Thursday, January 24, 2008

The Bucket List


Hello dearest soul family,

Yesterday I had a great time chatting about the film "The Bucket List" on a show called On Point hosted by Tom Ashbrook at WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. There were two other inspiring guests and myself. Phillip Krone, 66 years-old political consultant. In 2005, he was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer. In 2006, came a diagnosis of liver cancer and he was given six months to a year to live. Judith Freedman, 59 years-old psychotherapist. In 2002, she was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and given 6-10 months to live. Both of them have out lived their odds and are still going very strong. High five, hip shake!

Have any of you seen the film? Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman's characters get the news that they're going to die of cancer, and soon, they set out to do all the things they always wanted to do before they kicked the bucket-- skydive, climb Everest, see the Pyramids, travel the world. Sounds like a blast! And yet there are also so many great adventures to take on the inward bound journey as well. Are they mutually exclusive? No. But can you truly see the pyramids if your lens is fogged? The most breath-taking sunrise will blur if you only see metastatic bleakness in your minds eye. Do ya know what I mean? Have you ever been to the coolest party, in your honor perhaps, and been 1000 miles away?

So for now, my "bucket list" is less high impact, less about traveling the world in the search of the majestic and more about diving in and getting to know Miss Kris on the deepest possible level. Less adrenaline and more truth. Why? Because the REAL majesty is in us. Let’s raise our shades and open your eyes. It's far more dangerous and thrilling to truly live and SHARE that knowledge than to swim with sharks or free fall. Plus, most of us don't have the cash for one last top shelf super disco like Nicholson's character did. :)

Cancer (or any real adversity or pain) puts us on the rim and while we are on the rim we have an opportunity to appreciate and express fear simultaneously. Fear can be exhilarating! We are given more freedom to sail into flight and take great freaky leaps. Why not? The worst that can happen already has!

Can you have a healthy body while still having cancer? YES. A portion of your body can be dying from cancer while the rest is moving towards health. Healing is a centrifugal force; you have to stop it before you can turn it around. A bad scan or test doesn’t necessarily mean that you are lost on the road to recovery. Keep going…

Monday was the Reverend Martin Luther King's birthday. In a famous eulogy for four slain children he said, "Death is not a period that ends the great sentence of life, but a comma that punctuates it to more lofty significance. Death is not a blind alley that leads the human race into a state of nothingness, but an open door which leads man into life eternal."

Some of us have been given sell and use by dates. Others have relapsed and like Streisand are on yet another farewell tour. A “bucket list” = a life list, one that we should continuously be checking off.

Because you are part of this Crazy Sexy Family, part of your list includes educating yourself and bringing health and vitality to your life. I bow to you. Do you bow to you? You should.

This year let’s direct more energy and effort towards the inward bound. And yet.. but.. however, the Hollywood version of "the bucket list" reminds us do stuff instead of just reading about it, to play too. God is in the play especially when we add heaping doses of soul seeking. As always, it’s an active balance.

Portions of my bucket/life list...

Go on a motorcycle trip with Brian out west
Get a tattoo
Work with animals
Study at the Tree of Life and teach more often at Hippocrates
Publish more books
Try a new detox method, one that has less to do with food
Look into fertility options – yikes!
Have dinner with Maya Angelou
See a democrat in office (not sure who yet, more on that soon)

How about yours?

Big love and prayer and ok, a wee bit of skydiving too,

Kris

64 comments:

Marla said...

Kris, what about a detox method that has to do with a supplement drink instead of food? Is that what you are talking about? I found something new and interesting and I have been curious to know what you'd think about it... but only if you really wanta hear about it. let me know...

sue said...

Kris--you always bring me up when I am down...thank you for being you! Sue

Lisa -- Cravin' Veggies said...

Very inspirational. ThanksKris!

Unknown said...

Hey Kris,
did you see montel's show yesterday on his new book? He is a big fan of juicing also.

lj said...

Hey Kris,
I,ve been visiting your website since the beginning. When I first viewed tour trailer, I sobbed buckets of tears. You were saying what I had been feeling for months. I felt like someone out there "got me".

I was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago. 75% of the way through chemo I was told it had metastasized to my liver. Of course I was absolutely devastated. I'm a single mom with three boys. After a week of crying, I got pissed. How dare someone tell me when I was going to die. I couldn't afford to go to a clinic so I made up my own program. I have lots of friends who are into holistic forms of healing who helped out. To make a long story short, I'm not showing any signs of having cancer in my body.

The most important part of my cancer road trip has been the spiritual part. Before this happened I thought that doing meditation and yoga would be cool but I didn't have the patience for either one. I'd usually end up having a margarita on the front porch with my dogs instead.

I feel like cancer was God whacking me in the head with a 2X4 saying, "Wake the f*#k up!!!!." Healing inside has been such a gift. I do have a HUGE bucket list but for right now I'm learning to enjoy all the little things that happen every day that I used to take for granted.

Dianne said...

Kris, a few years back I decided I wanted to do more with animals. I learned to clicker train my cats. Then I got into breed rescue for Abyssinians and Bengals. I have fostered two Bengals; both would be dead if not for rescue. It's very rewarding and you can find yahoo groups for all three things I mentioned.

Dianne said...

We discussed the to-do list on Leroy Sievers blog here:

http://tinyurl.com/2rlhc4

His writing is always inspiring and the comments are great. Like here, it is its own community.

Rebecca said...

Thank you Kris. My bucket list is to keep swimming in the Maine ocean this winter and to swim while it is snowing....I am also training for the PANMASS for this summer.
I am going to continue to try to find a way to get the tumors out of my liver and keep my protein levels from climbing. I am going to meet my grandchildren.

Debbie Young said...

Rebecca
I plan to meet my grandchildren too and teach em a thing or too, like some green smoothie tricks!
Kris, What if we all do a short bucket list and share them here? Mine is to the point and not too complex:
1.Meet the Grandkids and spend years loving them
2. Have a big hiking party on my 100th birthday
3. Get to see the onc only once a year to hear good news!
4.Write a book
5.Be the best woman/queen I can be.

For all us gals,(and guys who really want to attract quality gals!) read The Worth of a Woman by Marianne Williamson. Girl Power times a thousand!
reclaim your inner Queen and Rule the house and the universe!
love ya
deb

bav said...

Hi All,

Kris let me know you were all worried about my absence...thank you for your concern. Things have been very hectic at my end.

I learned the week before Christmas that the canSer is active again. Last week a growth was found in my heart, in the original tumor location. So I have been super busy getting myself organized for further healing. The canSer had been cooking for likely over a decade before I was first diagnosed, so I just need a bit more time for my nutritional lifestyle to catch up.

I am doing well. I went downhill skiing for the first time ever the very day I learned of the growth in my heart. And I had a blast. I am continuing to do all the other myriad of things I do for my health and well-being as well.

I am awaiting more tests and a consensus of all the scratching of heads regarding what we are going to do about this latest development. So until then, I am embracing today, feeling incredibly grateful for the beauty and joy I find somewhere in each day.

Thank you for everyone's concern, I didn't mean to worry you all. I'll update as I learn more in the coming weeks.

Hugs,
b

Rebecca said...

BAV!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been worried sick! (pardon the pun). wasn't sure what to do.

I am calling you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My blog didn't work this morning so i had to go in under Rebecca. talk soon. i miss you!

Annika said...

Kris, this post is fenomenal and truly inspiring. Sick or not, we should all be checking things off of our to-do lists because we never know what the future holds for us.
I have to find that movie, I've never heard about it before but now I really want to watch it! Thank you!

(while I'm at it, thank you for commenting on my blog.. I had not expected it but I was super excited when I found it. You know, that "she's real! That wonderful person I saw on Oprah is indeed a real person!" kind of feeling, like when you go to a rock concert and realize that the singer on the posters on your wall is made of flesh and bone and standing there in front of you!)

Cheryl said...

Kris,

I heard Maya Angelou speak at the Boston Opera House while undergoing my first round of chemo. I felt awful, but dragged myself there because I have always found her so inspirational. It was a phenomenal evening. I cried the whole time. Dinner with her would be amazing.

Cheryl

Obsessedwithlife said...

I, found, when my 'last days' were happening (5 years ago!) that all I really wanted was family and friends...not all that stuff in movies, etc. I wanted a way to leave part of me behind-art, writing, speaking and to this day, I continue to do all that and more.

Ironically during that 'dying time', I was in audience at Oprah and Maya Angelou was on as one of the guests! SO cool and inspirational!

Jaime said...

Hi Kris....
LOVED this post. Maya Angelou is *amazing* - she spoke at my cousin's graduation years ago, and she left such an impact on me, as have her books. When I got the phone call that they didn't know exactly how invasive the precancerous cells went or how high-grade they actually were, I had that moment of, "holy crap, if this is real, what do I want?" And I realized that I had been living my life like it was prologue to something better; something more.....and that I never really lived in the moment. I realized that I was always waiting for my "real life" to begin - and it took this to hit me that THIS WAS my "real" life, and that I only have now. It's hard, every day, but I try to be in the moment.....doesn't always work though. But I try. That, and I try to choose hope.
(And, I treated myself to a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag after that phone call - if something bad was going on in my body, I wasn't going back to Sloan without finally buying what I always said I'd put off until I was older!)
So glad you're back!

trin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kriskeen said...

Kris- I am also a Kris with 2 non-curable cansers (lymphoma and leukemia). Your movie made me feel less alone- and- now that both cansers are again active, I find myself going over your tips in the book to figure out what to do. Thanks for all of your hard work- feel great!-

Anonymous said...

This post truly spoke to me (and my family) on this very moment on this very day.

My dear brother-in-law-, Dave, is losing his battle with ASPS and has been given days to live. My husband and I spent 2 years caring for him and now he is in a hospice house receiving the medical care we could not provide. We enjoy every moment we have with him, but await that dreaded phone call we know is coming very soon.

Watching him make some of the choices he did after being told he had cancer, has affected my life and its path. I don't take life for granted, but I certainly put up a good fight in the health and soul department.

While I hate hate hate that C is what is going to take Dave (and at the young age of 30), I am grateful that I had a chance to see why its important to make my own bucket list...and live with knowledge that life in not a guarantee and to make it count each and every day.

Debbie Young said...

Tae, my heart goes out to you..I had to put my mother in hospice 3 years ago..do know that they are earth angels that really do know how to be there at this time.
Sending you prayers of healing and blessings
Please take especially good care of you and your hubby during this time.
I will pray for your brother in law and your family.
Debbie

cancer cowgirl xo said...

Tae,

I second Debbie's advise to take good care of you. I hate hate hate it too. Way too young. I am with you girl. Please let us all know how we can help support you electronically. An idea I learned at the Zen Monastery I lived at for a bit was that after we pass we are still in the room, still present, packing our bags and getting ready for the journey. Not sure if this is true but it's an interesting concept to share and I guess I won't know till it really happens.

I hope it is OK to tell you this, I chatted about it with my husband because I wanted him to know what to do if my day comes before his. The advice from the buddist perspective is to keep to joy and love in the room so that the person is still bathed in it. To celebrate the journey in whatever way you can manage and send him off with love. Many people freak out or make it about them and the spirit is gets confused, nervous, and even scared at times.

I was with my grandma after she moved beyond the comma. I swear I felt her for about 45 minutes and then I knew it was time to let go because she had. I wrote a story about how I imagine the dying process for the next book, if you like I will post it. It gives me a lot of peace when I think of it. Came in a meditation.

You are a blessing to this community and we will rally around you when you need it. Love to your family.

K

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, Bav. Please hang in there - your attitude sounds wonderful.

In light of Kris's "Bucket List" idea, please check out this website - Caroline Miller is a most amazing "alternative cleanser".

http://carolinemiller.com/index.htm

Glomerulife said...

Oh Kris :)

if i could i would prescribe you BID to my pessimistic patients and the "statistically blind "( those who ask for the numbers and decide to lose hope if it is not in their favor - for the love of God science is not complete and why see the
glass half empty when u can see it half full"

My bucket list
I have a burning desire to provide an accredited Arabic Medical encyclopedia to people back home( as none exist at this point) , introduce them to integrative as opposed to making a choice between conventional or traditional med.

other stuff, finish my current research protocol- do more projects

trip to the amazon- memorize some of my favorite poems

read you blog more - I love your spirit ! rock on Cowgirl..

Reem :)

joyfuljude said...

Hi Kris and everyone!

Your post on The Bucket List only reaffirms that I am sure you are an angel sent to all of us. Your words have a way of touching us all the way to the heart of our souls.

I'm so thankful for your documentary, your book (and all the ones to come) and most certainly this blog to see how everyone is able to deal/accept/work/fight canSer.

I keep each of you in my prayers.

Chris in Wyoming said...

I cannot begin to tell you what this site has meant. I have felt a bit alone in this journey. I have lovely friends and family, but really needed to share with those who know. I was in need of a community...and here you are!
I am 51 and have late stage lung cancer. It has been quite the 3 years. I am here past when they thought I would be (Hooray!) but that has had an interesting side-effect. Some of the support has drifted away...I look ok, I act ok, I work full time, so I must be ok...
I love how you all have reached out. How you have joined together. You are a force to reckon with!
You are amazing human beings and I am proud to know ya!

Sarah said...

I have just seen the preview for this film - it looks amazing, even for people who do not have an illness should take inspiration from it. Afterall, life is not a rehersal.
Sarah xx

LauraB said...

Wow, a lot going on and a lot to think about. I have not seen The Bucket List, but I have been making my own list for sometime. My children are 2 and 5 and definitely intend on meeting my grandchildren! My adjunct treatments ended less than a year ago and since then I have been working on checking off my inner list. I have big plans for travel of course too, but I totally get the inner-bucket-list, I just never described it that way. This is a wonderful reminder and kick in the rear to start checking things off. Thanks Kris!

Bav, be strong girl! We are all praying for you and sending you lots of love and healing energy.

Tae, deeply thinking of you and your family....feel the love from here, it works!

XOXO

Anonymous said...

Kris, thanks for being your inspiring self; What a great post! Sometimes it is so easy to obsess on the little details, the right foods, the right treatment... it is easy to miss the big picture. Living the right life and making every day count. Be the person you want to be & do the things that inspire you. These thing actually make a difference to those around us as well.

Just today I was taking to my grandmother who survived both uterine cancer and breast cancer but who now has leukemia. She is focused on the life she has lived and what a great life it has been. She has been such a source of strength and inspiration the last year as I have had my own experience with that darn little c*. It will be hard not to have her around anymore but she has made her peace with the universe and a life well lived. Bucket filled.

scnewme said...

Oh Kris, This one touches me to my core...been working and reworking on my own personal "to do" list since being diagnosed with an uncurable c just about one year ago to the day. Not only the places to go and things to see kind of lists, but also searching for my own light within - shedding the outer skin to find the inner strength, love and beauty...if that makes any sense at all. It sure isn't easy, but sometimes (in the words of Aerosmith) "Its amazing, in the blink of an eye, you finally see the light!!"

I've also been writing since that day...mostly a running dialogue to my two kids about their hopes, goals and dreams, life lessons and all things that a mom wishes for her most precious babies. Hoping to take these notes and eventually put them into a book (at least for each of them) but maybe I'll just shoot for the stars, right!

And bav, you have been in my thoughts and prayers for quite some time - yes we have been concerned and wondering you are doing!! You are an incredibly strong and spirited woman whose presence, intelligence and awesome advice has made our little world here a much better place. Keeping positive and wishing you beautiful days, girl!

May all of our buckets overflow with love and peace in the days and months to come!

xoxo Sherry

clint said...

Tae:

Am SO sorry to hear of your Brother-in-Law's situation, and can only wish for you much Love and Strength for your brother-in-law, you, your family and all involved.

Reading your post has reminded me of my girlfriends passing, (2001) as we were there holding her hand, in her bedroom as she passed away from Spindle Cell Sarcoma (on her birthday no less) ... it was one of the most profound experiences I've ever been a part of...we saw miracles in the room that day... I will never forget it.

At the time, I didn't realize we (I) were being 'Graced' by being a part of it all.

Big hug to you Tae !

sincerely,

Clint

Anonymous said...

All,

Thank you for all your cyber hugs and love. This blog has been my safe haven for months now.

Clint, when you said you and your girlfriend were "graced" by the experience, it reminded me of a conversation I had with Dave last week.

Knowing that it is and was time to make our peace and say what we had to say, I opened up my soul to my brother-in-law and tell him why his life and his comfortable passing meant so much to me.

Over a plate full of M&M pancakes, I shared with him my great love for him and my great hate for his tumors. I shared that, while I detested that this was happening to him, I couldn't help but reflect on how different all our lives would have been if it had not happened.

*He would not have moved in with my husband and I, thus Dave and I would have never had this unshakable bond that transcends the love of most in-laws and even the love I have for my own blood siblings.

*The hubby and I would probably not have gotten an opportunity to test run those vows "in goods times and in bad". When Dave first moved in with us, we were not even married. I remember Ken saying to me in the ER after one very long and scary night with Dave and saying "I wouldn't think or love you any less if you want to leave." I remember looking at him and saying, "If I wanted to, then I wouldn't be the person you love." And stay I wanted to. Watching him open his heart and life to his brother made me realize what a beautiful man I was about to marry.

*My husband and his father were not speaking when Dave was diagnosed. The C shook them both in to dropping the petty BS that had driven them apart so they could rally around Dave.

* and most importantly, his eternally loving and forgiving spirit inspired me to face people and the world differently.

Cancer is a horrid, bitter thing. But, even it has a silver lining.

Kris....I would love it if you post your story about the dying process.

Thank you all again so very much.

cancer cowgirl xo said...

Tae - I will be happy to. Will post tonight late or tomorrow morning. Thank you so much for sharing with us. You help each of us with your story - you all do. xo K

cancer cowgirl xo said...

Treat cancer with flavs:
Do not push me. There is no place for your aggressive spam campaign on our blog. You have been respectful in the past, this morning you were totally inappropriate. Sorry, no more chances. Don't post any more. You will be deleted everytime. Best of luck to you. My advice, seek grace and manners this time around, your life will improve and so will others.

Sorry friends. We'll take care of this.

Jennifer said...

Kris -

This post has sent me deep inside myself. I'm watching my FIL pass of cancer and he is marching on with such grace. He is always upbeat and strong. I think the reason he is so strong is because he definately fullfilled his bucket list. My FIL is an amazing man and has lived an amazing life. His whole life has been an adventure and his stories are so outrageous they should make a movie. I wish I could be as strong as he is. It is so hard for me to hide my tears from him. When faced with loss it forces you to think about your own life and what really matters. I want everyone in my life to know how much I truely love them. I want to be a kinder, gentler person, but still keep the scottish flare that keeps my husband on his toes! My bucket list includes owning a home with a big front porch and a dog. I would also like to see our medical community incorporate holistic/homeopathic medicine and have it be covered by insurance. I also want to live to see my grandchildren.

Bav,
I'm really glad you came back to let us know that you are OK. I'm sorry for what you are going through and I hope you will keep us posted so we can help in any way possible.

Tae,
I am so sorry for the pain you are feeling. It is so amazing that you found the good in such a difficult time. You learned to love and experienced a deep connection with him and really that is what life is all about.

Callie -

I'm thinking about you today and praying your scan is good.

Jennifer

Debbie Young said...

Callie: A clear scan to you my friend..intense positive thoughts going to you and many prayers!
Tae: thank you for your insight and wisdom, we have all learned from you. Prayers for your bil and your family.
Bav: Glad your are back, hate to hear you are suffering but girl you are in the right place here, we love you!
Jennifer: I made a photo album of my mom with all her adventures and different parts of her life for her memorial. We did a slide show too..it was hard to watch but it is a way to see the person they were and will always be to you. Take sweet care of yourself and your hubby. Prayers for a miracle to you.
love you all
debbie
P"S Kris, you get that Flavinoid monster go girl!!

Becky said...

Callie, also prayer to you and your scan! you are such an upbeat and positive person! Keep it up! Tae, I have been meditating towards you and your BIL. And Kris, thanks, kick them in the ass! You are very scarey when you are mad! No wonder your canser is so scared of you!! hee hee.

My CA125 levels went down to "normal" after having gone up slightly twice in a month. Had to share. Little tiny victories, but wow does it help. Wheat grass here I come!!!!

clint said...

Wow Tae, that is incredible.... all the events that are happening right now with you. Thanks SO much for sharing it with us !

One could look at it like . . . you, your hubby and your brother-in-law, are evolving MANY lifetimes thru this experience.

That is some serious 'Gracing' !

:-)

much Love to you Tae,

sincerely,

Clint

Barbara said...

Great post. I need to be reminded often to live each day to the fullest. Question, have you ever heard/tried Larabars? If not, they are great for on-the-go food - raw and unprocessed. I'm currently obsessed with them.

Debbie Young said...

Hey Becky
Fireworks and organic champagne to you!
normal is what we all want, but we all know we are super natural!
deb xoox

Sandra said...

My friends, you all touch me every time I blog on.
Sister Bav, welcome back with open arms and huge hugs. Know that you are being lifted up and surrounded by healing light from every soul in this rockin' community. Please check in frequently and let us support you in whatever way we can. LOVE and radiant energy to you, gorgeous girl.
Callie, how'd it go? I realize you may not know results yet, but how's your head? Spinning? Sending love and calm your way.
Tae, my heart aches with you and your husband. Love and acceptance to you and yours. Acceptance is hard to get to sometimes, but therein lies the grace. We are holding your hands, surrounding you with strength.
Kris, what a great post. I'm sure you rocked the radio waves in Boston and touched a lot more lives.
My bucket list was clear the minute I learned I had a brain tumor. (Don't think I've mentioned that before; it's small and stable, but still...) I've always been so focused on self-improvement- going to seminars, reading books, trying, learning, striving. When I got the dreaded phone call, it hit me instantly. I may not have time to improve my way to perfection. I need to be okay with myself just as I am right here right now today. TOTAL self-acceptance is number one on my list. That doesn't mean I stop growing, but I let go of berating myself for being less than my idealized version of who I think I should be. More love for self begets more love for others.
Okay, that AND finish my book!
xoxo,
Sandra

Glomerulife said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Glomerulife said...

To OLGA GAMES (flavonoids-insanity)

I am guessing what you have is either Tourette Syndrome or some form of compulsive obsessive disorder

either cases , I wish you the best of luck in seeking treatment ( maybe flavo ? )

I hope you noticed that this is respectful decent online community that is intelligent in their discussions, information and approach to health. As you will find here nothing but sincere words from everyone.

your silly spam is not welcomed.



To everyone else .. Sorry i was a silent reader most of the time.. Like many of you here my life was touched by cancer ( of a close friend) unfortunately I come from a place where support can be much better and awareness still has long way to go.
I have no doubt things will change. As I am very proud of our national campaign that is still in it infancy but will grow– it has changed people perspectives, the next step for these guys is to provide bigger support to patient and their families.
http://www.cancampaign.com/ar/
u may not understand the words but the pictures will give you an idea of what they have done.In a year I will belaunching with my colleagues our health awareness project to integrative med- so wish us luck

you must agree, the world is a small place indeed and human nature has some beautiful traits everywhere.

I admire you all and find strength in your spirit

take care and sorry for the long post
all the best
Reem

To bav ..I have the strongest feeling you will be ok , it is good to see u back

Rhonda Radliff said...

I had a bucket list before CML arrived, but now I am shifting time frames and learning to readjust the priorities.
Kris, welcome back! Thanks for sharing. I'd love to email you a couple of stories about graceful goodbyes/transition/death. Let me know if you are interested and where to send/post.
Bav, lots of prayers for you in the new phase of your adventure. I hope that healing is yours, with lots of warm heart hugs.
Tae, what a journey with your brother in law and family. Prayers and celebration of life, and prayers for healing and hope during such wrenching times of transition.
Chris, Wow, you are a strong woman, and working too! Keep the faith and may health and strength be yours.
Callie, good luck with the scan. Reality is a tough pill to swallow, but better to know what you are dealing with so we can direct healing energy to the spot!
My second set of chemo is going better. Eating 80% raw and juicing. Done lots of research on the detoxing and what's possible during chemo. Also doing acupuncture, chiropractic and massage every time I can rub nickels together!
Life lists (bucket lists) are great. My suggestion is that we have weekly, monthly, yearly and maybe daily lists to keep us on our toes and living! Let me know what you think.
Lots of love,
Rhonda
sionito@aol.com
www.rhondaradliff.blogspot.com

Rhonda Radliff said...

Hey flavs... the dutch are such nice people, why are you bombing us with your spam?

Dr.Sue said...

Kris,
I guess I don't have a bucket list because I've learned to be content with where I am now, and try to enjoy each day. I did have a big want/desire that I fulfilled a winter ago by being able to now spend winters in AZ and the rest of the time in MN. As I tell my husband, I'm a cheap date! I do want to go to Tree of Life, either this or next April (or maybe at a differnt time). It's just 3 hours from me when I'm here in AZ.
I do want to see the movie & I think it's great for people to have a bucket list to attain.

Callie,
Sending you a prayer, good vibes and positive thoughts for your scan results.

Bav,
I've just been posting a short time, but have read back quite a while. You seem like such a strong, intelligent, thoughful & positive person. I wish you all the best & have said a few prayers for you. Please keep us all posted.

Tae,
What lovely people you & your husband are. You will be rewarded.
Many warm hugs,
Sue

Anonymous said...

Kris, if you would like the names of some neat artists around here for the tattoo of your dreams, I can give you a few ideas...I have 27 and want a hummingbird next. Beware, they're addictive!
I think you will look glorious with something in color.

By the way, I absolutely loved your music list-you might also like Josh Ritter as well~
:)
xo

LauraB said...

Good morning and happy Saturday to everyone! Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful day, I truly look forward to checking in daily, it makes my day. I am stronger for having a community like this one and I acknowledge all of you and thank you all!

.....I stuck to my plan to turn off my crackberry earlier and to check in on scheduled times and it has made such a difference. It took my project-partner a little getting used to but it made is wife VERY happy! Since he couldn't work with me he spent more time with her :-) Thank you Kris, we all need a techno-detox reminder.

Alana said...

I'm new to the blog - just learned about the book and movie! What a wonderful support system for us cancer-babes or those dealing with other medical issues. Many thanks. Alana

RachelRae said...

Hello everyone! Just wanted to once again extend the invitation to join my CSC discussion group on Yahoo! simply go to yahoo.com & do a search in their groups section for Crazy sexy cancer & you'll find it. Otherwise, you can feel free to email me personally & ask for an invite at drracher@yahoo.com
Thanks, Rach

Basic Me said...

Bav.. I am so happy to see your name and so sorry you are back battling ...but one very irrevent word of encouragement. If it took on your heart it was far to stupid a disease.. your heart is so big and so blessed and so strong there is no force on heaven or earth that can intrude there. You will never leave my prayers. Thanks you for taking minute and answering the worries and requests. We love you!!!! Now as my grandmother who I am sure is not human on some level her spirit is to strong.. would say.. Now what can we do to make you smile.. need a prayer.. dirty joke.. puppy...? Got them.. so you have them.. Sending you prayers and love..Callie

Mary 50 said...

Thanks Kris, the bucket list let me sit and think, and think. It hit me I was so busy living the everyday life. You know wash dishes, clean floors. I forgot to go deep with in.

Have legacy will written before I die.

Walk my dog and watch her chocolate fur glisten in the sun.

Watch a sunrise this winter.

Eat an green apple while watching Pirates.

Teach my children about death.

Teach my husband how to get a new woman, companion.

Teach my children what a good mate it.

Tell my mom good-bye in a way she will comprehene.

Serve some one else.

Go to Morro Rock, stay at a Motel with a great view.

Just sit and look at the ocean.

Finish my short stories.


Do a great pastel.

Learn to let go of hate, bitterness and anger.

Let me be me. Qurky.

Unknown said...

Here's Mine...

~Beat Cancer

~Ride in a convoy of Black SUVs, preferably in the second truck

~Climb the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon in Mexico City

~Buy a pair of Manolo Blahnik heels

~Push my wheelchair off a cliff

~Watch my niece and nephew graduate from college

~Become a published writer

~Help build a house for Habitat for Humanity

~Adopt a child

~Get Sandy Koufax's autograph

~See the Dodgers win the World Series

~Hike Corcovado Mountain

~Go Hello Kitty shopping in Japan

~Beat Super Mario Brothers

~Be in a movie or documentary

~Ice skate at Rockefeller Center

~Trace my genealogy

~Go to prom

~Become fluent in 4 languages

~Dunk a basketball

~Take a picture of the mermaid statue in Copenhagen

~Play golf with Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley

~Visit all the monuments in Washington, D.C.

~Pray at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

~Run a 5k

~Save the World

~Kiss a frog (Hey wait, I already have, LOL!)

~Learn how to belly dance

To be continued...
Melyssa

Mary 50 said...

Militant Shopping-pre-op bucket list.

Found some outrageous PJ's. Lime green, and a lime green sweat suit. Also I went shopping in.PJ's, my first quirkiness coming to light, hot for a 53 year old.

One PJ is full of hearts. The other a little girl saying "I'm big trouble<_>

Doctor called today,, I almost jumped out of my skin, I though maybe she moved the date up. but, No just logistics.

Glad I had a healing binder with me at pre-op, made from the tip book CSC. I wonder if Kris will market them one day. It really helped keep my head together. Cards, numbers, lab slips etc. in one place.

apoopslingingmonkey said...

Cool post...My bucket list- to travel, and anything that incorporates being outside and doing FUN things lol!
And as far as the Inward Spiritual and more of a 'daily' bucket list for me includes this scripture from the bible-in the Words of Jesus-
Matthew 22:37-29 "And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/t
ools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Mat&chapte
r=22&translation=nas&x=5&y=16


Tae~
I'm so sorry about dave...You and your hubby have been so wonderful to care for him all this time!! Huge blessings to you both for your love,time and sacrifice!!!praying for you all...

Bav!~
is back! skiing is so fun huh?! I skied for several years, then tried snowboarding- i love that even more :) also when you fall snowboarding its so much easier on the knees! when I'd fall skiing-man my legs and knees went in so many directions and just thrashed my knees, not so much with the snowboarding tho lol!

And finally....I think "Treat Cancer with Flavonoids:" has a Bucket list too- to sell at least 1 product! LOL

Unknown said...

Hi All!

I just wanted to pop in and tell you all how inspirational you are to me. I have been lurking for a time off and on, but never posted until now.

I was diagnosed with stage IV Colorectal canSer at Christmas 2006, at the age of 36, with mets to bones, brain and lungs. I have undergone too many radiation treatments to count (including the very successful GammaKnife surgery!) and 9 months of chemotherapy... I have had a two mos. break (during which time I got married to the most wonderful man ever!) but this past week started up on a new regimin. This was a horrible experience for me and the side effects were the worst I've experienced. Now I am seriously questioning going back, for I fear the lasting damage the new drugs may cause.

I found this discussion to be particularly poignant for me at present and wanted to join in the discussion. The bucket List was a movie I wanted to avoid at all cost because of the fear of facing my own mortality. But after spending some time here I'm coming around to the idea that in order to move forward (in any direction) I must accept the possibilities.

You are all amazing and inspirational and Miss Kris, you are my hero... I hope to be just like you when I grow up! ;)

Here's to good health exercise and meditation (and so much more)!

Anonymous said...


Very interesting story.

Unknown said...

I am new to this blog, hello to all, Expecting and experiencing great things this year! 2008 is already great! Kris, as for the detox, perhaps you are aware:
1-3 Tspn. ACV (Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar) in 8 oz. distilled water or organic lemon juice alternate days first thing in the morn detoxifies fully. Distilled water, unbeknowst to most, is free of sediment, minerals, particles, compounds, metals, chlorine, etc... it is made up of large molecules that actually attract toxins in the body and flush them out of the body. Drink it with the ACV has a synergistic affect!Drinking water takes on a whole new light eh!!
3 john 1:2 Kris excited that you are taking care body, mind and spirit! You Rock!
Susan Capodici Bierman
rx101rx@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I am new to this blog, hello to all, Expecting and experiencing great things this year! 2008 is already great! Kris, as for the detox, perhaps you are aware:
1-3 Tspn. ACV (Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar) in 8 oz. distilled water or organic lemon juice alternate days first thing in the morn detoxifies fully. Distilled water, unbeknowst to most, is free of sediment, minerals, particles, compounds, metals, chlorine, etc... it is made up of large molecules that actually attract toxins in the body and flush them out of the body. Drink it with the ACV has a synergistic affect!Drinking water takes on a whole new light eh!!
3 john 1:2 Kris excited that you are taking care body, mind and spirit! You Rock!
Suzanah1

Unknown said...

CLARIFICATION of above Post:

2 tspns. Bragg's ACV or 2 tspns. organic lemon juice in DISTILLED WATER upon arising!

Doctor David said...

Kris,

What an awesome blog to complement a great movie and a great outlook on life. I can't wait to direct my patients and their families here for your love and inspiration!

Anonymous said...


You can treat cancer with Flavonoids!

It's easy, cheap and effective.
xxgot

Lauren said...

I was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma in October of 07 - 10/11 to be exact. At the time that diagnosis was basically termina. My first order of business was to send a family member out to get your book (I saw the series on TLC prior to getting diagnosed). I started a blog right around the time I was going in for a TAH/BSO/Lymphadectomy and it has really helped me move through the range of feelings I have had and still have. Because I am now in menopause my vajayjay is pretty dry and my next order of business is to conduct a review vaginal moisturizers, to try to humor myself and those close to me. I met someone on a support board living in indonesia with this disease and recommended your book to her. She bought your book on a trip back to Australia and loved it so much she bought an extra copy for her oncologist in Indonesia. Thanks for everything Kris. Godspeed.

Unknown said...

Hello all, I have missed you!

I have been enjoying reading all the posts from this and the techno-detox entry. One of the reasons it has been a while since my last post is that I have been partaking in a computer detox of my own!

Two weeks ago I began a new job, and the following week my husband, kids and I escaped the brutal cold and snow of our Wisconsin winter and fled to Florida's Disney World. It was a fabulous vacation. Totally rejuvenating! For those weeks I had no computer access.

My experiences of the past couple weeks totally tie in to the discussions about getting out from under the techno gadgets of our time, and also realizing what is important in life.

I always had to have self-imposed limits for my computer time as I can spend all day and night in front of it, searching for info., keeping up with friends, reading great blogs :] I also make my living online and doing research, so I do spend tons of time in front of the computer. Like Kris mentioned when she escaped reality on her vacation, the first few days without e-mail and the Internet I was a bit lost, but soon thereafter I forgot about it and did not miss it! It was a very liberating experience. I believe that I will frequently partake in a "techno detox"!

As far as my bucket list goes, from the moment I was told I had brain cancer a year ago, it's all been about my family, my kids. On my list, #1-eternity is all about leaving a legacy, creating memories, being the best mom and wife I can be (I have a way to go), and my ultimate goal- watching my grandchildren grow up. There are also a few things I desire for myself- more time to dig deeper, savor the moment, and spend time in nature connecting with myself, God, and the natural world.

It's great to be back and catch up with y'all!

Debbie Young said...

Library Mom!! You were missed.. glad you are well.. sad your family is ill. Two Thumb up on the immunity boost, you are doing fantastic!
love
deb
PS I share your goal of grandmothering to the HILT!

Kris said...

Kris - I saw the debut of Crazy, Sexy Cancer on the evening my first round of chemo ended. It really lifted my spirits - thank you.

Regarding non-food detox methods, have you tried castor oil packs on your liver or peat baths? Peat is a 4,000 year old mud that pulls toxins from your body. Some naturopathic clinics offer these types of baths. Also, because I have lymphedema I've been looking into rebounding (mini trampoline). I've read this is a good way to detox overall - you don't need to have lymphedema to benefit from it!