A Cute Leukemia

The shocking L-words struck like hammers: "Laid off," then, "Leukemia." Like millions of Americans, Rodney Curtis feared for his life and his family. But what that deadly acute leukemia didn't know was: It was dealing with the Spiritual Wanderer, the popular columnist who is famous for finding humor and wisdom in daily life. Rodney started by renaming his foe: "A Cute Leukemia." He explains, "Nothing makes cancer madder than belittling it and pinching its darling baby cheeks." If you'd like to try chuckling in the face of your fears, join Rodney on his quest to recover both humor and health. Rodney doesn't take this life-and-death challenge lightly. "I won't kid you that this was all fun and games," he writes. He's not poking fun at anyone trying to survive either unemployment or a diagnosis of cancer. He knows the stark fears of such a double-whammy, but he is bravely charting a fresh course through these challenges. He proves that the first task in any recovery is recovering one's good spirits. In these 86 short chapters, Rodney provides either a quick read guaranteed to lift your spirits, or a daily companion for three months of your own journey. You're likely to borrow some of the ideas from these stories. Like taking what might be another somber birthday and turning it into a "re-birth day"? Like eating your favorite dinner in a warm bath to soothe the ills of therapy. Or inviting friends over to enjoy a movie night "on" your house; yes, literally projecting a movie on the outside of your house on a warm summer night so friends can gather in lawn chairs under the stars. You won't forget A Cute Leukemia, because you keep drawing from it for years. This is a perfect book to share with anyone facing a threat to life, home and family. It's great to share with caregivers and family members. It's sure to spark spirited discussion in your small group.