LCSW RD Barney Ronda - Dear Susan: Letters of Comfort, Hope, and Peace for Women Facing a Life-Changing Illness

A GIFT FOR

FROM

DATE

Dear Susan

Letters of Comfort, Hope, and Peace for
Women Facing a Life-Changing Illness

Ronda Barney, LCSW, RD

Dear Susan 2021 by Ronda Barney, LLC. All rights reserved.

Published by Author Academy Elite

P.O. Box 43, Powell, OH 43065

www.AuthorAcademyElite.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any from or by any means-for example, electronic, photocopy, recording-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021923208

Softcover: 978-1-64746-962-7

Hardcover: 978-1-64746-963-4

E-book: 978-1-64746-964-1

Available in hardcover, softcover, e-book, and audiobook.

All Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com TheNIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB) New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020, by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations noted (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
All rights reserved.

The information provided in this book is for informational purposes only. This book is not intended to be or to substitute for medical advice, and it should not be used to diagnose or treat an illness. Readers should consult with their personal healthcare practitioners before implementing suggestions or inferences from this book. The author and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of information contained in this book. All healthcare decisions should be made in conjunction with advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Any Internet addresses provided in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Author Academy Elite, nor does Author Academy Elite or Ronda Barney vouch for the content of these sites for the life of this book.

This book is dedicated to my dear husband, Chris, my two grown treasured kids, Seth and Raegan, the posse of friends who have walked this road with me, and my precious friend, Susan.

Each of you has given me the gifts of unconditional love, patience, and grace. Without you, this book would not be possible.

Contents

LETTERS TO SUSAN

APPENDICES

FOREWORD

I have stage 4 terminal cancer and am now receiving hospice care. The first time the doctors diagnosed and successfully treated the cancer was in 2007. Unfortunately, in 2018, it returned with a more severe prognosis requiring new, intense treatments.

Despite having insight into the medical system acquired over many years as an ICU nurse, supplemented by being blessed with loving family and friends, my knowledge and their support were insufficient. Unprepared for the emotional roller coaster of ups and downs that often accompany treatment for an incurable illness, I needed someone who had walked in my shoes to help me cope with the trauma that comes when hope is crushed by harsh reality.

In June 2020, I met Ronda Barney. I didnt realize at the time how significant that introduction would become but quickly discovered she came along at just the right time. Ronda had already begun writing this book of letters to encourage individuals going through difficulties similar to what she had experienced and felt led by God to address each letter with the salutation, Dear Susan.

Ronda began writing in 2018, just two months prior to my second diagnosis and two years before we met through our mutual friend Autumn, who shared Rondas story with me. After Ronda heard my story and learned my name, Autumn quickly introduced us via email, knowing I needed the real-time empathetic support she could provide. Within days of that contact, Ronda began sending me the letters one at a time so I could read and savor those moments at a pace that would strengthen my spirit. Each letter acknowledged a different emotion I was feeling, or had already felt, on my journey and provided an accompanying message of comfort. The correspondence encouraged me and gave me a renewed perspective on life despite my ongoing health challenges. It became increasingly clear to the three of us that this book of Dear Susan letters should be published to benefit others like me facing a life-changing illness, as well as their caregiving families and friends.

On several separate occasions, Ronda survived devastating health concerns that required prolonged time in bed. She persevered through the distressing experience of being a primary caregiver who was also the one in need. She is intimately familiar with the grief and anguish associated with a condition that may never be healed and a life that may never look quite the same.

But, more importantly, Ronda knows her God. She understands His compassion for us never fails and recognizes His internal leading in her spirit. Ronda knows that Gods help is present for every trial we endure, and she relates His love in such a way that those who listen to her message can receive His peace even when mired in the fog of terrible circumstances.

Maybe you are not coping with a life-changing illness, but your world has come crashing down around you for another reason. Whether it is a bitter divorce, the loss of a child, financial ruin, or any number of other crises you might face, suffering is a universal phenomenon. At some point in each of our lives, a problem will arise that causes all other adversities to pale in comparison. In that moment, each of us needs someone who comprehends the raw emotions we encounter and can supply God-given wisdom born out of hard-won experience.

This book will guide you or a supportive friend or family member through the struggle, becoming a bridge to comfort, peace, and hope in the midst of pain. There are many self-help books and devotional journals in the marketplace, but none that brings comfort like this thoughtful collection gathered in the school of personal suffering. In these pages, you will find help, healing, and grace for the hardships you face today.

Susan Neibel, RN

A NOTE TO CAREGIVERS,
FAMILY, AND FRIENDS

Dear Caregiver, Family Member, or Friend,

This book provides tangible pathways for processing feelings and fears accompanying the many struggles that come while living with a life-altering sickness. Perhaps you know or may be caring for such a loved one and are gifting this book to them. In these pages, you will find a poignant guide putting words to feelings often encountered day-to-day while grappling with the intensity of a debilitating illness.