What if you and your close friends just don't seem to have time for each other anymore? Is the friendship doomed or just on hold?
What if your oncologist first read your blood test results from four days earlier and said that you can't have chemo because your numbers are too low...and then she changed her mind when she realized that you had a new blood test run that particular day that you met with her and it turned out that your numbers were actually good enough for chemotherapy? HAH! I can tell you "what if" on that one, actually!
What if your 2 13-year-old kitties both get eye infections and a salve treatment to be applied daily just two days before you have to leave home for a death in the family?
What if you can't leave the hotel room very much because you're too damn tired and sore and achy from the chemo you just got on Friday? (time stops for no one.)
What if sometimes you actually like hiding out in the "un-reality" that exists a thousand miles away from home?
What if you miss your doggies so much that you think you hear them running down the hall to you several times a day?
What if you love your husband so very much it aches?
What if there still seems to be someone important missing from this family gathering?
What if I forgot to tell everyone that Honey had these three photographs accepted and on display at the Colorado Gallery of the Arts on the Arapahoe Community College campus for a two-month-long exhibition?
This is a blog about us Honeys. We've been married for 6 years, live in Littleton, CO, have a Chihuahua named Dobby, a Rat Terrier named Scarlett, three awesome cats (all referred to as our Furry Kids!) and some fish.
In November 2007 I was diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer of the liver) and nave been undergoing chemotherapy since December '07 & Proton Radiation Therapy at M.D. Anderson in Houston, TX from December '08 - February '09, and then back on eternal chemo until we get the tumor to shrink away from one salvageable vein in the liver so that it can be surgically removed. We use this blog to keep family and friends updated on our struggles, loves, challenges, celebrations, goals, ideas and the general daily grind!
In November 2007 I was diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer of the liver) and nave been undergoing chemotherapy since December '07 & Proton Radiation Therapy at M.D. Anderson in Houston, TX from December '08 - February '09, and then back on eternal chemo until we get the tumor to shrink away from one salvageable vein in the liver so that it can be surgically removed. We use this blog to keep family and friends updated on our struggles, loves, challenges, celebrations, goals, ideas and the general daily grind!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Series of "What Ifs..."
Posted by Garnet at 10:49 AM
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5 comments:
What if you managed to put up an awesome blogpost even though you're feeling yucky after chemo? :) You rock, GF! That's a GREAT pic of you, and of the hood ornament thingy, but WTF is the first pic about?
I loved your book list on fb - we had some in common there - no big surprise there. Again, I thank you SO MUCH for getting me to read A Prayer for Owen Meany. I have a book for you to read if you're interested (and I've probably already suggested it): The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell. It's a sci fi that will knock your socks off. AND be sure to read its sequel, The Children of God.
Have you had a chance to see the new Star Trek yet? I'm going to see it for a second time this week.
Congratulations on the exhibition. Those photos are awesome!
LOL That first photo is of a sculpture in downtown Denver. I think he has some better photos of more interesting sculptures and such but he's intrigued by this one.
All of these photos were blown up, matted appropriately and framed with black wooden frames. The hood ornament photo was matted with a light teal mat to pull the subtle color from the windows inside the car...very cool looking!
Candace - I'll reply to you at length via FB! I need to talk to you about books, too!
A friend sent this to me today and I'm sharing it with you. You love animals so much, this will melt your heart.
Lucky Dog......
Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and you may even decide you need one!
Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.'
Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.
Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.
It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease....in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.
She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky.. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him! The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.
The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.
Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.
Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.
When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.
He had covered her with his love.
Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free Lucky He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.
Remember....live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget....the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most Credentials, the most money, or the most awards They are the ones that care for us.
If you see someone without a smile today give them one of yours! Live simply. Love seriously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God
Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer.
Amen
Please share this, even if it is only to one more person, in memory of anyone you know that has been struck down by cancer or is still fighting their battle.
Love you Abbey,
Nancy
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What if you were less than 100 miles away? I miss you, my friend!
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