Loss

I lost a friend to cancer today. I probably should have capitalized the letter c, but it already has too much power, so I think not.

She wasn't that much older than me, maybe five years. She was a coworker of mine at the care center for the past seven years, so I am feeling the loss.

She thought she had pneumonia a year ago, and when she went in to get checked out, they found some blood clots in her lung. That's bad enough, but when they put her on blood thinners, she started to bleed and then came the diagnosis of uterine cancer.

She had confidence in her doctor, and started chemo. She was out of work for awhile, but she eventually returned, seeming to be pretty much her usual self. The second round of chemo didn't go as smoothly. I remember her saying that this round was kicking her butt. It caused her lungs to keep filling up with fluid, and it was difficult for her to breath. Eventually they stopped those particular drugs and started her on what they had her take the first time around. She never seemed to recover enough strength after this, though, and the difficult breathing continued.

Last week she made the decision to stop chemo and go on Hospice. I'm so glad I got to see her one last time, to talk with her and give her a hug. She went into the hospital a couple days before Thanksgiving and though she didn't make it home, I hear friends and family were there for her, and she felt their love.

I will miss her corny comments. I will miss listening to her personal commentary as she read the newspaper to our clients. I think she was a Democrat because she seemed to feel strongly about siding with the underdog, and with folks in the world who struggled and didn't have much. She made a mean pistachio pudding dessert. And lemon bars. And she could talk tough. And cry. I will think of her every time we do the Senior Club Twist.

Rest in peace, Vickey. I'm relieved that you're not suffering anymore.