My friends....

I have great friends…..

So, I am coming home from a soccer game tonight and I am with one of my best friends.  She has not been a “forever” friend, but she is one of my mom buddies.  Our kids would go to indoor gym.  Her Husband would take them and I would too.  Her first would say, “MOMMY!!!!” referring to me and I was like, “Ben, I am not your Mommy.” And he would refute, “You are a MOMMY, so MOMMY!”  Then, when I got sick, My Mom would take them.  She got to know my friend’s husband.  Sadly, how lucky am I?!?!  On the way home from Woodinville, we shared all sorts of kids stories and she said to me, “I don’t know if I could have done it without you.”  We held hands for a second and I thought, “You bought me clothes when I thought I was a goner.”  I love her.  I love her kids.  Here are some of my best stories – OF OTHER PEOPLES KIDS……

Karissa and I – Camping – our kids are slinging each other on the back of bikes with a roller that is super dangerous and the 12 year old summer intern is trying to find the parents.  (We were behind the tent.  Yes, drinking Gin and Tonics.)  She also helped me get out of the house…..bless her, but sometimes her options SUCKED.  Her own kids were like, “Can we do what Angie wants?!?!?!?”  Gotta say, love those kids, but Karissa – HOLY COW there is a special place in heaven for her.  She is still known as “my girl” at chemo.  The nurses ask about her…..she is that special to them and to me.  Last story, her kids came up to us one day and she was chewing gum and we were like, “Where did you get the gum?” and she said, “The slide.”  You can image our response.  YUCK.

Grace cleaning my house.  Grace is my college roommate and OMG I was in my bedroom while she was “cleaning/flushing” my toilet a 1000 times.  I was sick as a dog and was like, “What the hell are you doing?!?!?!”  Grace’s response, “Cleaning your toilet.”  My response, “Are you serious?!?!!”  I dragged myself over there and taught her how to clean a toilet.  Her response, “You know there is a reason you got rectal cancer.”  My response, “Fuck off and it was to teach you how to clean a toilet.”  I LOVE HER and oddly, she loves me.  But, I have to say, Grace can scrub a floor like no one’s business!

Small and mighty….so I had this team….Part one cleaning…Part two food…..They were all under 5 foot 4 and honest I would not mess with them ever.  You know who you are (Beth, Annemarie, and Sarah) and I am afraid of you.  Truly. 

My Mom.  Enough said.  She scares me.

My Aunt.  She is nicer, but not by much.

My Cousin that always had a place for me to socialize.  She knew what to do. She did it.  She invited and told everyone to wash their hands…..I love her.  It was a safe place in the storm.  I am so thankful.  I show up now and it is like close family.  I am so blessed.

Crofts – especially Cheryl.  Holy cow.  For being so lazier faire, she has known me as nothing but with cancer.  She was accommodated through everything – including Family Fun Center Birthdays.  WOW.  I did not  think I could get a friend after cancer – I am a little high maintenance, but there she is….and her whole family…..how lucky am I?!?!?!?!

Jen – Where my kids learned “supper”.  Jen came when I was in lung surgery.  People at church STILL talk about her.  I think they liked her better than me.  She was me, but better, nicer I am pretty sure.  After my second lung surgery, I was useless, I was at my parents along with Auntie Donna because her house flooded and we were a bunch of useless people.  Jen stabilized my family.  She slept on an air mattress for more than a week.  FUNNY PART – Mason is going to hockey camp this summer in Kelowna where she and Robin live and going to live with them.  Funnier part is that she thinks that is weird.  I don’t.  She bonded with them.  Mason is so happy to be there is way beyond luck.  He loves them.  Wonder why?!?!?! .

Trina who picked up the loose ends, Beckey who tended to me as a nurse when I didn’t want to go, Coleen for rubbing my feet for hours on end, for Heather making to go to Jessica, for Elaine for loving me through the treatments, for Charlene and dinners with Bailey, for all the dinners, the love, the prayers, the light, the belief that I was going to beat this…….really…..I don’t not deserve it, but I am oh so thankful for it.

This list does not in any way cover everyone.  For that, I am sorry.  I am aware that my experience is not dependent on just those listed above.  Please forgive me for those I forgot. As I sit here now, surrounded by paperwork and tasks that I would not do cancer free, I am thankful, grateful, and wise to the effort on my behalf.  How lucky am I?!?!?!?

Happy Saturday, 

Ang