Travel Tools and Tips

Dick and I have had a lot of wonderful travel opportunities. We’ve been to every state in the USA, sailed on multiple Alaskan, Caribbean, and Mediterranean cruises, been to Israel many times . . . and for each of those trips, there are packing considerations. Will the weather be cold or hot? Will we be mostly indoors or outdoors? Dressy clothes or casual? What kind of electrical plugs/adapters will we need? You get the picture. And there are times when you’ve checked and double-checked, you’re pretty sure you have everything you’ll need, and then whoops! You find yourself making a trip to the local department store (which, in another country, can be an adventure in itself).

As I’ve mentioned, my current situation involves a trip to a place I never saw coming. On December 4, when my sweet doctor/friend had to break the news that instead of digestive issues (I had thought she was going to tell me to cut back on spicy foods), the CAT scan showed ovarian cancer . . . Dick and I felt like we boarded a fast moving train that was headed for places where we never would have chosen to go. And in the last 8 weeks of this trip, there are some tools and tips we’ve discovered and are incorporating into our daily lives. Some of these will be directed to those who are walking through chemotherapy. Others could be utilized by anyone facing a time of neediness.

Let’s start with a few tools:

Wigs, beanies – This is probably an obvious one when dealing with chemo hair loss, but I have to say that having some options each day is a must for me. I always loved to play “dress up” as a girl, and now I get to do it on a daily basis. Which beanie or wig will I wear? Or maybe I’ll wear a beanie and a wig. It’s just my reality right now, and I might as well have fun with it. 

Socks – Nice warm socks in the wintertime are not an unusual item to add to this list. But “fun” warm socks make this journey a little more special. Here are two kinds I’m enjoying. First, these are fuzzy and cozy, and my feet always look forward to sliding into them. 

And then . . . it’s amazing how I will put on a pair of one of these and be reminded of the scripture on the socks all day long. Hmm, is this what it means to clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12)? Okay, that may be a stretch, but you get the point. 

God’s word – Of course, the most important tool in any journey is the Word of God. I’ve mentioned this, but having friends and family send a text or a card with specific verses the Lord has laid on their heart for me is meaningful every

single

TIME!

I take these to heart and have compiled a few of them. Here they are, listed on this PDF. Feel free to share these with others who are on a journey of their own.

Now, let me share a few tips that come to mind:

If you can, keep living life as “normally” as possible – I work part time for a wonderful missions organization, and my title is Engagement Manager. The main role of my job is to interview people who sense a calling into ministry, tell them about ACT International, and assess if they will be a fit with our mission. This involves Zoom calls – a great opportunity to get to know people from around the world from the privacy of our home. It truly is the “perfect job” for me right now, as I know the arc of the chemo treatments, realizing there are only 4-5 days each month when I am not feeling up to something like this. And as I throw on a wig or a beanie (see above), those I meet with have no idea what I’m experiencing (unless I decide to share it). The bottom line is, Dick and I are doing our best to keep life as normal as we can, and this is one of those ways. (Here’s a photo of me set up for a Zoom call).

Be grateful for your caregiver(s) – It’s a little crazy for me to even consider that I need a “caregiver”. But I definitely do right now, and my husband has stepped into this role naturally and lovingly. There are day-to-day elements of our marriage that have shifted in this season. While I am still capable of most of the household chores that generally fall in my column, I will say Dick has become excellent at doing an occasional load of laundry, preparing a protein packed smoothie and keeping up with emptying our household trash. My response as he steps into these tasks? Gratitude. I want him to know that these are not “expectations”, and I don’t take these actions for granted just because of my diagnosis. Gratitude goes a long way. For others who care for me – doctors, nurses, friends, people who bring a meal – my desire is that they are always assured I am so very thankful for their help. 

Which leads to . . . 

Don’t be afraid to let people know what you need – This is a tip that is important now, but something I will carry with me once I “ring the bell” at the end of this current cancer journey. I’m finding that all of us have an innate desire to help, to try and make something better for someone if we are able. Dick and I, thankfully, don’t have a lot of daily demands right now that we can’t easily meet on our own. But there are definitely times we could use help. For example, the 4-5 days of the month when I’m dealing with the effects of chemo the most? Those are days I could use a little more support. God has placed me in a wonderful small group of ladies here in Bowling Green who look at the calendar and line up a few meals for those days. They know this will be a help to us, and yes, what a blessing! 

Also, Dick is still traveling on the road playing piano for various artists, and when his schedule calls for him to be out of town, we have friends and family lined up to come and stay with me. Their companionship and practical care makes such a difference. 

Here’s the bottom line for any of us: People can’t read our minds. And if we don’t let them know what we need, we take away the opportunity for them to jump in and help. They can always say no . . . but they can also say yes! “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Praying for others lessens the amount I think of myself – Since learning of my illness, my eyes have been opened wider to those in my circle who are struggling with something physical – friends suffering with a broken bone, others with cancer, another friend who just had brain surgery, another who had hip replacement surgery . . . and as the Lord gives me scriptures and encouragement for myself, those words are often just right for me to turn around and share with others. Take a moment to send a text or make a call to encourage someone else. Don’t just be a receiver, be a giver. 

And this points to one last tip: 

Look for ways to encourage others – I am being encouraged by friends and family every day. A beautiful card in the mail, or a sweet text, or a gift delivered to our home out of the blue . . . all are so meaningful! After church this past Sunday (so glad we were able to go!), we stopped at a little market for me to pick up an ingredient for a dish I was planning to cook. I ran in quickly, dressed in one of my wigs, found my item and went to pay. The cashier looked at me and said, “I love your hair. I wish I could make mine have waves in it like that.” We were the only ones in the store, so I decided to expound on this more than I would have with a line of people behind me. I said, “Well, let me tell you why that means so much to me.” I told her it was a wig, I’m going through chemo, and for her to compliment my hair (of all things) made my day! She responded very kindly and I knew I had blessed her right back. We both had a sweet moment to remember. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Travel tools and tips are valuable when you are headed on a journey. The train I’m riding on has left the station, or if you read my last post, the boat has left the shore. In any case, I’m on my way to a destination that hasn’t yet been revealed to me. And it’s more than a “field trip”. This is an educational excursion! There will be more tools, more tips, and more lessons to learn, no doubt. 

“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer”. (Corrie ten Boom)