Summer Over

     Summers are interesting.  The best laid plans of mice and men go oft aglea.  I'll have to check the spelling of that after while. 
     This summer the only trip planned was to a 50th high school reunion with a side trip to the in laws on the way home.  Plans changed very quickly when a relative from Minnesota made a trip to see the family.  So instead of one trip, two were now planned.  After the first trip the second trip to the reunion got quickly changed and instead of a couple trip it was a 'Thelma and Louise' trip to the reunion.  Right after that instead of staying home a trip to the mountains came and a third trip was planned for the summer.  So it was a very busy summer.
     A few things came off the bucket list this summer.  In the mountains I rode a ski lift up 9000 ft and then walked to within 15 feet of reaching the summit.  My lips were a beautiful purple so decided it was time to quit but the climb up a mountain was crossed off.  Did the DFW Yarn Crawl which was a first, only made 7 shops that's 7 times more than last year.  One more thing checked.  There may have been one more but it's  gone.  Getting old is so much fun.
     Fall isn't quite here until the 20th or the 21st.  Summer was hot and dry so here's to a wet and cool fall.  Not looking forward to the leaves, guess raking is exercise so that's OK.
      Things are the same as far as being disappointed in certain disenfranchised family members.  It's hard to understand where the disenfranchisement comes.  My thinking is that family is very important and to be close to them and involved is an asset. 
       November of 2012 I was lucky enough to be chosen to go to a Casting For Recovery event in Glen Rose.  People had studied and decided that fly fishing was a boost to breast cancer survivors and helped with the range of motion many lose in their treatment.  It was fun, at the time the fear of cancer returning was totally out of the realm of possibilities.  At the retreat I met Connie.  It was a strange encounter because she was the mother in law of a girl friend and present friend of my nephew.  The last name gave the connection away and a conversation ensued.  After her initial diagnosis the cancer had returned once but was not present at the time.  Connie was looking forward to breast reconstruction and returning to an active life with her husband, children and especially grand children.  Over the last year more cancer diagnosis had been made and further chemo and radiation were also administered.  Connie always kept a positive attitude and attended many reunions and games for her grandchildren.  This week Connie was told that nothing was helping and she could look forward (that's a bad choice of words) to 2-3 months.  Connie has a strong faith and she and her son have come to grips with the fact that it is time to go.  Her leaving will be soon and her pain and suffering will be over and she will be able to watch her family from heaven.  When something like this happens it's also a slap in the face that the same thing can happen to you.  I am trying not to go there because I know that all of the cancer is gone and I am as healthy as a 68 year old person can be at this time.
It is so hard.
      This next weekend a reunion of CFR participants will take place.  This year it will be a trip I will make.  The decision to go was made before the events in Connie's life took a turn but I am so glad I am going.  It will be good to touch base with other survivors and talk about the "journey:"
       One year after my initial diagnosis we started exercising at the YMCA.  My sister, my husband and I make up the we and WE have been together the entire journey.  The local YMCA had and has a LIVESTRONG program.  It is for cancer survivors* to get the push they need to get and keep the recovery going.  During the local fund raiser I gave a speech and ended up having a poster of me and what I said up in the local Y.  It has been so great to make contact with other survivors and get them into the program.  The mental aspect of recovery is as important as the medical recovery.  As stated above sometimes even the good people get called.  Someone once said that the good ones go to heaven first because God wants them close to him.  I beginning to believe that is true.
        The * by survivor was a very important message learned early.  As soon as you walk out of the doctor's office after your diagnosis you are a survivor.  Length of time makes no difference.