Roy Exum
You were wearing a pretty sweat shirt and blue jeans when I saw you outside the Infusion Center at Erlanger Hospital on Wednesday. You were the one who was nearly bald and I was the guy you greeted with a huge smile as we said hello in passing. You reminded me exactly of my brother Franklin.
Years ago when chemotherapy began to rob him of his hair, Franklin was pretty devastated because he actually enjoyed being vain. I mean he really worked at it. At age 36, he was actually the first guy I ever knew to wear “hair products” – this was back in the day -- and he didn’t think the cancer joke that left him hairless was one bit funny. One of his nurses, who he adored, told him to “get over himself” and promised his hair would grow back. She bugged and joked with him the whole time he was taking treatments and was a tremendous influence in his healing process. “Get over yourself!”
Not only did it grow back, it was ten times nicer and full as the hair that fell out. So, there is this: With the smile you presented to me yesterday, and the twinkle that is still in your eye, this “ain’t no thing.” Your hair will be prettier than ever, I promise. I can also tell you it has been scientifically proven that those with an attitude like yours heal faster than those who are cloaked in despair.
Anger and grief are the devil’s tricks so listen to loud music, watch funny clips on YouTube, and giggle as much as you can with the legions of friends who hold you in their hearts. And ice cream! Anyone taking chemo should try to count the different flavors of ice cream they can eat until their hair starts to grow again.
Ironically, not more than a week ago my dear friend in Texas, Sandy Pohfal, shared a very fitting story with me. Nobody knows who wrote it, yet it is with keen delight I share it. Don’t you see? Sandy sent it just at the right time for me to relay to you. Some can say this story, and our by-chance hello yesterday, was ‘What a happenstance’ but I call more of what I believe it really is: ‘A God Thing.’
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THREE HAIRS, TWO HAIRS, ONE HAIR & NONE
There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "Hmm," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony-tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YES!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"
Attitude is everything. Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
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SO, HERE IS YOUR FIRST GIGGLE
A CNN reporter walks into a neighborhood tavern and is about to order a drink when he sees a guy at the end of the bar wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat. It didn’t take an Einstein to know the guy was a Donald Trump supporter.
The CNN guy shouts over to the bartender, loudly enough that everyone in the bar could hear, “Drinks for everyone in here, bartender, except for that Trump supporter.” After the drinks were handed out the Trump guy gives the CNN guy a big smile, waves at him and says, in an equally loud voice, “Thank you!” --- This infuriates the CNN reporter!
So, he once again loudly orders drinks for everyone except the guy wearing the Trump hat. As before, this doesn’t seem to bother the Trump guy. He just continues to smile and again yells, “Thank you!”
So, the CNN guy again loudly orders drinks for everyone except the Trump guy. And again the Trump guy just smiles and yells back, “Thank you!”
At that point the aggravated CNN reporter asks the bartender, “What the heck is the matter with that Trump supporter? I’ve ordered three rounds of drinks for everyone in the bar but him … and all the silly fool does is smile and thank me. Is he nuts??”
"Nope," replied the bartender ... “He owns the place”
royexum@aol.com