Your Unique Treasure Chest

In June 2004 I was diagnosed with another form of cancer, this time on my right breast. I viewed my second experience with the disease as an adventure rather than as a potential "death sentence." I allowed my imagination to run wild!

I imagined myself as a courageous, feisty pirate who was searching for the map to the island of Cancer Cure.

In my quest for Cancer Cure, I knew I would find my teasure chest. I decided to make a treasure chest from a shoe box. I imagined this special box to be full of things I truly needed to make my adventure that more pleasurable. I already was a veteran survivor, and I knew which treasures would help me on my recovery.  When friends asked me what I needed, I would hand them my Treasure Wish List:

• bubble gum (to remove the nasty taste of the meds and radiation)
• life savers (for the days when I drowning in my tears)
• bubbles (to help strengthen my lungs)
• dark chocolate
• coloring books
• crayons (drawing and color therapy is great!)
• creative-looking pens
• flip-flops
• fingernail decals (no longer can wear fingernail polish)
• a journal (to write down my experiences)
• lipstick
• thank you cards
• comedy dvd's (Laughter heals the pain.)
• cartoons (to connect with the child within)
• angel figurines
• magazines (to make a collage)

I will always remember the morning I was released from the hospital.  That afternoon I received the LARGEST BOX I've ever seen. It was shipped from co-workers in Texas. I opened up the 40 lb package, and inside were individually wrapped presents that included most of the things on my wish list.  The following day I received a huge box from co-workers in New York, and it also contained wrapped treasures. Daily for more than 30 days I received exciting treasures from around the world, including hand-made pink booties from a co-worker in Mexico.

My treasure chest was overflowing. In fact, the contents took up the entire space of my living room area.  On the evenings when I felt alone, I would look at all my treasures, and I felt truly blessed because I had a treasure chest of friendship.

I still have the crayons, silly pens, a gumball machine, Barbie doll and several journals.  Most importantly, those friendships continue as my life's treasures.