"All Clear" For Sedona

Super Susie's 4th Bucket is Only 24 days away!

So much to do there ... So little time!

MEDICAL REPORT: Mom's shortness of breath continues to baffle her doctors! Recent Stress Tests say it's not her Heart, X-rays/Scans rule OUT cancer... The good news is that (tho intrusive & annoying) her limited breathing is NOT getting any worse!

So ALL arrows are pointing to Sedona! The attached is the backdrop of the geographical area where we will be spending our Thanksgiving Weekend!

We are Staying @ Sunset ChateauActivities are set for:

Hot Air Ballooning

ATVs in desert

Grand Canyon Tours

Helicopter in Canyon

Sacred tour/experience w/Shaman Rahelio

Spare time for massages, hikes, bikes & Golf!

Tom suggested hooking up w/ Pink Jeep Tours www.pinkjeep.com/jeep-tours/sedona/ considered a Do NOT Miss!Can't wait to see everyone there!

Ouisie (Louise)

SEDONA - sacred Land
Sedona has become recognized as a sacred land; as a place of power known as an earth energy vortex. Many people are making pilgrimages to this and other places of power, being moved by an inner knowing that this encounter is what they need to help them on their path of awakening and healing. The idea of Sedona being an earth energy vortex may seem like a strange idea to some. It may be easier to consider Sedona as a sacred land the way native peoples have throughout history. From this perspective we understand that the earth is a living being, our Mother, and within her body are many places that are sacred, places that function like organs and glands. And connecting these places is the spider web grid of the earth's energetic body. This spider web grid connects these sarcred places similiar to the way the human acupuncture meridian system connects the vital centers in a humans body. It is important to realize that there are many more power spots in the red rock country around Sedona to consider than just the popularized 4 major vortices of the New Age movement. From a Native American point of view there may well be over a hundred power spots many of which are marked by ceremonial shrines, petroglyphs and ancient ruins.

3rd Bucket was a Slam... Dunk!!

Relative to Hang Gliding & Sky Diving; this Swimming w/ Dolphins Bucket Activity #3; was a "Quiet" adventure that everyone could participate in!

Grand-daughter Deirdre (a Dolphin Trainer @ the Baltimore aquarium) took on the challenge of creating this memorable day for everyone at Marine Land Aquarium in St Augustine, Fla! Dee, your thoughtful preparation for a great multi-level experience of painting, wading & swimming was evident throughout the day in the faces of the 25 family & friends who came to play! Mom's words for her dolphin bucket were "delightfully refreshing!"... "I have never spent so much time doing so many FUN things w/ a dolphin! Who knew that dolphins could be so friendly?!?"

Where's the dare-devil stunt in this event?? Super Susie did NOT disappoint! She entered the aquarium in her wheelchair & the pool on the arms of her sons, Mike & Tom. HOWEVER, Susie ended her day, riding the dolphin! First holding on one-handed to the Dorsal Fin then carried on the Belly of the dolphin up the pool (smiling & waving all the way)! What a woman, what a life & what a way to go!!

QUESTION... If a dolphin has an IQ similar to that of a dog; Does the dolphin training staff have anything to do w/ the dolphin's personality?

ANSWER... If our dolphins were any indication; then we'd say "YES", the trainer's personality IS reflected in the Dolphins behavior! Each of the 13 dolphins were so engaging & entertaining!!

Chad, your team of trainers are so fun-loving & playful... Just like your Dolphins!
The pure Celebration of Life in this Bucket Weekend were seen in the gleeful faces of its participants......

* Jack Harrington, as he got to see the unborn dolphin calf in its mothers' belly, or..

* Jr Trainer, Fredrick Lilywhite, was the feeding Chubby "fish mints" & giving wave commands for dolphin flip tricks

* Nadia/Maria Losito giggled as the 16 month baby, Axil, kept "nose nudging" them under the water! you can say you have officially been "goosed" by a dolphin!

* Alex, Heidi & Jessica Weeks were so satisfied after "making-out" w/ their Dolphins! Chubby says he'll meet you @ the pool-side bar for a "quickie" later! Land shark!

* Tracy was that your side flipper fin popping out of your wet suit? Or Warning... mammary pontoon!!!

* Michelle L-> Dolphin Alvin is spreading the rumor that you kiss like a fish! LoL!

* Kirk, thank you for sharing your "bevy of Weeks beauties" with us! Being w/ Family is so awesome! They need to start a Bucket List for you! We'll come!!

* Chris W the dolphin wanted to paint your hot pink foot cast! Tho' it's tougher to hang on your wall! & YES, those 2 dolphins were Begging you to come in & play!

* Lisabet!! we saw your gold earring on dolphin Wilma's left fin... Wilma said she'd flip YOU for it!

* Super Susie's kids; Mike, Tom, & Ouisie... entered the water w/ Mom... Older son John, stayed on the side-line to blow the whistle @ the dolphins who were running on the pavement! No Running! Only Wheelin'!

* Meg! Your son STILL wants to know when the Aliens are going to return his Mother

* Ann W. never fails! Up every morning making/baking pancakes & cookies... Mmmm... The Fat Farm will be MY last Bucket! How many did u make on this Bucket? 100?

* Shannon, we MISSED you so much! Grandy & all others were so impressed that you stayed focused on your PSATs & playing in your Varsity Soccer game instead of swimming w/ Dolphins!!

* Cara & Eileen ... Thank u for making this trip! Having u guys on this Bucket made Mom "flip for joy"!

* Wait!!! Who were those 2 hot looking guys? Why it's Kyle & Paul! Nor'Easter Storms couldn't hold them from this Bucket!! they arrived in the middle of nite Friday & left 24hrs later!! But R we glad you were there!!

* Has anyone seen JL & Charlie...?? Time to leave the Lilywhite museum & go home! Norman has called 3x's! Thank u Jack/Lisabet... For absolutely everything!

* Dan/Deb Ignatuk... Thank you for joining us! Your dinner suggestion of Atlantic Grill... Was PERFECT!!

* Chris & Kate Rowe... This was such a gentle activity. We Missed you!

* Jeff Shoenfaber we are so glad you didn't call in sick! But we missed you!!

* Christa & Chad... Our senior trainers! Thank You ever so much for being "so chill" in accommodating everyone's special needs!

Medically Speaking:
We are in month 4 of her prognosis of 6-9months to live. Mom still feels "great" tho' she's losing her appetite, & gets constipated. She still struggles to breathe (hence the wheelchair). This week she will go through a 3hr Atomic Stress Test to better discern whether it is heart or cancer that is leaving her so breathless upon exertion. We say, whatever it is... Fix it! 'Cuz we are headed for Sedona & Grand Canyon in 6 weeks, over Thanksgiving! Hope to see you there! Thank you all for praying for us! It's your thoughts, prayers & emails that get us to our next Bucket!!

Louise "Ouisie" Weadock-Rowe

Anyone reading this... Looking for a Family fun event?? ... Get a group together... Go to Marine Land in St Augustine! This is a DEFINITE Do Not Miss experience @ any level! You'll enjoy the staff AND the dolphin adventure!

Susie Mann Opts To Do 'Bucket List,' Not Treat Cancer

Here's an article from WJZ in Baltimore, Maryland.....

CBS -The Early Show - Super Susie Soars the Skies

Here is the video clip from this morning's CBS Early Show interview with "Super" Susie Mann!

Bucket List Cancer Victim on CBS Early Show Tomorrow 10/9 at 8am

I am sharing this story with you because many on my list are Healthcare Leaders who are showing this story on their Hospital, Rehab, Skilled Care & Hospice Units... if you wish to be excluded from these updates please reply & I will delete your name from the list. If you know of others that would find Susie's message of "Carpe Diem!" inspiring, please Pass It On!

Last month September 11th, 2009, Susie Mann was first televised with Maggie Rodriguez of the CBS Early Show. The interview introduces you to a Grandmother's reaction to the diagnosis of Stage 4 Stomach cancer. Susie Mann decided NOT to be treated with Chemo or Radiation... she had the courage to say NO to the curative medical community. Instead, she chose to ENJOY the moments of "FEELING WELL" for as long as she is able! At the age of 79yo mother of 4 & grandmother of 4 decided to hop on a journey of Bucket List adventures with her family!

On August 1st; Susie & 30 family/friends went Hang Gliding in the Catskills (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/11/earlyshow/main5302918.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea)
September 17th, 2009; Mom went Sky diving with her family & friends (including her paraplegic grandson) in Cape Canaveral... to be aired 8am tomorrow 10/11 @ 8a
October 17th, 2009; Susie will be swimming with Dolphins in St Augustine
November 24th; she will be spending Thanksgiving Hot Air Ballooning & Helicoptering in Sedona & the Grand Canyon.

Susie/Grandy (Mother of a C-3 quadriplegic) simply counts the muscles she has versus the ones she doesn't & "MOVES ON". After the interview on 9/11; Mom walked around NYC & listened to the City mourn the losses from the fallen World Trade Center. Her comment was; "It's amazing how many people just don't know HOW to 'Move On'... they are stuck in the pain of their own struggle against ADVERSITY" ... I believe, once you've been hit hard; you pick all the pieces... figure out how to use them all to your advantage... and start taking steps FORWARD to the Light at the end of the Tunnel... even if you can't SEE the Light... you must BELIEVE there is a LIGHT.

This past month has been scary for all of us. We were told that Mom's acute Shortness of Breath was due to Blood Clots forming in her Lungs. Imminently, we were told that the Clots would suffocate her. She in all likelihood would not live to swim with the Dolphins! We were advised to STOP the Bucket List & get into a Hospice immediately! We were told that Mom's Lungs could not withstand the water pressure in the Dolphin swim nor the air pressure changes in the Grand Canyon!
when I shared the physician's concern about her deteriorating physical condition with Mom, "Lions & Tigers & Bears... o My!!"
her response was...
"No swimming with the Dolphins on my Bucket List? No Grand Canyon or Sedona? Absolutely NOT! You Dear Doctor; are NOT the Boss of me! I will get to the MOMENT at the aquarium. When it is my turn to swim ... I will see how I feel then & not before!" So rather than stay under the covers & cancel plans, we decided to MOVE On & "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" with our Bucket List.

Since her Sky Diving escapade, we have results of CAT Scans, Echocardiograms, VQ scans to determine exactly what is going on in Mom's Lungs that is causing her inability to breathe upon exertion. We have discovered that Mom is NOT suffocating from Blebs, Blood Clots or spreading cancer to the lungs. In fact her cancer has NOT spread AT ALL! She is not a candidate for Hospice because her July diagnosis of 6-9 months in all likelihood will be 12 months! So we are thinking of MORE Bucket List Adventures for her to focus on! and who knows... with all this positive energy around her... it could be more!

Oh! you want to know why Mom can't breathe? it's NOT cancer at all... it's her HEART! In February this year, Mom had a triple bypass, aortic valve & pacemaker replacement. We think one of her arteries is not functioning as well as it should & for that she is prescribed a Nitroglycerin patch every day! I am sooo glad Mom stays focused on the Positive... because, this respectful RN would have listened to the Doctors, enrolled in Hospice, pulled the covers over my head & counted the days until I died! certainly NO Dolphins, Sedona or Grand Canyon!

Between Susie's new Mobility Scooter & her increased blood flow from the heart... this family can't keep up with her! we are well on the road to a Bucket List Adventure a MONTH!

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, cards & words of support! YOU have truly carried this family to the NEXT Bucket List Adventure!!

If you feel well... stay in the moment... if not; MOVE ON!

In any case, Carpe Diem!!
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