The other day, we learned that one of our co-workers had just lost his wife to cancer. She had been diagnosed with it and was given the all clear…and then it came back with a vengeance.
In her obituary, it said to send donations to the local Dana-Farber unit. I organized a group effort of our colleagues and just finished buying a bunch of books for children who are either going through treatments or the relative of one. When my father was going through chemo, my nephews and niece were given a backpack full of toys, books, and other things to help them figure out what was going on and to distract them. Totally awesome.
Thinking about donating to a group this winter? Check out their list here
One year ago today, I got some of the worst news in my life. My father had thought he was suffering from shingles and was instead diagnosed with leukemia and our lives have never been the same since.
I have seen and heard lots of things I wish I could take away from my head…Dad without hair, Dad shaking from the medicine, my mother sobbing on the phone to me, hearing that my father’s heart had stopped, that my 7 year old nephew asked “Why did you have to get cancer?”
I have to start looking at the positive side, though. My dad is still alive and cancer free…we are well on our way to Dad’s first birthday year, we have raised over $3000 for leukemia research, and I have discovered that I am much tougher than I thought I was.
Today is when I start changing my attitude…I need to stop being so depressed and actually get things done. Life could be much worse…last year this time was horrible, but today is better than yesterday so far and that is a start.
Please consider donating to my Light the Night team mate and help to further cancer research!
Tomorrow is an important day for my family. Not only might my newest neice arrive, but my dad is getting a second chance tomorrow.
Me and Dad
8 months ago, I received a weird phone message from my sister asking me how I was and when I talked to our mom. I hadn’t, though, and had no idea what she was talking about. So, I started calling my mom…who was avoiding calling me. I finally got in touch with her around noon and that is when I was told that my dad was diagnosed with Leukemia, specifically AML. That was one of the worst phone calls I have ever gotten…worse than the one telling me my grandfather had died last year, worse than having to make the phone call to friends telling them that a classmate died. I was devestated and haven’t recovered yet.
But tomorrow, tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow is the day that my father gets his bone marrow transplant; and hopefully, back to normal and healthy. The donor is a European woman, that is all we know of her, but she is definitely one of my heroes right now. The fact that someone is willing to get a huge needle in their hip for a stranger makes me feel like the world isn’t as bad as the media and some leaders make it out to be. There are good people out there doing good things. You just have to look a little harder to see through the grime.
Either way, I hope that if I have to deal with something like this in my life, I can do it like my dad. He has been incredibly brave and graceful about this whole thing and has even kept his laugh. Without laughter, you have nothing.
So, please…if you stop by here tomorrow or the next few days, keep us in your thoughts. We can only get so far on our own; other people are always needed to provide the structure that keeps us upright and going forward. And that is the only way we are going, forward…even if this doesn’t work at first we will still go forward and try again, because there is no going backwards.
I am still sick after probably a week or so of sniffles and body aches and just plain ickness. No idea what it is beyond a cold that I can’t shake.
We have two birds who have begun living on our porch. They come around 4 PM each day and leave by 6 or so. Cute sparrows 🙂 Too bad I’ll have to get rid of their nests in the spring.
The snow was not as much of a bust as I thought it was going to be. We had about 5 inches and work was canceled, but the car drove through it very easily when we moved it back in front of the house.
I think the medicine I took is taking effect, yuck.
Thank god I don’t have to work tomorrow. I’m in no shape to go outside much less direct people around and keep them out of the Hall.
Yesterday, I was feeling very low. Visited my dad in the hospital and then went home and got into bed for an hour with intermittent crying. Not good at all. So, we went in for the Pumpkin Festival. I thought it would be at the Common because it was there many years ago when we first went. However, they moved it to City Hall Plaza instead and, luckily, I remembered that it had moved.
I also remembered to bring my tripod because I have a tendancy to shake and lean when taking pictures that need absolute stillness. Its a rather annoying thing, but I guess that is what you have to deal with sometimes.
This was exactly the outing I needed, though, as I was able to just wander around and take pictures of jack o lanterns and marvel at the carving skills of some people. I have no idea how they do it…I can’t even draw a straight line sometimes 🙂
Pumpkins!
In the next few weeks, I’ll hopefully be able to grab onto moments like these to help drag me out of my depression and into a better mood. That is the only way I’ll stay healthy and be able to be of any help to my family.
You know, John…I liked you at one point. I am a Massachusetts born, sometimes catching on fire, liberal. My parents are liberal…my grandparents are liberal (they proudly paid their taxes to support the local schools even though they have no children in the system anymore and never sent their children to a public school. Its just what you do.)
But, AIR QUOTATIONS about my health? You, sir, are an ass hat at best. What if your daughters needed to have an abortion because delivering would kill them? What would you do then? Would you, like your running mate, “counsel life”? Because if you do, I feel like moving to Canada. They have cute accents, funny money, and good chocolate. You, have no freakin clue.
My father has been diagnosed with leukemia. It doesn’t get any easier each time I say it or type it…but I’m not bawling hyterically right now which I was earlier.
Ironically, I hope he gets the hairy cell type. He is an odd man and would appreciate having that type because of its name. I want him to have that one because the survival rate is much higher.
In other news, I hate most of my co-workers. They are rude, self centered, and stupid. One has convinced herself that Halloween is evil and that all Obama supporters are unemployed or rich. Apparently, she forgot that I am an Obama supporter.
I am sick…my boyfriend teaches 7th and 8th grade and one of his kids got him sick this week. And I finally have succumb to the ickness.
I generally don’t take pills because they knock me out completely, even if they say non-drowsy. My medicine of choice is usually chocolate chip cookies. With liberal doses of Law and Order and reality shows.
Today has been filled with ANTM and Chinese food 🙂 We’ll see if I feel well enough to go to work tomorrow.
A Small Girl in the Great Outdoors 