#8920 12-01-2006 02:55 AM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | OP  "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 794 | Dear All, I want to share the beautiful story, below. It expresses how I feel about the support given by my family, friends, acquaintances, this Board, and even people who do not know me but have heard of my cancer.
THE PARABLE OF THE SPOONS
A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like."
The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors, and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles, and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one.
There was a large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water.
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, "I don't understand."
"It is simple," said the Lord. "It requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other."
.............................................
Thanks for "feeding" me when I needed it, and may we all continue to feed each other.
Colleen--T-2N0M0 SCC dx'd 12/28/05...Hemi-maxillectomy, partial palatectomy, neck dissection 1/4/06....clear margins, neg. nodes....no radiation, no chemo....Cancer-free at 4 years!
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#8921 12-01-2006 05:06 AM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 | August, THANK YOU! THANK YOU ! for sharing this wonderful message. I love it. What a nice way for me to start the day after reading this.  take care, Diane
2004 SCC R.tip 1/4 tongue Oct. 2005 R. Neck SCC cancer/Chemo Cisplatin 2x/8wks. Rad. Removed Jugular vein, Lymph gland & some neck muscle. TX finished 1/20/06... B.Cancer 3/29/07 Finished 6/07 Bi-op 7/15/09 SCC in-situ, laser surgery removed from 1st. sight. Right jaw replacement 11/3/14. 9 yrs cancer free as of Jan. 2015
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#8922 12-01-2006 01:33 PM | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 136 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 136 | that's an interesting tale.
while i was in Japan, i seemed to have learned that when eating, if the other person's glass is low, it is great manners to pour them a refill.
seems like a nice custom.
cu,
larryb
'01 diagnosis.. jaw hing and base of tongue. surgery not possible. JHU used radiation and chemo to seemingly rid me of the beast. peg for about 19 months. 100 cases of 24 cans of liquid food. 9 months eating therapy. 3x esophagus stretches. non-smoker. previously a social drinker.
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#8923 12-01-2006 02:25 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 | i've never seen a better description of what family and friends mean. Amy
CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease
:
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#8924 12-01-2006 03:01 PM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 383 | Great story August. Thanks for sharing. May we all continue to "hold each others spoons"!!
Steve
SCC right side BOT/FOM; DX 1-25-06; Neck dissection/25% of tongue removed 2-17-06. Stage 2 Recurrence 7-06: IMRTX35 & 3X Cisplatin ended 10-18-06. Tumor found 03/18/13; Partial Glossectomy 03/28/13 left lateral tongue. Nov. 2014; headaches,lump on left side of throat. Radical Neck Dissection 12-17-14; Tumor into nerves/jugular; Surgery successful, IMRTX30 & 7X Erbotux. Scan 06-03-15; NED! 06-02-16; Mets to left Humerus bone and lesion on lungs-here We go again! Never, Ever Give Up!
**** PASSED AWAY 10/8/16 ****
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#8925 12-02-2006 04:20 AM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 160 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 160 | Great story August! I still have goosebumps from reading it. I also am so gratefull for the many spoonfulls my family, friends, and people I have never met(this board) have fed to me. I can only pray that I can do the same for them. Have a great day!
Dx3/20/06 SCC,BOT,1N Tx:5cycles Carbo/Taxol, Rad:35x, brachytherapy:6x, completed 7/24/06
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#8926 12-03-2006 03:33 PM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 | August, What a great story. I think so many of us face these little depression episodes thru our cancer journeys and so many people like to walk or exercise and we forget how powerful the written word can be. A simple message can help so many of us get thru the day with a better perspective toward LIFE. Thank You for sharing!!
Mark D.
Mark D. Stage 3 Nasopharynx dx10/99 T2N3M0 40xrad 2x Cisplatin 5FU. acute leuk 1998.
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