Hello Everyone!
This Friday, April 19th marks my two-year anniversary of my first surgery. So hard to imagine. Really.
It’s been a very interesting month of April.
First off, the weather has been so strange. Warm-ish and sunny one day and then snowy with freezing rain the next. Good thing I have kept my winter tires on and hadn’t put away my winter boots and coats. I bought an “apres-ski” coat on sale at Sporting Life thinking I would not be able to wear it until next season but lo and behold I sported it just on the weekend! LOL.
A couple of special things happened this month and it’s not even over! The first was a surprise for me. I was having dinner with my BFFs Chris & Jim at their place. It was so delicious. After dinner, Jim gave me a beautiful silk Hermes scarf. The colours were perfect. Red, White and Blue. (Yankee Doodle!) The motif was golf. On one corner was the Nabisco logo. Jim’s Mom passed away recently and at her service her daughter talked about her passion for golf. She was a champion. She had played in the Nabisco tournament with Jack Lemmon. It was a highlight of her many achievements in golf. She shot an 86 last year. She was fiercely private about her age so let’s just say she got close to shooting it that day. I was so touched to receive this gorgeous gift. The sentiment was incredibly lovely. Merci beaucoup mes amis!
The second happened the very next morning. I wore the scarf with my spring trench coat. It was a sunny day. Crisp air. I got lots of compliments on the scarf, although with my coat made me look like a flight attendant! (LOL!). My Warrior who I had gone to a chemo treatment with last month was scheduled to have her last one that morning. I knew that this hospital did not have the ritual of “ringing the bell” to mark the occasion (like I had at Princess Margaret PMH). So I went to surprise her. And surprised she was when I texted her to say I was there. She responded “OMG! Coming to get you!” She came out to meet me and had tears on her face. I think she was so amazed that I was there to support her. The emotion. I hadn’t expected that. I hadn’t expected how it made me feel to see her react that way. It was truly awesome. I felt great to know that my little gesture could make such a difference to another human being. WOW!!
I remember the feeling when someone rang the fire bell at PMH as they walked out after their last chemo treatment. I remember how everyone clapped and smiled for that moment. Knowing that you too would have a turn to do that. I remember how I felt that day I rang the bell. All that hope. Amazing. I wanted her to have that feeling too. So I brought and gave her a small bell that was given to me many years ago by a special boy named Davis. She was very touched. I couldn’t stay for her treatment but she sent me a message when it was done and told me the nurse and pharmacist rang the little bell for her. I had to fight back a tear when I read that.
I walked in the sunshine down to a conference I was attending with my head held high and with a big smile on my face knowing that I had done the right thing and it felt so good. Nothing was more important than being there. I was late for the start of the conference but it was worth it!!
The best part of it all is that it made me feel really really good. I have to admit that the dull weather, the lymphedema, the return of the hot flashes and lack of good sleep, have gotten me a little down and worn out. I needed this.
Little gestures that help bring about small miracles are everywhere and all around us.
They bring us hope. They bring us wonder. They let us believe.
We get through adversity with the support and care of those around us. How? Why? It’s simple: Because We Love and Are Loved.
Take care my Warriors.
Winnie xo