Monday, April 1, 2013

The Answer was Africa ~ The 2013 A~Z blog challenge!

For the third year in a row I am participating in the A~Z blog challenge! Each day throughout the month of April I will post a blog entry with the topic co-inciding with the letter of the alphabet from that day.
This year, I happen to be going through chemotherapy during this blog challenge and will write from the perspective of what life looks life for someone living with cancer. The day to day events, thoughts,trials, joys and hope. I hope you all will follow along as I write about this part of my journey.

THE LETTER A~ THE ANSWER WAS AFRICA
Two weeks ago I was receiving my weekly dose of chemo when an older woman sat down for her treatment. She was beautiful and still had all her hair, which was long! She looked at me and with a mature voice said "well hello there darlin' ". We got to chatting and of course we asked each other the "what are you in here for " question. She shared with me that she is stage 4 and has stopped chemo. She was just getting med's for hydration, nausea and pain.
She seemed surprised when I shared that I too am stage 4 and have been living with cancer for nearly 15 years now. She told me she is 75, I would have guessed late 50's maybe 60.
She told me she has a had a full and wonderful life.Raised her children and has even seen her grandchildren grow up. Her passion is fly fishing, which she can no longer do, but told us some great fishing tales.  She spoke of how she traveled the world and went many places to go fly fishing.

Then she said, "no matter what age I am and even if I have done most of the things I wanted to do, I am not ready to go".
I thought alot about that, I am 48, have not done all I want to do, so much more life to live. And then there was Daisy, a little girl who recently lost her battle with cancer at only 8, I've had 40 more years than she did.

I look at the woman in the chemo room and think, I sure hope I can say I have done all that I wanted to do, see ALL my grandchildren grow up and be saying it when I am 75.
So I asked her, out of all your travels around the world, where was your favorite place? She replied "Africa"! Where she went on a trip by herself and slept outdoors in only a tent! What an extraordinary lady to talk with!
Today when I was pushing my IV pole across the floor to get to the restroom I heard "Hello Darlin' "  She was back :)



 

9 comments:

Elayne said...

Wow! Great message Elayne.
Janine

madhaus said...

What a positive story! Here to check on my fellow A to Zers.

Faith Laces said...

What a post! Sad and uplifting at the same time.

Tomara Armstrong said...

I think it's what you make of a situation that sets you apart from the rest--what you choose to do with your time, the connections you make, the stories you share... being genuine--that small unexpected something can mean the world to someone else... sometimes it just listening to a story.

I'm glad she made it back. I can't think of a story that would trump camping in Africa, but you never know :)

~2
treadmillconfessions

Dawn M. Hamsher said...

My best friend had breast cancer at the age of 25. She decided to have a double mastectomy even though cancer was only in one (they found cancer in the other one after removal). She's now 42.

I have just lifted a prayer up for you. May God touch you in a very special way.

The Write Soil

Lori said...

A wonderful story. I hope you get to see your Africa.

Elayne said...

Thank you Dawn for your words and prayers from http://thewritesoil.blogspot.com/

Elayne
http://elayneminich.blogspot.com/

o2bhiking said...

This is a great story. thanks for sharing. The people we meet because of our own struggles, eh? And it is true, no matter how much time we each have, it will be done too soon.

Alana said...

She sounds like a wonderful person. I would hope to sit with her at every treatment. :)

Thank you for sharing your journey.

~Alana @ writercize.blogspot.com
Cheering you on from A through Z!

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