My name is Daniel Lins and I live in Brazil. My dad's been in coma for two =
weeks now in his terminal
phase of a brain tumor which he's been carrying for 6 long years. Although =
he's made everything the doctors
told him to do, the tumor always returned. After a biopsy and a treatment a=
t Columbia Presbitherian in N.Y. on
Feb95, he wrote some words about how to turn around all the dificulties tha=
t every cancer patient certainly
goes through and how to minimize suffer and have a different look on facing=
 life one's still have in front of
them. He's a very intelligent person.
        My dad is almost going away and I must do something to alleviate my=
 pain. I think the best I can do
for him now is to share these papers with people in the same situation, sin=
ce his words are very beautiful and
bright. I'm sure he'd like me to help other people. Where else in the Inter=
net should I send it to? I'll be
very happy knowing that somebody enjoyed it and intends to spread it over. =
Be free to mail me back.

        Written by: Carlos Alberto Tinoco Marques

        =93These short writings have the intention of transmitting to the c=
ancer patient some advices come from
my own experience as a patient, and does not intend, anyhow, to substitute =
any medical recomendation. Before
reading that, submit it to your doctor so that you can take his advice on g=
oing on this text.
        =

        * Be surrounded by your beloved relatives and friends. Call that fr=
iend you love so much and who you
haven=92t seen for years for a visit. Say how much you love him or her. Let=
 your heart and mind be aware of how
many people love you. Have your family or any beloved human or pet beside y=
ou. Love is very powerful. It
doesn=92t matter the source.

        * Ask a psychology-field professional for accompanying during your =
treatment. It will have a great
utility since you will need your spirit and intellect to be as educated as =
possible so that you have energy,
motivation and strong-mindedness at disposal.

        * Don=92t waste your energy with negative ideas and thoughts.

        * Always think in a positive way. It will bring an extra supply of =
energy which you will certainly
need during the treatment.

        * Don=92t fear the word cancer. During the past years, it has been =
associated to other negative words
like suffering, ache, pain, and that=92s why it=92s become a so hard and he=
avy word. That association is not often
true. Medicine has evoluted so much and scientists=92 new discoveries provi=
de today several treating
alternatives which complement themselves and make solutions emerge! Today, =
cancer has not necessarily been
that incurable or uncontrollable disease anymore.
        =

        * From my own experience, I can tell you that I=92ve never been thr=
ough physical pain due to this
illness. Brain cancer, in my case. Even mental suffering hasn=92t got me be=
cause since the beginning I=92ve
decided that I would not admit suffering in my life, and I=92ve succeded! I=
=92ve found out that I wasn=92t obliged
to suffer and that was my option. I=92ve simply decided it strongly and tha=
t=92s it. I haven=92t failed so far.
        You can do the same! Have in mind that suffering is not obligatory,=
 even if you=92re sick. Suffering is
a creation of the human mind. Don=92t add more of it to the already unavoid=
able torments.

        * You must probably have already asked yourself: why me? I would an=
swer that it=92s you because it must
be someone, and you are someone!
        If you won bunches of money in the lottery, would you also ask your=
self that question? Certainly not.

        * There is no reason for sorrow. It makes you feel like a =93poor s=
tick=94, which is energy stealing.

        * Face reality with no revolt. Life knows what it does.

        * =93Things are not what we would like them to be, not even what th=
ey should be. Things are exactly what
they are.=94 - Santo Agostinho.

        * Remember that everything has its bright and good side. Dung may b=
e an excelent manure too.

        * Observe that during the treatment period long, your sensibility p=
robably has increased. So, take
advantage of this in order to learn more about life and yourself. Take your=
 benefits and profit, not
everything is loss.
        Turn this period into a trip, a tour inside yourself and take a loo=
k at the scenery. There=92s nothing
to be afraid of, you are inside your own element, you=92re like that tree, =
those flowers, those stones, those
clouds you=92ve seen during the trip. You are part of the same universe, th=
e same Creation. If a leaf becomes
dry and fall, nobody laments. It=92s part of the Creation porposal, just li=
ke disease. Everybody wonders: Why?
Have you asked yourself =93why have I become ill?=94. Probably, the same re=
ason for a leaf dries and falls: change
and renovation. Life is made of changes, we want it or not. Don=92t we be a=
fraid. Let yourself enter this
condition, like a bird who receives the new wind course.
        =

        * Don=92t give it all up in the middle of the treatment, even if th=
ere=92s no immediate cure, or even if
it seems long or painful.

        * Extended-life? Extended-life is also life. Live it.

        * Keep yourself busy, and if you are able to, produce, create, inve=
nt something. There=92s always
something to do which we have never done before.

        * Show your cells that you are alive! Move, stir it up!

        * That=92s an excelent time to give the example and show that you c=
an turn around the most difficult
moments with optimism and no desperation. Be the example to those around yo=
u. World is very destitute of good
examples.
        Keep yourself optimist and smiling. Everybody will also smile in re=
turn. This optimistical environment
is positive and you must be the first one to build it. You=92ll be the one =
who will determine how the
surrounding environment will be. No one else."

        "Nature is never wrong. Try looking at it with different eyes. Ever=
ything is prettier than you think
it is. For me, a butterfly is more than a butterfly. Look closer:
the butterfly is a sobbing flower.=94

=93We should be born very old people and, during life, improve body and sou=
l, until we become babies and then,
die, entering in our mothers=92 uterus. It=92d sure be much more beautiful=94=

                                                                        Car=
los Marques
                                                                        Bra=
zil

        That=92s all of my father=92s writings. I hope his words become hel=
p for others=92 lifes. Everybody is free
for reproducing and redistributing his text. God bless you all.

        Daniel Lins

        Rua Ant=F4nio Parreiras, 126 / 902 - Niter=F3i - R.J. BRAZIL
        24210-320
        Tel: 55 - 21 - 6201447