Why am I writing this blog?

Euclid (Cleveland), Ohio, United States
Here I share the amazing spiritual journey I began on July 19, 2007. I received the diagnosis of a golf-ball-sized tumor on top of the left parietal lobe (motor functions) of my brain. I had severe symptoms all up and down the right side of my body and had received an MRI scan of my brain. In August 2007, I learned that my diagnosis was a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). This is a common form of fast-growing brain cancer with a challenging prognosis. That's the external story about that moment in time. In the spiritual world I found (actually more like it found me) what I came to call the Fact-Based Spirit-Guided Path, and I began an amazing journey. After October of 2008, I lost the use of my right arm, and in early 2009, my cognitive abilities were struggling, and treatment options ended. My wife, Susanne, then began doing most of the blog postings, with my review and input whenever possible. I continued to apply the Fact-Based Spirit-Guided Path as the adventure continued. My soul then flew to the Kingdom of God on July 1, 2009. Thanks for your interest in my journey. Craig

Susanne's Perspective

During this entire journey, my wife, Susanne, had an entirely different kind of experience. Initially she added comments to some of my posts describing her experience of the moments I discussed and offerred perspectives on our relationship. In the latter stage of this journey, she is writing the blog, as I am no longer able to do so. I am truly delighted that she is doing so. Susanne and I work together as marriage educators/relationship coaches and she has written many books on preparing for and strengthening marriages so you can count on her comments to be insightful and poignant.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Explanations and Party Invitation, 2-27-09

Dear Family and Friends: As you can imagine, the last two weeks have been a veritable whirlwind. We have done our best to communicate, but feedback is letting us know that there are a few gaps! We hope this message will be helpful for closing in some of these gaps and settling some anxieties.

Despite concerns, Craig is not on his death-bed. And we apologize if we conveyed any sense that this was the case. Nowadays when someone goes into the hospice program, they can have days, weeks, or months (sometimes even years) to live--hospice ensures that this time is very rich and full. On Wednesday, Craig and I, along with daughter Michelle and son David, met with the nurse and social worker who will lead our hospice team. Over the next few weeks, a spiritual advisor, art therapist, and music therapist are expected to join the team along with a volunteer visitor and a care-giving aide. It will be wonderful to have on-call support, along with all the emotional, spiritual and physical sustenance we have been receiving from all of you through this journey.

Craig, as has been the case throughout his illness, is in very good spirits (and dreaming of miracle cures!). (But Craig requests that we not receive suggestions for miracle cures.) He’s even more spiritually peaceful and content now than ever! The steroids and the gradual elimination of the treatment drugs from his system are helping Craig to feel better, increasing his energy, strengthening his right leg, and improving his speech. We know all the prayers are also supporting him very much, and we thank you all for them. He is enjoying connecting with family and friends who have been visiting. Recordings from Craig’s past singing have surface; his soul is touched to hear the music. (We are still looking for more recordings, though, if you have any.)

As we have mentioned, Craig and I have been working in partnership to create the celebration of Craig’s life that will be his funeral service, when the time comes. It has been an honor to be with him on this journey and this phase of his life and I wanted to make sure to get his input on what will be an important transitional event as he moves to the next stage of his life after this one.

While this is a very hard time for all of us, we are celebrating his life and we invite you to join us in a Celebration of all that Craig has given us. This includes his intense love for people that we all feel, his musical gifts which he shares with complete generosity, and his intense desire to help everyone who crosses his path. Here are the details of the light-hearted Celebration we will be hosting (remember that daylight savings time switches early that morning!):

Invitation:

Purpose: Open House to spend time with Craig Farnsworth (and Susanne Alexander!), Craig says, “I’ll love to see you!”

Date: Sunday, March 8, 2009

Time: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Food: Light refreshments provided

Where: Lakefront Community Center, Euclid, Ohio

What: Fun event to connect with Craig and all who are blessed to have him in our lives! Come and stop in briefly or stay the whole time – bring with you memories and fun stories and let’s celebrate Craig!!!!

Directions: From I-90, go north on E. 222nd Street (or Babbitt, which merges with E. 222nd). Go through the traffic light at Lakeshore Blvd. past the new CVS store, past the sewage treatment plant (yuck), and the road ends at the Community Center/Lake Erie (yay!). Address is 1 Bliss Lane, Euclid, OH 44123

Please DO NOT r.s.v.p., just come if you can…

Love Susanne (and Craig, with help from Michelle)

p.s. And for those of you who get concerned about these things, I’ve handed the planning and coordination and hosting of the event over to other people so I don’t get too exhausted… S.

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