Twyla on Tuesday

January 11th, 2007.  A day that I will never forget.

My best friend was in the hospital undergoing a mastectomy.

Her prognosis was cautious, but hopeful.  The cancer had spread

to her lymph nodes.  She came through the surgery and her surgeon gave us

the report that he did as much as he could, but couldn't get to all the lymph nodes. 

The next day, the 12th, we brought her home to our house because

we were going to take care of her in our home during her recovery period.

The news reports we were hearing were very worrisome.  Ice was reported and

not like the usual weatherman report, but a definite warning, get where you are going

and it would be best to stay there.

Never easy getting released from the hospital, but this time it was excruciatingly long.

Finally able to leave around 2 that afternoon. 

You'd have to know my friend, she's a trooper.

After a stop to pick up her medicine at Sam's we finally made it home.

I am sure she was relieved and exhausted by the time we got home and she

layed down on the couch as we continued to listen to the weather reports and visit.

It was a gray, cold day and it was icing.

About 8:00 that evening our lights flickered.  They came back on.

Then off again.  Our hopes were dashed that it would come back on that night.

We dug out all the blankets, comforters and quilts and planned to stay warm

until the electricity come back on, probably sometime during the night.

It was a cold house I woke up to the next morning.  First thing I did was check

on my friend.  She was fine, but cold and the realization of our situation was

cruelly sinking in.  Over the next four days we literally holed up in the living

room, my friend, Lindsey, my son, my husband and me.  I mostly watched

the fire and warmed canned food in the fireplace.  It is hard to take care of

someone who is recovering from surgery with no amenities to speak of. 

We talked, we laughed, we played games.  We bonded.

It was a week that we will never forget and one that defined us in that

there was 'us' before the ice storm and then there was 'us' after the ice storm.

Today she is fully recovered and cancer free.

When we look back at that time, we remember the fun parts

and honestly don't remember the cold.

May you have a wonderful day!

Twyla