This one is for me…
Ted Kennedy has brain cancer. As of this moment they haven’t told us what kind… We know it is a Glioma but not too much more than that.
My heart is breaking for him but more so for his family. I remember those first days at that same hospital, in that same solarium very probably with almost the same picture (it's amaxing how fast pictures become so much more than priceless), it was a scary place. It was a place where the future loomed short and dark.
Even as little as a week later it wasn’t so scary, it wasn’t so ominous, but it was life changing. For Mom most certainly, for me, for my family, and for mom’s many friends and loved ones, and I am betting for my wonderful friends who supported me so well.
If I could write a letter to the Kennedy family (not necessarily Ted since I haven’t been there but I have been the one supporting) I would tell them that they are headed down a path that is twisty and curvy and sad and amazingly happy… That there will be moments of pure terror and sadness but there will also be moments of love and amazement and that the docs at MGH are day to day heroes who create miracles big and small ALL. THE. TIME!
I hope for them that they get those moments that I got. Some of my all time favorite memories of mom are on our way to radiation or blood draws. “Mom can you pass me a tissue?” “You want me to paint you a picture?” And smiles and laughter and seeing the same bus daily and the knowledge that TOGETHER we were fighting and together we could achieve anything… She and I may have failed but we surely had a great time fighting!
Cancer sucks, there is no doubt about that! The moments that it gives you by FORCING you to realize that we are not immortal are priceless. I hope the Kennedy family not only gets to know those moments but gets to enjoy them for a long time to come.
I wish them all the best
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4 comments:
Sweetie,
This is a lovely post, one I think you should consider trying to get published somewhere.
One comment - you and your mom didn't fail. You succeeded in just about every way. She beat most expectations, your loved each other fiercely, she got to do things no one ever would have thought, and you have no doubt that she loved you. You gave her the best possible life and death anyone could hope for.
We all die. It's how we live, how we love, and how we are remembered that is a measure of how we lived, whether or not that life was a success. With your help your mom lived gloriously.
I think that's success.
I completely agree with laura. I was going to say the same thing about you not failing. Your mom definitely wouldn't want you to think like that.
I think your idea of sending the Kennedy's a letter is a great one! There have been stories in the paper that Ted and Vicki very often sent letters to people they knew who were going through cancer treatments and surgeries.
You sound like a lovely person, and I am looking forward to watching your blog as often as I can.
I agree with laura and michelle when they say you did not fail. Cancer, as you know, is a terrible thing and it's not about winning or loosing, it's about your journey and getting past the curve balls that are thrown your way.
Joy,
Thanks so much for writing this.
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