“Nancy Zieman: The Rest of the Story” Book Tour
By Steve Butler
The message contained in Nancy Zieman – The Rest of the Story is both poignant and life affirming. The trials of our lives either refine us or define us. For Nancy her trials were as “the refiner’s fire”. The challenges she faced from infancy throughout her entire life almost seemed encouraged her on. Not complacent with the limitations life could have had given her, she persevered forward, never questioning, never doubting, to accomplish the almost unimaginable. Notable among so many admirable “Nancy traits” mentioned within the pages of his book, Richard gives us these:
Opportunities for personal growth
Her July 2016 CT and MRI scans had come back clear and she even mentioned that she had finally begun to “feel like Nancy again.” In her personal writings she described how important the support from family, friends and colleagues had been during those trying times. Then she wrote, “If I’ve learned anything from this experience, it is that I’ve been considerate of others when it was convenient for me. Not when, perhaps, they’ve needed help the most. That’s something I hope to change in this next phase of my life.” Introspection when you wouldn’t expect it, but that was Nancy.
Humanitarian perspective
After a challenging day at work Nancy was preparing for radiation treatment. She glanced at a mirror and saw herself with “no hair, a cane, and once again no eyelashes or eyebrows.” In the midst of what she called a “tiny pity party”, the door to the radiation treatment room opened revealing a 6 or 7-year old girl with two IV bags attached, riding in a wagon, wrapped in three blankets and, of course, had no hair. In her words, “Bingo! Instant reality check.” Nancy said later that whenever she started to feel sorry for herself, she would think of all the people who had it worse than she did.
Sense of humor
Nancy was well known for her sense of humor. On many occasions it carried her through even the most difficult trials. Who other than Nancy would give names to her wig (Rachel), her cane (Virgil) and the second cane (Citizen – as in Citizen Kane I presume). Richard tells the story of driving home from the hospital after they had learned that the cancer had returned and they had decided to not seek further treatment. The subject of her funeral came up and they agreed that six hundred or more people might attend. They discussed how to accommodate all of them. Then Nancy said, “But it would be rather embarrassing to you – I won’t be there – if only seventy-five people show up.” Always ready with a clever quip to lighten the burden on others.
Faith
Nancy’s Christian faith was her pillar of strength throughout. Her favorite Bible verse was Proverbs 3:5 which states: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” She lived by these words, knowing that other purposes were in motion and that in them she had a part. To her was the task to show others that anything was possible no matter what the limitation. She trusted in the Lord for everything else.
Nancy’s mother tells a story about comments she heard when people first saw the effects of Bells palsy on her young daughter. “Isn’t that a shame?” or “Isn’t that sad?” they’d say. Her mother thought, “But if Nancy had remained a beautiful baby and had grown into a woman with a perfect smile, would she have pursued or tried as hard as she did? We’ll never know…” We may never know but this we do know, the more complete the sacrifice the more complete the message. Some people live lives so complete that we will never forget them when they are gone from us. Some people live lives so complete that their message will never be forgotten and they will, therefore, live on through us. Our dear friend Nancy Zieman is described by the latter.
More about the Blog Tour here.
About the book:
Nancy Zieman touched the lives of millions as they stitched alongside, or simply tuned in to watch, the inimitable Nancy Zieman and guests on Public Television’s longest-running sewing show [35 years], Sewing With Nancy.
For the first time ever, Richard Zieman shares an intimate look into life with his beloved wife of 40 years, Nancy. Just like all of us, at times Nancy endured seemingly impossible circumstances and challenges. Richard shares insights into being a caregiver, and the blessings of support from family and close friends, during the almost four months Nancy was in Hospice care. Readers learn the physical battles Nancy faced, especially during the last five years of her life, while always retaining her faith and rising above it all.
Through it all, Nancy lived her true life as a daughter, niece, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, friend and fulfilled her true calling as an educator and inspiration to the world around her.
Included within this book is a DVD showing Nancy’s life and the vitality in which she lived and how we all should remember her.
In the end though, this book is not as much about Nancy as it is about her faith and the life she lived as she continually focused on her favorite Bible verse, Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding.”
- Release Date: November 14, 2018
- Retail Price: $24.95
- Page Count: 80
- DVD: 26 minutes
- More info: www.nancyzieman.com/blog/book
