Walking side by side, for life, raising brain tumor awareness

Why we walk, why I walk next to my husband and his brain tumor. Dec 20 will mark our 25th wedding anniversary and on that day I let him and the world know that I would stand by him for life. Richer or poor, sickness and in health. Our marriage was bound in love at that moment and that love has seen us through many happy moments, lifechanging moments and struggles. But yet we continue to walk together. 20 years ago we faced the diagnosis of an astrocytoma together. Although it was considered a "good tumor" it altered our lives forever. We confronted radiation, he showed courage and strengnth as he traveled to Boston for the 30 treatments. The effects of the radiation has taken its toll on his brain but yet he walks despite paralysis on his right side. He devised a method to tighten his shoe strings with one hand so that he can continue to walk. His adaptation to the struggles is what keeps me at his side. On this walk we have grown closer together and have learn to appreciate each other. I have maintained that he be as independent as possible and by taking a step back he has a sense of accomplishment with all his daily tasks. He has assited me to see the beauty in life, appreciate each day as a gift and he reminds me that I too can accomplish my goals. Over the past 10 years he has helped me find new ways to communicate. He can not speak but a few words but we can have a conversation like no others. His eyes, hand gestures, pictures can tell a story. His smile and kind touch, hugs and laughter fills my heart and I can feel his heart talk to me. I want to share with others this love and hope. That is why we walk 

Review of Hope through the Eyes of Love by Harold

Harold Cameron

Book Review: I love the title of Patti Gauvin’s and Angel Logan’s new book, Hope Through The Eyes of Love. And that is what this book is all about. It is about a husband and a wife, two ordinary but yet not so ordinary people who have lived through and are still living through the most trying of circumstances. The kind of circumstances that tries men's souls and tests the marrow and strength of th...e marriage bond beyond what many would be able to endure. But you see, Patti and her husband Ron have hope and see each other and their lives through the "eyes of love" so that is why their love for each other has remained strong and their marriage intact. To read the rest of the review visit my blog at www.haroldsays.typepad.com.

Moved back to Ron's childhood home to keep MIL from nursing home.

Preparing for MIL to come home.  Moving into her home, an eyeopener.  Tasks she has not been able to do herself, have gone unnoticed. Hope through the Eyes of Love has taken a back seat but then again, not really.  We are living the next chapter.  I have had one of those priceless moments. Ron in his childhood back yard looking around and I just know he was reminicsing,  looking at the cement blocks he had created with his Dad,  the hill he would practice his archery, the basement that he dug with his Dad.  Will continue to make lots of priceless memories with his Mom.

link to book reivew in the Beachcomber - Destin

http://www.thebeachcomber.org/books818.htm

The 20 things I wish someone had told me 20 years ago when we started on this brain tumor/cancer journey.

1. **Understand statistics for prognosis and know that courage, hope, love, age and health skew them.
2. **Research the treatment options provided by your doctors.
3. **Join a support group and if there isn’t one in your area start one. Join Brain Cancer family.
4. **Have a living will done. Making one doesn’t mean you’re going to die soon and discuss its contents before each surgery.
5. **Make funeral plans and discuss what each of you want.
6. **Learn about the rehabilitation, home health, hospice and palliative care agencies and facilities in your area.
7. **Volunteer at any of these places to really to get to know the care they provide. Hospice volunteer training changed my perspective on death and dying.
8. **Make a list of all your online usernames and passwords. Especially banking accounts.
9. **Get a medic alert bracelet. If you are the primary caregiver you also should have one.
10. **Keep an ongoing list of medication, procedures, treatments, and surgeries.
11. **Keep any of the list and the above documents on a flash drive in a safe place if possible in your pocketbook. Share the password with at least 2 people.
12. **Schedule exercise into your daily activities, if you have trouble with overweight/overeating, follow a healthy food plan like weight watchers.
13. **Keep a journal.
14. **Plan and keep vacations.
15. **Maintain a budget and don’t impulse buy with the excuse, “I should get this now because I’m not sure how long he/she will be here.”
16. **Don’t delay education plans, getting advanced degrees if desired, help both financially and emotionally.
17. **Discuss your goals, mission, plans for the future and work each day to achieve those.
18. **Understand the requirements for disability, Medicare and gather information for application.
19. **Know your health plan from work and understand co-pay, deductibles and flexible spending options.
20. **Talk about the elephant in the room, be open about the fear of death and disability from having a brain tumor. Keep the elephant in perspective.

By: Patti Meserve Gauvin, Author of Hope through the Eyes of Love – Life and Marriage in the Face of Brain Tumor. Contact: patti.gauvin@yahoo.com

Facing brain surgery - a year later.

It was just a year ago we were facing Ron's pending surgery.  Initially it was planned as our yearly vacation in Maine but as the days approach I just knew he needed something done.  He was having seizures often and falling too frequently.   I dreaded the thought of making him stay inside but he really wasn't safe outside.  Wheelchair was a thought.  So my plan was that they needed to do an MRI, plan surgery to drain or clear out the cyst and then all would be well.  Having approach surgery 6 other times I was geared up emotionally and started on the logistics.  We made it to Boston July 14th , had the MRI and would actually have been disappointed had they said there was nothing they could do for him.  But the doctor agreed after seeing the films and surgery was planned for July 19th.  When asked when we would like it done, according to my plans, the earlier the better because we had a vacation planned.  With some help from amazing friends and family the logistics worked out as planned.  We were able to stay with a good friend the night before surgery and it was during that stay I was introduced to the concept of co-authoring a book.  Yes, Ron was facing surgery the next day but we discussed my dream of sharing his story with others.  We talked over how courageous Ron had been and will be during the upcoming days.  During the next day I did not think much about the book, my mind was occupied over his recovery but I had a strange sense of calm and just knew in my heart we had done the right thing.  A few days after surgery Ron was walking on the beach in Maine and the phone number for a writer and co-author was in my pocketbook.  I plan on blogging my reflections of this process over the next few months.   

Free Shipping for our Birthday

For the remainder of the month I will cover shipping cost.  In honor of our birthdays we want to share our story with you with no shipping cost.  I will send you our gift to you for $19.99