To the friends and family of Doug Cloward

Saturday, April 26, Doug was admitted to the hospital for a severe case of pneumonia. Later he was diagnosed with mantel cell lymphoma leukemia.

We have been receiving many emails and phone calls expressing love and prayers in behalf of Doug. We have set up this blog for updates on Doug's progress. Thank you all for your overwhelming support and care!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Liberty & Freedom from the Hospital Bed

The room is perhaps 10x6x20 (hallway). There is a window on the side wall that looks out at the mountain and the helipad. On the wall behind my bed view is a poster picture of a cowboy riding along a high mountain stream, with the title FREEDOM. Any of you who have read one of my favorite books, Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" will appreciate that freedom is a state of mind and that liberty is control of options.

Freedom is the realization that you are free to choose, own and stand accountable for the choices of your mind and whatever actions your liberty, or lack thereof, permit you. Today, my liberty is largely limited to my hospital room again, but the blood counts are looking like tomorrow maybe they will deliver the key with the hard boiled (steamed, nuked, or otherwise lifeless) eggs. Oh what choices are expanded with that soon-to-be re found liberty. Yet, what accountability will come with that new found liberty as well.

So here we have consultants, moms, with a new found liberty of kids back in school and no longer being focused on last minute vacations, soccer and such --- what to do, ummmh? And then we have the president of the company, no longer confined to the bed and the pricks and pokes and pumps and pills and nurses and ----- ummmh, what to do?

Seems we all have some renewed and important choices to make over the next few days because the choices of the next few days seem to set the course and the priorities of those that follow. It seems that moments of choice of change are far more impactful to longer term actions than one might think.

So, what will it be? Let's see -- no movies, TV, Mall hop shopping, novels and restaurants over the past three weeks for me. Maybe I should really celebrate - do those things I haven't been able to do? Or rather, maybe I can run a little faster, speak a little louder and reach a few more ears and hearts with the message and the movement. I guess my choice will rally speak my priority and my priority will speak my passion and my passion will carry my message of priority and purpose and power. I think until the key comes I will seek the freedom and the liberty to speak out to yet another nurse and doctor about what ails their families and the sound cure that is found in heritage. They seem to be honestly interested in my diagnosis and prognosis and several have carried the message beyond the confines of my current liberty. And so shall they (your contacts) carry your message beyond your circle of influence and reach.

I look forward to introducing you to a simple new tool to help you help them to extend the reach of your liberty to inspire, instruct and motivate with your message of heritage. That is coming at Reunion -- a simple tool that will reverberate your message and your liberty, if you will only choose to use it. IT IS COMING.

Onward and Upward

Love
Doug

7 comments:

Penny Hughes, Personal Publishing Consultant said...

Doug, your magic is still there. You have such a gift of weaving your readers into your vision. I loved reading your posts AND......my curiosity is really peaked about the "tool" you are giving us.

Love to you and your family!

Kathy Grove said...

Doug,
I am THAT mother with all the kiddies in school and "what to do?" time on my hands. Today I found the joy in listening to the guidance of the spirit! Here I have been, petitioning out Father to guide and help me, and today I finally listened. In fact, I chased a woman and made her stop her car listened. I was candid with her and told her why I went to such effort to ask her to buy cards from me. I told her that there was a whispering in my heart directing me to her--unfortunately I didn't get to get her info, but I know I made an impression she won't forget! What fun I had today being a Heritage Maker.

love love love you,
KathyG

Kathy Grove said...

Oh hey, guess what? I DID get her info after all--Momzheimers in action over here. I guess it is so ingrained in me now to "get thir info" that I do it without thinking.

Hope you have a day of beauty and light.

Love love love KathyG

Kathy Grove said...

Doug and Judy and family--we love you so much!!

Kathy Grove said...

Ok, is it obvious that I have lost all posting composure? Too bad, can't help it. Heard the news on the wire, and had to let you know that we have not stopped praying for you.
Love love love
KathyG

I am momentum

Laurene's Nest said...

Doug, glad to find this Blog and welcome you to the "Survivor's Club" where many HM consultants are already members. If you haven't already done so, contact the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as they are a wonderful resource. Keeping you in our prayers as you walk the path to healing. Laurene Shewan

Nano Barb said...

Doug it was so good to see you at Reunion. At my Life Story class tonight one of my new students came and mentioned she went into the site and read your blog. I include her reply as it it encouraging with MCL. I send it your way with blessings Doug.
email...Barb, I need to jump into my book to bite the elephant! I know, small bites!
About Mike and his Mantle Cell Lymphoma. He was diagnosed when he was 57, stage 4 cancer in his blood and bone marrow. Mike wasn’t a good candidate for a bone marrow transplant. Instead he had CHOP chemo, then they gave him high dose chemo (same results as having a bone marrow transplant), in hospital for about a month till all his blood work came back up to normal. He was given 2-3 years. And the great news is...that was 7 years ago! It’s still there and has made itself known in Mike’s lymphocite count, but is, as the doctor says, behaving itself. Mike still goes to the Cancer Clinic every 6 months. You would never know by his energy that it crept up...he’s still working, golfing, travelling, playing. We laugh together...a lot!! And enjoy the smallest things that come up on a regular basis (the birds on our feeders often stop us, bringing us back to the present!). Today, life is great!
Off to bed so I’ll be fresh to work on “my story” tomorrow.
Mary Lou