Fun day!

Today we were able to go out with a friend of mine, that I have never personally met. She was diagnosed with Cancer a couple of years ago ( I think it was ), and she is one of Shirley's dearest friends and so that is how we got connected. Her life is busy and when I come into town, we are usually busy too ...so up until now, we had only communicated through Shirley and cards (that I sent her). I was amazed at her courage from the very beginning, and I soon realized that her courage came from her Faith.
How fun it was to meet her and  finally get to see how she is doing,.to hear more about how life is going for her now...cancer free! Yes, she is a survivor and oh how blessed I felt today, to finally meet her. She is as beautiful on the inside and she is on the outside. What a wonderful lunch it was, I loved hearing more about her journey. I have to admit that even though Cancer was one of the worst things I have had to go through, the people I have met on this journey have been amazing and great teachers to me.
We spent the rest of the day shopping for swimsuits....for Hawaii. That is not usually a fun thing to do, but when you have a sister (sister in law) with you, it was too fun! Even though I had a bit of a struggle noticing how deformed my chest wall looks in a suit, by the time we got done ... we were laughing so hard, it didn't seem to worry me as much. Clothes hide a lot of things especially if you have had surgery from cancer. Still I was grateful to be healthy and to have my dear Shirley by my side. It was a fun day!




 

Not quite the same

While living on my own, going to college and working two jobs I became best friends with one of my roommates. It seemed like even though we came from totally different backgrounds, there was a connection we made ...that was one of a kind. I got a brilliant idea that if I wanted to keep her in my life that I should introduce her to my brother. Long story short...it worked and she has been my sister ever since. I was so excited the day they got married, because I knew then I finally had a SISTER...after having 4 brothers! Now we don't look like sisters but she is from West Virginia and we do sound an awful lot alike and for some reason ...just being around her makes me laugh and happy.

Not only has she become my sister but my personal  nurse. Every time I have had surgery, Shirley has come to be with me. Some how she has made a scary situation more tolerable and no matter what was ahead of me, we would find something to laugh about, that is why this surgery was harder than normal for me ( although is wasn't a terribly tough surgery compared to my others) because Shirley wasn't able to come and be with me. I understood why but for some reason I was dreading the fact that she wasn't going to be with me.  I realized the day of my surgery how very much I had depended on her and how much I appreciated all that she sacrificed to be with me. So when I read this poem, I thought of her...except her name is Shirley.

I really have been blessed with many friends who feel like my sisters and for that I am terribly grateful! Thanks to all of you for your calls, emails and prayers. Today was even a better day, it only hurts when I stand up or sit down! :) So I think things are looking up!

Sister, we've been there through life's sorrow and pain
But together we have always endured the strain
We've argued and bickered and made each other mad
But if you weren't my sister, life would be so sad
We've cried till we laughed and laughed till we cried
Sometimes for no reason we didn't even know why
When we're not together our bond is just as strong
Because we are sisters we know when something is wrong
We've whispered our deepest secrets only sisters could share
I love my sister dearly because she really cares
So whether we are together or we are far apart
Helen,( Shirley) you're my sister, my friend and forever in my heart.  ~ Cyndi Moore

"THERE CAN BE NO SITUATION IN LIFE IN WHICH THE CONVERSATION OF MY DEAR SISTER WILL NOT ADMINISTER SOME COMFORT TO ME."  ~ Mary Worley Montagu