Thursday, July 19, 2007

Get up and walk........
When my friend Karen found out she had cancer, it rocked me. Those who know me well would say I am pretty tough, but not with this. It scared me like nothing ever has.How can such a loving mother,a wonderful wife, with a great marriage struggle with this. Someone who lives so healthy can get cancer? She is so young and has small children, why is this happening?It is so scary to think that one day she was fine and the next she finds out she has cancer!That could be any of us.We were the "hi how are ya" as you walk past eachother at work, kind of friends. Occasionally, we would talk privately about something, but mostly just work friends. She was a great help with things like signs for songs i was having the school do in a school production. She helped us make our classroom over the top by looking up stuff on the internet! Sorry Tina ,I know we aren't suppossed to have used the computer up front for that! Oh wait you were there too!Our boys are good friends. They have play dates, and birthday parties etc. My son Tyler loves how Noah gets his hair done. Noah's hair is cool! When Noah has come over to play he is always so good! Always uses such good manners, and he never wants to leave!So after Karen found out about the cancer,they got the usual flood of calls from everyone they know and then some. Support from all over ,was coming in . One of Karen's best friends set up a blog to keep everyone updated daily for months. Jeff's friend started a 5k run in her honor,and much more!Recently, Karen was just getting off of Chemo and radiation so she could under go the Gamma Knife Surgery in Washington. As soon as she is off the meds she could have the surgery.When she woke up with a fever and couldn't speak, she was rushed to the hospitol. After being unresponsive and on life support for 48 hours,her husband had to make the decision no one wants to ever have to make. He had her taken off of life support.Now when I first found out Karen had cancer I had to do something. Not send a card or flowers, but something that I thought would really help. So I signed up to walk in the Nike Marathon through Team In Training(with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). I have agreed to raising $2100 for the cause. It will help find a cure so that in the future we don't have to say good bye to our friends and family, due to cancer!I told her I was going to walk in the marathon in her honor and she said she was going to be there. I said I would push her in her wheel chair if I had to. She laughed. She gave me a hug and said "you can do it". I guess she could tell I was questioning myself and my ability to finish the race. I said told her "Thanks your the one going through chemo and you trying to cheer me on!" Then I told her the saying on a shirt at TNT that read " You think a marathon is tough try Chemo!" I told her then, if you can handle all of this and still be smiling and giving hugs and cheering me on I can handle the marathon without complaining. By the way ,that same day her son was running in the Lion Roam a Thon (school fundraiser),he did great! He even won a prize for the most laps in his class!So I have been training and praying for her and the family as I go. Last Sat I injured my foot as I was walking. I am not supposed to be on it for several more days. The next time I get out and walk it is going to be so different. Still though, no complaining, she went through more than I can ever imagine and I never heard her complain. She was the one hurting and she was comforting those around her. She is amazing. Her husband Jeff ,I wasn't there, but I heard about how he took care of her. He is what every woman would want in a husband if you were going through this. Stop and say a prayer for him right now please,really stop reading and just ask for God to comfort him. Thanks!It is 2 am and it is just to hard to go to sleep. I have my baby to take care of early tomorrow,so I am going to try to get some sleep. I will try to finish the rest later.Karen,Now I am going to go out there and really quick some booty for you Karen! You encouraged me to get this far and I am going to get through the finish line for you! With Jamie and Paola too! You will be the wind beneath our sneakers! I hope you are up there laughing right now! I can almost see you smile. You are probably walking hand in hand with Jesus! Please don't tell him about the thong joke! You must be so happy and at peace. I am so glad you are not in any pain. But you have left behind so many that love you and already miss you! I bet if we saved every tear drop from tonight we could fill up the grand canyon. Ok you always did think I exaggerate to much, but it would be close,at leat 60% hehe. I will do my best to watch out for little Noah. I will hug him like you would everytime I see him,if he lets me !!!!! :) I don't know if I can catch him anymore,he has gotten so fast! Save some crowns for me,don't hog um all up!Thank you for being such a good friend. Good bye for now,I will see you agin someday......