So on Saturday the 2nd of August my friend Laura rode the pan mass challenge, she has done it a few times but the last two (prior to this year) I have met her at the end of the ride.
The first year it was in this really odd period in history for my family, Mom was at MGH with a “supposed” brain tumor (We freaking knew it was a brain tumor they just hadn’t told us it was malignant but they wouldn’t even call it a tumor until it was confirmed) as of Friday and then Saturday and Sunday Laura rode. I met her Sunday night with a totally new found respect for what she was doing – she really was saving lives and so much more. I am pretty sure that after biking 180 miles the LAST thing I would want to do is have to deal with a sad Joy on her way back to the hospital but Laura did it with a smile and told me that that’s why she rode, no worries at all. She rode those 180 miles with Mom’s name tattooed to her leg in sharpie and sent good thoughts all the while. I remember (I may have even blogged it) saying that it was Laura’s legs and the beginning of a survivor’s story that kept my “eyes on the prize”. Monday Mom was diagnosed – blah blah…
Last year Laura again rode and I looked forward to meeting her at the end. As we got ready in our heads (because I knew I was babysitting Danielle that night) my mom quietly asked if she could go. OF COURSE OF COURSE OF COURSE (ooops better ask Laura) and so Jim, Danielle, Mom and I met up with Kevin and followed him to the finish line to cheer our hero on. Mom met Laura with a necklace (a dragonfly) and Laura met Mom with a t-shirt, they hugged and again Laura told me THIS is why she rides.
*I need to add in here that I asked Laura for these pictures a couple weeks ago and I am just looking at them for the first time today and I must say that THIS picture (above) is the MOST alive my mom looked after brain surgery in any picture - I love it!!!
Well fast forward another year and we all know what’s up so no point in talking about it. And Laura was riding and in my head I planned on meeting her, I was going to go to Halloween at the camp and then go meet Laura at the end… And as I looked around at the spooks, and creepy crawlies, and ghouls and ghosts, AND EVEN niece’s having temper tantrums the ended with her not being able to celebrate Halloween at all I realized I couldn’t go, that the dark of night and haunted happenings here were a safer place for me. Hell, cancer is scary, but people are changing that future and I hope and pray that someday your kids will think of cancer the way we think of Chicken Pox – a quick shot and nothing to worry about.
I *HIGHLY* suggest checking out Laura’s blog for the story of the PMC
http://truestorieshonestlies.blogspot.com/2008/08/pan-mass-challenge-part-1.html
http://truestorieshonestlies.blogspot.com/2008/08/pan-mass-challenge-part-2.html
And her Goodbye to Grace Marie
http://truestorieshonestlies.blogspot.com/2008/08/pmc-addendum-because-we-still-need-to.html
So I stayed at Halloween 08 and really it was a great time – I am so glad that I did. I got to watch Tyler be a spider and Alicia won the “scariest costume award” and Jim and Christy (though this year I can take some credit for the set up) won best camp-ground.
We stayed until late and toasted Laura at the time we thought she would be crossing (no I didn’t have an alcoholic drink but Jim did – must remember it was Halloween = adult trick or treating)
Happy Halloween to all until next July (though this week it was in August which just messed me up)
Tyler loved having multiple arms - I think he wants to grow a few more now, then he could play and EAT at the same time - something he has trouble with currently
Steffy was a dead pirate and she loved this costume
And Alicia as scary as I have ever seen her
~Last note, I bought the girls their costumes (and Danielle's) mid-November and paid less than $10 for their 3 costumes and mine for this year - not bad, huh? I think Stef's was $2 Alicia's was $2 Danielle's was $4 and mine was $1.50
