So my neighbor, my awesome,awesome neighbor just found out she has a tumor in her breast. She has a six year old and a twelve year old and she is the kind of person you want to be like. This is really really scary. They don't know quite how bad it is yet, but they found it early and it is really small so the doctors think they might just be able to cut it out, and she could avoid Chemo.
There's really nothing more to say about that, because what can you say after that? Cancer is a conversation killer as well as a human killer. But, despite that, I would like to tell you a superficial, funny incident involving this cancer. Think me unfeeling if you will, but I say we should have more funny stories involving terrible things. Is there any way to combat horror than with humor? We should have more funny stories about the holocaust. I feel that's an untapped source of humor. Anyway...
(superficiality starts here)
Chris was gone for a couple weeks in October. Despite having three kids under five, I was doing pretty well. In fact, we were doing terrifically...unless we got off our schedule. When we got off schedule, things got a little crazy. One day was particularly hectic as we had to walk across town in the rain to go pick up our car from the tire place, and then go to a church activity. I was trying to get my offspring into the car and the girls were kind of having a rough time. My neighbor came over specifically to tell me that she had cancer. Then she told me about upcoming surgery dates, her plans for her kids during that time...these sorts of things. She was in the middle of explaining how she had planned the surgery around a school holiday so that her kids could go to her mother's house when she looked over my shoulder and got a good look at my girls and exclaimed, "Oh my! Can I help you?"
In other words, she has a tumor but my kids are in need of help.
Parenting level: a little worse than cancer.
*sigh*
FYI she cracked up when I pointed this out to her.
6 comments:
Reading this I get the realize that this incident really touched you. I appreciate you combating horror with humor, but tell me dear... If you dad had told you holocaust jokes how scared would you have been? How messed up now. If in doubt, think about crocodiles and sharks a minute.... I love to read what you write. Dad
I love the photo at the top of the post, and I love this very tender story. I hope they can get the cancer done and gone. Thank you for sharing real things.
Haha. This makes me so happy. Is that allowed?
P.S. YAY! No comment verification! Success!
Ha. This makes me think of a recent This American Life episode, where a comedian does her stand-up routine the day after she finds out that she had breast cancer. It's really funny, but in a weird kind of way. (The episode is called "What Doesn't Kill You" by the way)
So sad about your neighbor. She's a very nice lady. I loved the links to the illustrations of your day!
Post a Comment