Mom

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010, a memorial service was held for Dad. Thursday, April 8th, 2010, Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Prior to this, Shawn and I always talked about how lucky we were. We had our family, our friends and we all had our health. Partially because of this luck and partially because I'm just paranoid, I was always fearful of when the other shoe would drop, so to speak. Easter weekend, I took a sucker punch to the stomach, grew an ache in my heart and ended up barefoot, without warning. Luckily, I had my soul sister in front of me, my husband walking on one side of me and my Mom on the other. A Mom who despite her own health issues, drove in the middle of the night to be by my side. A Mom who remained by my side while I said goodbye to Dad. A Mom who put herself aside to care for the rest of us. A Mom who has since survived cancer.

The lump was stage 1, grade 2; the most optimistic of diagnoses. As quickly as the news was delivered, the lump was removed. The tissue surrounding it was deemed negative and Mom was officially on the road to recovery. Fast track to present day and radiation treatment is underway. I cannot speculate how things are going because I can't imagine having to go through it. I do know this, I'm now by Mom's side. It was easy to fall in step beside her knowing without a doubt, she'd be okay. Quite frankly, she has to be because I selfishly say so dammit. I know what I say has no real legitimate pull on the weight of the world, but I like to say it anyway. My Mom is my world.

Call me a sappy sucker but even this cynic can't continue this post. Frankly, there really aren't words left to describe what my parents mean to me. My feelings are unexplainable and irreplaceable. Ironically, now a new lump has formed. It's the lump in my throat. It generates from the bruise on my stomach, from the ache in my heart and from my feet that are still bare. Luckily, Mom and I wear the same size shoes.

Okay, I've swayed the tears, time for something funny. Leave it to Mom's monkeybutt, Ainsley, to return my smirk.

"Whatchutalkinbout Gramma?"