Dear Writers and Readers,

Thank you for reading.

This is an intermission in Writing Coach Teresa’s “Parkinson’s Disease, My Chinese Papa, and My practicing The Four Agreements” blog post series.

This post is about my courageous cousins.

My 42-year-old cousin is dying of metastasized colon cancer.  I wish to speak up for her and another young woman who died three years ago.

Even though the medical world says 50 is the age to get a baseline colonoscopy . . . there are people under age 50 who would be alive today if they got tested much earlier.

According to Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org

What is your risk level?

Talk to your doctor about your colon cancer risk if you:

• Have a personal history of colon cancer or precancerous polyps
• Have a parent, sibling or child who has had colon cancer
• Carry a gene for a hereditary colon cancer syndrome
• Have a history of inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease

Cousin Anna started rejecting food over three weeks ago. The purple and black marks on her skin are signs of liver failure. Hospice nurse tells my aunt and uncle and cousins that their daughter/sister will be leaving soon.

Anna’s siblings have been her loyal advocates; they too need moral support now.

While witnessing Anna’s journey, I see how my relatives practice The Work (as Byron Katie would say) -  taking care of what is in front of us, with grace.

Anna herself is doing The Work – She calls out for her brother (who has been her primary caregiver; what a loving caregiver) when she wants to drink water from her stainless steel cup, change position in her bed, or merely see him in the room.

Anna’s loving brother is doing The Work – He has set up a station (including info packet and supplies from hospice care) outside Anna’s room; he supervises as well as provide excellent care when he is home; he goes to his new job in San Francisco.

Anna’s adoring sister is doing The Work – She flew in to be with her sister, meet the hospice nurse, orchestrate delivery of a hospital bed, shopped, made phone calls, and comforted her parents; then she flew back home to take care of her own family.

Anna’s sister-in-law is doing The Work – She has been there, is there, to give everyone moral support.

Anna’s mother and father provide food and tea for us all. We eat in silence.

January 29, 2016

Cousin Anna died in the early morning of January 21st.  Rain had stopped. We even had blue sky.  A new angel on her way.

Please listen to what your body tells you.  The statement “You’re too young to be tested” is just someone’s opinion. Be your own advocate. After all, you are the expert of your experiences.

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan, author, playwright, speech writer

http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

https://www.youtube.com/user/teresaleyung

**

Writers’ Sanctuary is sponsored by the Moe Green Poetry Hour

On Tuesday, March 16th 2010 , in celebration of Women’s History Month, Writers’ Sanctuary presents visionary author Mary Cox Garner; award-winning author Luisa Adams; author and writing career coach Teresa LeYung Ryan; and international plot consultant Martha Alderson. This program is aimed at people that have a love of words, a book in their head, and are seeking methods of putting their ideas on paper, and developing a story with the potential to become a publish book.

I had fun today!

Kim McMillon creates interesting programs for the literary community.  Her latest creation is “Writers’ Sanctuary” a blog talk radio show. Today she interviewed:

Mary Cox Garner, author of The Hidden Souls of Words:  Keys to Transformation Through the Power of Words http://www.hiddensoulsofwords.com/ In 1995, Mary Cox Garner established a foundation, HOPE, INC., which continues to address both the material and spiritual needs of children and their care givers. She lives with her husband in Washington, D.C., and has three grown sons.

Luisa Adams, author of Woven of Water http://rp-author.com/Adams/ Luisa Adams is an award winning writer, educator, workshop leader, and Licensed Brain Gym® Consultant. She is the mother of five, grandmother of eight, and resides with her husband, Dave, in San Mateo, California when not living by the enchanted lake.

Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/ As  community spirit, Teresa LeYung Ryan uses her novel to shed light on stigmas suffered by women, men, and children who have mental illness/traumas to the mind.  She speaks out for those who cannot speak for themselves. [ On the show today, I focused on what I had learned from writing Love Made of Heart, why I need to speak openly about mental illness and the toxic stigmas, Glenn Close’s mission and http://www.bringchange2mind.org/]

Martha Alderson, M.A. is an international plot consultant for writers. Her clients include best-selling authors, New York editors, and Hollywood movie directors. She can help you, too.  http://www.blockbusterplots.com http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com/ Plot tools that Martha has created include: Blockbuster Plots – Pure and Simple;  The Seven Essential Elements of Scene;  Scene Tracker Kit; DVDs for many genres; and free monthly Plot Tips eZine: http://www.blockbusterplots.com/contact.html

To listen to “Writers’ Sanctuary” blog talk radio show hosted by Kim McMillon, click on: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onword/2010/03/16/writers-sanctuary-hosted-by-kim-mcmillon Mary Cox Garner, Luisa Adams, Teresa LeYung Ryan, Martha Alderson shared insights and posed questions; the show was aired on March 16, 2010 11:30am-1:30pm and is now archived.

Teresa LeYung Ryan is also known as Writing Career Coach Teresa. She is the creator of Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published (a 22 minutes for 22 days workbook for writers to build their platforms before and after publication). Coach Teresa says: “You are THE expert of your experiences. Whether you’re a fiction or non-fiction author, make your name synonymous with the themes / subject matters / issues in your writing.”  http://WritingCoachTeresa.com