The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers...

So, taking a page from Oprah (yeah, I just made myself laugh too), I am going to reference Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture." Honestly if you have not seen it, YouTube or Google it right now. No worries, I'll wait.

The "C" word puts everything into perspective. No Melissa, not that "c" word... Sadly enough cancer is what inspired Randy Pausch to give his lecture – terminal pancreatic cancer. Now don't worry, I am not going to turn this blog into my personal platform on cancer and my dad, although that thought has crossed my mind. What I am going to continue to do is talk about my little checklist (which lately seems like a HUGE list and daunting task). If there is anything I have learned these past three weeks it is that cancer either makes you more even more of an Eeyore or forces you to be a Tigger.

"Decide early in life if you are a Tigger or an Eeyore,” Randy said during The Last Lecture. When I heard him say it, I also heard the voice in my head – the one I try hard not to listen to these days – say “you’re an Eeyore.”

Yup, for the most part I was a bit of an Eeyore. Things were never fantastic, they were okay. There was always something better to do or 100 different reasons why I couldn’t do something. There was a lot of “poor me.” Not to mention, cynical works for me, especially when I can use it to make people laugh. Thing is, I hid my Eeyore in a Tigger costume. I am pretty high energy. I can get worked up, passionate and bright-eyed. Some of you may swear you have even seen me bounce around just like Tigger. And, I'm in PR, this whole smoke and mirrors thing comes easy. So for the better part of my life I have been living as a cynical Eeyore in a full blown Tigger costume. Well until recently anyway.

I was convinced that More Tigger, Less Eeyore was going to be one of the hardest things on my list to achieve. Well, that and Strengthening My Faith. Looking back at the list, these are two of the things over the last couple of weeks and months that have come easier than say, getting the courage to date again or singing karaoke. (Seriously, why is that even on the list?) The journey my family and I are on with my father is not easy – as WAY too many people know. In my eyes, there is no other attitude or frame of mind to adapt but be more Tigger. I won’t even let the alternative be entertained in my thoughts. Everyone I have talked to about going through a journey like cancer diagnosis with a loved one has said the exact same thing – think only positive thoughts and create positive energy. From my perspective, positive thoughts and energy can only come from one place – the Big Doctor Upstairs, as my dad has come to call Him. (We all think we are comedians in my family.)

Cancer is a true test of faith. (yes we are back to number one on the list) There is no way I or my family could ever have found the strength to get through the last few weeks without our faith in God. I am comforted knowing that He is with me, holding my hand through the hard times. It is truly what allows me to wake up everyday and be a little more Tigger – about everything.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Hebrews 11: 1,3

Update on Dad: Surgery on Friday went as well as it could have. He was in surgery for 9 hours and they removed his entire gallbladder, the right half of his liver and a portion of the left half. This is the best possible outcome for the type of cancer my dad has, so we are cautiously excited. We are still waiting on the results of the pathology tests and the recovery will not be fun, but dad is doing really well so far and looks like he may be able to come home from the hospital on Friday!