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BrianB's avatar

I had a work trip last week, first since March 2020. On the flight there, I sat next to a woman who shared that her 24 yr old daughter, seated farther back, was recovering from breast cancer and a double mastectomy. I pulled up a link to Between Two Kingdoms on my phone and asked "do you know about Suleika?". She didn't. We proceeded to talk for the remainder of the flight. It was one of those moments where it felt like the universe had arranged for this meeting to happen.

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Kristina Rhodes's avatar

Having physical things around you that engage your senses is something I’ve found critical in this season, very long season, of illness. Chronic pain is like the screaming toddler in the grocery store aisle with eyes of fire and the strength of an elephant. Their determination to capture your attention is their only objective. It is because of this incredible force of distraction that items that engage your other senses are all the more necessary.

Here are a few of my favorite:

• A luxurious hand lotion that smells good

• Fluffy socks

• Candles, scented and non-scented

• Lip balm

• Hoptimist

• Nail polish

• Music (Lizzie McAlpine, worship music that is rooted in scripture to meditate on God’s Word in a different way)

• Meditation app-Headpsace

• Plants, flowers, something alive

• A view of nature out my window

• A cute, yet cozy outfit. Something that’s not pjs so you feel like you accomplished one more thing

• A somewhat ridiculous skincare routine

• Body scrub-Coffee and almond oil followed by rich body lotion

• Hair mask

• Peppermint and licorice tea

• Tiny toy dinosaur from my nephew that his tiny hands gave me at age 2

• Pictures of friends and family from favorite memories together

• RBG calendar

• Fluffy duvet

• Heavy floral quilt

• Post-its around my room with encouragements from a friend who sneaked them into my room once

• Bracelet from my goddaughter

• Artwork from my goddaughter

• Fashion magazines

• Dopamine boosters photo album on my phone

• Painted rock made by cousins on summer holiday together on my desk

• FaceTime

• Cards from friends

• Cuticle oil

• My brave pineapple (every time I do something that was brave or that I’m proud of, I write it down on a small piece of paper, fold it and put in inside a glass pineapple with a gold lid on my dresser. Then on New Year’s Day, I read through them and remind myself all I have to be proud of.)

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