For My Friend, Donna

I got the call today, the one I knew would come eventually but I was still surprised.
The cancer finally got to my beautiful, quirky and forever honest friend, Donna.
The friend that I should have known better, sooner, because we are so much alike.
We both love Mickey Mouse and Disneyland, love kids but never had any of our own, and love a good dance- anytime, anywhere.
Donna was given 48 hours at midnight last night.  She is on her way to the other side any time now.  Maybe she will show me something from over there, somehow.
The hospice has had a harpist come in and play for her.  Her friends have come and shared tea with her.  She has been given a prayer shawl and was read her last rights tonight.  She is comfortable and peaceful.  Her husband seems amazingly relaxed in this moment.
As my friend struggled through these last few years she gave me so much.  I learned that sometimes you have to get past your fears, no matter how strong they are.  And that sometimes just being together is enough.  No need to say anything at all.
Oh how I will miss her smile and her true ability to throw caution to the wind.  There are tears, but they are fleeting.  I know there is so much more to come.
Here's to an utterly fantastic journey for my friend.  I will definitely catch her on the other side!

Can't Keep A Good Flirt Down

With all that I have read lately about the special relationships of many of my blogger friends with their fathers, I had been feeling a little left out.  As fate would have it, my biological father is just as big of a mystery to me as it would be to you.  However, rather that stew in what I don't have I would like to take a short moment to introduce you to a fun guy that makes a great father figure of sorts.  And tell you about his latest adventure!

This guy is one of the members of a dance club that my husband and I belong to.  He is gregarious, generous, and seriously funny.  He is always there for anyone in a pinch.  Recently, this guy ran into his own difficulty of sorts.  Over a weekend, he suddenly had a very alarming vision loss.  Sure enough, doctors determined that he had experienced a stroke.  He had no other symptoms.  While all of his friends and family were grateful that he was otherwise healthy, we couldn't help but think that this vision loss was especially cruel for our dear friend.  You see, he is an insatiable flirt!  He is super visual in every way and just loves to appreciate the ladies of all shapes, sizes and ages.  Yes, he has a wife and she is super cool about all of this.  He is an older gentleman and this is just part of his personality and charm.  So naturally when I heard about this problem of his, I was saddened to think that this situation might change who he is.

Never fear!  Miracles do occur!  He has worked hard at rehab doing lots of vision therapy exercises and his prognosis is wonderful.  His vision has returned with only a tiny bit of an issue leftover in the peripheral area.  He has already returned to dancing with our club again.  As his wife says: "he thinks he now has an excuse for mistaking a boob for an elbow!"