Bleeding Espresso

1 May 2008

1st of the month featured blogger: may

Two months ago, I got an email entitled “The good news is I’m not expected to die immediately” from my friend Sara of Moving Right Along.

Deep breath.

Sara hadn’t blogged in a while, and it turned out that a brain tumor was the reason why.

Before going in for surgery, Sara sat down and wrote an email to make sure that her online friends knew how to keep in touch with her should she never be able to read and/or write again.

Deeper breath.

I told my mom and P about her story, blubbering through it and finishing with a tirade about the lack of universal health care in America both times.

I thought about Sara at least once every minute I was awake on the day of her surgery and the day after until I received an email from her True Love that she was doing well.

This is just a small measure of how deeply Sara and her blog and her amazing spirit and wit and humor and L.O.V.E. have touched me. The photo to the right is Sara’s “healthy butterfly” from an MRI taken after her surgery, and yes, that’s Sara above on her tricycle.

She’s been through cancer and a leg amputation and insurance company ridiculousness and so much more, and so I knew deep down that Sara would come through this ordeal with an amazing strength as well.

What I didn’t expect was that she would come back writing better than ever, touching my heart on new levels, making me think about everything in a new way.

But I’m not going to blather on about Sara and why you should go read her blog any more; I’m pretty sure that would make her uncomfortable, and that’s the last thing I want to do.

You see Sara is one of those “leads by example” kind of people I admire so much. She goes about her daily business, deals with what life hands her, does it with grace and love, and is kind enough to tell us about it–and when we’re extra lucky she takes photos as well.

Go visit Sara.

I can’t think of a better way to spread some love this Love Thursday.

Happy Love Thursday everyone!

28 beans of wisdom »

28 beans of wisdom to “1st of the month featured blogger: may”

Gil on 01 May 2008 at 7:31 am #

Thank God she is all right. Sara is one tough woman and sounds like a real fighter.

Absolutely Gil–to all you wrote
Tarie on 01 May 2008 at 9:46 am #

Happy Love Thursday!

Thank you for this eye-opening post.

Tarie’s last blog post..The Blogging Friends Forever Gold Card

Thanks Tarie, and thanks for visiting
Christina on 01 May 2008 at 11:05 am #

Wow, she’s truly inspiring! Thank you for sharing

My pleasure Christina
Valerie on 01 May 2008 at 11:51 am #

What an amazing inspiration and beautiful spirit she is! Rah-rah to Sara for battles won!

Valerie’s last blog post..Raindrops

Yes to all of that Valerie
running42k on 01 May 2008 at 12:21 pm #

That was a great post, and I agree with you whole heartedly about the lack of universal health care in the States. Be nice if the defense budget got reallocated to health.

running42k’s last blog post..Are you even listening?

Agreed. Completely.
My Melange on 01 May 2008 at 1:41 pm #

Wow, what an inspiration she is! So glad she is alright now!! What strength. And yes, our health care is abyssmal in the US. Michael Moore’s Sicko pretty much said it all.

My Melange’s last blog post..What’s new and exciting at My Melange?

I hear you Robin. I hear you.
Devon Ellington on 01 May 2008 at 2:58 pm #

Thanks for sharing. I’m glad she came through surgery so well.

Devon Ellington’s last blog post..Monday, May 1, 2008

Indeed, Devon.
stefanie on 01 May 2008 at 3:34 pm #

Oh wow. Brain tumor stories terrify me. I’m so glad she’s all right!

stefanie’s last blog post..Points for creativity anyway?

Me too on all accounts, Stefanie.
Lucy on 01 May 2008 at 3:54 pm #

Bless her in every way!

Lucy’s last blog post..Missing the Sunrise

Thanks Lucy!
Cherrye on 01 May 2008 at 4:30 pm #

Whew. I’m glad that post had a happy ending! Thanks for the intro.

Cherrye’s last blog post..First of the Month Recipe - Torta alle Mela di Peppe

My pleasure Cherrye
Christina Arbini on 01 May 2008 at 4:48 pm #

Amazing how we don’t even have to know someone personally for their story to touch us. God bless her! And may the rest of us truly appreciate all that we have in our lives.

Christina Arbini’s last blog post..The “Perfect” Book Giveaway!

Excellent thoughts Christina.
Janet on 01 May 2008 at 4:54 pm #

That is an amazing story…and butterfly! Wow! Going to read her now

Janet’s last blog post..Love Thursday

Glad to hear it Janet!
JennDZ_The LeftoverQueen on 01 May 2008 at 6:36 pm #

NICE post Michelle! I love inspiring people like this! They are the people that keep us going, through their amazing examples! Thanks for sharing!

JennDZ_The LeftoverQueen’s last blog post..Married, Alive and Well!

My pleasure Jenn! Good to see you back
bonggamom on 01 May 2008 at 6:53 pm #

What a wonderful way to commemorate a wonderful woman. I’m going over to congratulate her…

bonggamom’s last blog post..I do NOT love these babies (yet?)

Great Bonggamom!
Karina on 01 May 2008 at 7:16 pm #

What a beautiful post! She sounds like an amazing person!

Karina’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #52- All About the Shoes

A beautiful person inside and out, our Sara
Chel on 02 May 2008 at 2:05 am #

Ok, this is a lovely idea… to recommend blogs?! yummy. And your friend, Sara, sounds lovely as well.

Chel’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday - My First!

At least one blogger every first of the month Chel–be sure to come back
Dory on 02 May 2008 at 2:20 am #

Thanks Michelle - for such a sweet post about Sara and for bringing her to my attention! Very inspiring!

Dory’s last blog post..Voices in my head

My pleasure Dory
cheeky on 02 May 2008 at 2:52 am #

I can’t think of a better way to spread the love by honoring people we admire.
Love to you . . .
xo

cheeky’s last blog post..she spreads joy

Back at ya bella
Sara on 02 May 2008 at 3:39 am #

Oh, good grief! I can’t think of a thing to say about any of this except, seriously, you couldn’t have ripped off a better picture of me? Like one of these, perhaps?

hahahahaha

No, I guess this one really is more appropriate.

Meanwhile, I must assure you and your readers that I am hardly inspirational. If you don’t believe me, you should see me freaking out any time someone wants to take blood from me or inject me with something. It’s not pretty, and it’s certainly not inspiring. Meanwhile, everybody’s got some terrible thing to deal with in his or her life, most people more than one, but really, everybody. If you don’t or haven’t, you will. Not everybody whines about it all as loudly as I do, though. People are walking around with all kinds of stuff going on, and none of us has any idea about any of it unless they choose to tell us about it. And even then, well, truth is a slippery, often amorphous thing, especially when you are looking at a person’s life from one minute to the next.

For real inspiration, surf my blogroll and my list of resources. There are some people there who put me in awe and teach me how to get through each of my own truly trivial days.

Happy Love Thursday, right back at you. xoxoxo

I *knew* you’d say something about the photo. I couldn’t help it. I just love it too much!

And now I will add humble to your list of admirable attributes. You’re inspirational Sara, and you can’t stop me from thinking it dammit!!!!!!!

The girls send kisses
Cynthia on 02 May 2008 at 5:03 am #

I am so glad you have led me to your blog and your friend Sara is definitely is definitely an inspiration.

Cynthia’s last blog post..Squeeze & Suck, Slice & Dice or Total Body Commitment?

Happy to have you here Cynthia
Ursula on 02 May 2008 at 5:55 am #

Wow. I am always amazed at what super human strengths we can find within. Sara is (thankfully!) living proof of that.

Just reminds to to hug longer, love stronger and live boldly.

Thanks…and Happy Love Thursday!

Ursula’s last blog post..Looking back

Excellent words of advice Ursula. Thanks for stopping by!
Marie on 02 May 2008 at 6:53 am #

Very inspiring woman! It makes me think twice about complaining and stressing about insignificant things!!!

Marie’s last blog post..PASTA SALADS!

Perspective is always a good thing, Marie–I completely agree.
Wanderlust Scarlett on 02 May 2008 at 9:15 pm #

I read this with my heart in my throat… so relieved that she is doing well. I have so much admiration for those people who live with grace and strength, who take the good with the bad and keep going along in search of the sun.

What a blessing she is to so many others; more than she will ever know.

thank you for sharing this.

Love,
Scarlett & Viaggiatore

Wanderlust Scarlett’s last blog post..The Road Ahead

Such beautiful sentiments as always Scarlett; thank *you* for sharing
jen of a2eatwrite on 04 May 2008 at 5:57 pm #

Beautiful post, Michelle, and I will, indeed, visit Sara.

jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Timing

Thanks, and happy to hear it Jen
annoa2 on 05 May 2008 at 1:27 am #

What an amazing story! And thanks for pointing me to another wonderful writer.

I am going to stop whining. Right now.

annoa2’s last blog post..Sunday Scribblings: I am from…

We’re all entitled to whine every now and again, but some perspective is always welcome in my house
Diane Mandy on 05 May 2008 at 12:04 pm #

I certainly will. Thanks for the suggestion!

Diane Mandy’s last blog post..Veggie Tales

My pleasure Diane
Alex on 07 May 2008 at 12:10 am #

She is a wonderful person! It’s great to hear about people like this. She provides inspiration for us all. Good on you for writing about her - I’ve linked to her blog from mine.

Alex’s last blog post..I’m a Lime - What Tree Are You?

Thank you Alex; I’m glad to hear you’ve visited and linked to Sara.
Darryl on 17 May 2008 at 4:55 am #

i must live in a different america then the one i read about here. in my 62 years, i don’t know of any family member or friends that have had a problem with health care. i know there are exceptions to everything.
i have also read about the state of hospitals in italy, their not being able to meet minimal standards. i also know that people north and south of our boarders are always trying to get into our hospitals. i could go on but, guess thats enough.

Hi Darryl, I think you’re quite lucky to not know a single person who has had trouble receiving adequate health care in the United States; I hope that continues for you and yours.