Warning: This is not a happy filled post.
Hi everyone. I just wanted to give you all an update. For those following my TR's, I had written about my friend Vicki, 43 and diagnosed with stomach cancer right around Thanksgiving. Friday night, the oncologist working with her spoke with the family and her and the news is not promising. She is too weak for more rounds of chemo and the care is transferring to hospice. They are giving her a week to a month at most. Vicki wants to see July. That way she can be here for her oldest son's graduation and have one more birthday with family. Her mom and mine are best friends and I have known her since second grade. It is a hard concept to wrap your head around when so many advances have medically happened with cancer research as well as so many people that get a cancer diagnosis, are lucky enough to beat the odds.
Yesterday morning, I found out a 49 year old father whose son is a senior with Carsyn and daughter was in gymnastics forever and I have known for over 12 years, died of a heartattack at his cabin Saturday night.
Last night, a friend forwarded me a news link of a woman who graduated two years before me and was a neighbor of my grandparents with two sons in elementary school, is dying of a brain disease that only hits one in a million. It is like a rapid Alzheimer’s and a month ago she was fine, now she is in a coma state, non responsive and she will never recover and will be gone from this earth within weeks.
It is so hard to see these six kids, from three different families, suffering and the spouses just devastated. I took Carsyn prom shopping Saturday and felt so lucky to have the ability to spend the time with her, be in the position to shop, take her out for dinner, plan her grad party and college send off. I cried seeing Carsyn so beautiful in her dress, knowing it is only luck that is the divider between my child and theirs.
I know I said this when my friend Wendy died a few months ago but these are the times and moments that make you step back and decide what matters. These children would give anything to have their parents in their lives for a little longer and their graduation pictures, wedding pictures, pictures when their children are born, will always be short one important person. Two of these kids are the age of Carsyn and they don't have the luxury to have a carefree last few months of high school.
It does not put a person into the mood to write and be funny about food. I will not stop writing at all, I just need a day to process this and if you read this, please spend a few moments today to tell your loved ones why they mean so much to you and take a moment to reflect on your own life and change what does not make you happy and cherish what does.
Thanks for letting me purge all this. It helps to get thoughts out and I will be back soon.