It had only been one day earlier she had been on the phone with a friend/colleague for 90 minutes. The friend had received a diagnosis of MDS Leukemia.
Her friend was a Nurse Practitioner, so no novice to medical information. The prognosis for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) — sometimes called pre-leukemia — varies widely. Median survival ranges from about 9 months for very high-risk disease to over 8 to 12 years for very low-risk disease. About one-third of patients progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Outlook depends heavily on individual risk scores, blood counts, and genetic features.
“There’s a reason for everything,” her friend had said, “this is bigger than me.”
Her friend’s to-do list included:
1. Remember to live in the moment.
2. Pay attention to right effort.
3. Follow inner guidance.
They spoke of aspects of global healing practices they knew of and many things that might best support living, rather that just trying not to die. They read from Louise Hay; they talked about Dr. Alex Howard’s saying we are all healing from childhood emotional neglect; and they agreed about the need for boundaries and creating a sense of safety, while cultivating self-love and joy.
The following day this showed up in her inbox:
Today, Steve talks about his response to his cancer diagnosis.
The Daily Tejaniya
Jan. 17, 2026
Recently, I’ve had a precious opportunity to use Sayadaw’s
practice in my life, along with other meditation approaches
I’ve learned over the years.
In February 2018, I was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a highly
aggressive brain cancer. The disease is terminal, not a good
prognosis. But from the first day, I honestly have never had
fear, nor hope.
Instead, I have been very interested in everything that’s going
on, including the pain and suffering that happens.
❤️🙏
The remarkable thing is, she doesn’t remember having seen this 7 months earlier and she does not remember having forwarded it to a person named Doug. She cannot explain how it got into her hands today after talking to her friend the day before and learning of her diagnosis and witnessing how her friend intends to navigate all she is facing.
And this quote also showed up on her Facebook page:
“The moment you come to trust chaos, you see God clearly. Chaos is divine order, verses human order. Change is divine order, verses human order. When the chaos becomes safety to you, then you know you’re seeing God clearly.” ~ Caroline Myss
