmonkey. I do not. My daughter placed a program years ago on my computer which is no longer available. I hope that I’ll be able to use it for collages for a long time, but sometimes with computer updates, it is not possible. I really like your collage and the rose is so beautiful. Cancer is such a terrible illness – but as you say many types can now be cured. I read this week that the pollution we breathe has a lot to do with many cancers. I do hope your friends will get well. My husband had bladder cancer last year and tomorrow he is going in hospital for a procedure to check to see if the bladder did not return.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Val

    Thank you so much for this post. It is a good reminder not to sweat the small stuff and enjoy the days and the blessings they bring. Sending you blessings of for a lifetime ahead of tomorrows. Shell - A Darling Nest

    ReplyDelete

comments will be published after approval