“I’m back”…let me tell you why these two little words mean so much.
We’ve walked the canal together for many years.
Our footsteps have pounded dirt up and down the C & O Canal between Great Falls, on the Maryland side and the new and improved Marsden Bridge. It’s been our turnaround land mark for as long as I can remember. We give the dog a long, drink of water on that bridge. We look for wayward turtles there, and have watched winter pick-up hockey games take place on the frozen canal just a few feet away, in the dead of winter
It’s our ‘go-to’ spot.
But we haven’t been walking to our bridge for many months now because of a breast cancer diagnosis that altered our course back in the Fall of 2016. My friend Carol had no choice but to slow down and I can tell you that is not an easy assignment for someone as active and physically fit as this woman.
We really never stopped walking, but we shortened our treks and we slowed our pace. When treatment used up most days on the calendar, I could tell by the time the weekend came around, fatigue had worked its way into Carol’s footsteps, but I never mentioned it. Instead, we’d walk the path, catch up on current events and talk some cancer talk too. She was living in cancer world and I’ve had an address there for years, so it gave her a chance to ask about some things I had in my cancer tool box from long ago.
When treatment ended just a few weeks ago, I could tell she was anxious to reach for the bridge once again, but the body wasn’t quite up to it, yet. Instead, we got back to our old pace. We trimmed minutes off our walk.
Then yesterday, with no horns or streamers, just good conversation, we passed our old turnaround spot and kept right on walking. I recognized that we were heading for the bridge, but never said a word. Instead, she said it all…
“I’m back”
That bridge never looked so good.
May 3, 2017 @ 9:01 am
Woo-hoo, for your friend!! And good thoughts for Al’s friend. These sure are challenging times…
May 2, 2017 @ 9:16 am
As we all know, it’s a long road and many times cancer is in the rear view mirror.
My friend Elisa was recently diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer. We would meet for lunch about every 3-4 months and stay in touch via email. She called me to give me the news and ask for help. She had no oncologist so I recommended mine. I told her I would go with her to her appointment (I’ve been his patient since 2001). Had not seen her in about 3 months. When I did, I was so stunned. Her abdomen was so distended, it looked like she was 4-5 months pregnant, Off we go to oncologist. After he saw her and examined her, he consulted with a surgeon. The surgeon told him that he would not operate now because of her condition and recommended hospitalization immediately, abdomen being drained and then chemo immediately. I took her to the hospital and got her checked in.
She is taking chemo for 9 weeks to be followed by surgery to remove all of “her girl parts” and to remove as much of the cancer that has attached to her abdominal wall. Haven’t seen her since the doctor visit but we stay in touch. Her daughter goes with her to chemo and she stays with her for a day or so afterwards. Her attitude is very positive. Her short term goal is to be able to attend her grand daughter’s high school graduation ( small steps and goals are good for the soul).
We are meeting for lunch today. Email is OK to keep in touch but it is nothing like a face-to-face to see how she is really doing. I knew her husband back in 2007-08 who died from melanoma. He also went to my oncologist for a brief period of time but the melanoma was too far advanced.
Say a prayer for her. She is a Believer and knows that everything will be OK regardless. Thank you for reading this.
May 2, 2017 @ 3:29 pm
My prayers are with and for her Al….I’m so sorry.
May 3, 2017 @ 6:12 am
We met for lunch yesterday. She looked great (very proud as she should be that her abdomen has shrunk dramatically and seems to no longer fill with ascites..chemo seems to be working). Great attitude even with the road ahead. Thx for your prayers. Hope all is well with you.
May 1, 2017 @ 9:08 pm
Sometime those little steps sure do add up to a fine start at new beginning.