Today is Friday, and really is the day for a "Friday's Fave Five." But that's not the direction this week. I have someone on my mind, and am greatly sad for her, and am thinking more about how quickly things can change and how quickly we can be faced with our own mortality.
A week ago I left to run a typical series of Saturday errands and stop at a few yard sales along the way. I made a loop through town, stopping at Chick Fil A for some chicken minis (my occasional Saturday morning splurge), then going to the old part of town to get some fresh produce at the local farmers' market. I was headed up the four-lane highway toward where we live, on the way to the grocery store, and had stopped in a parking lot to take a phone call. During that call, I ignored one from Mike, but called him back right afterward. He said "My sister called. K has been admitted to the hospital with a mass in her brain." Mike's sister is a nurse on the neuro floor at the hospital, and K is a lady I know whose children I have taught. When they put together the connection, K said to Mike's sister, "Call Ann."
I turned the car around and went straight to the hospital. K is a sweet lady, one who has had several curves thrown at her in life. She had been having severe headaches as well as some erratic behavior (such as driving on the wrong side of the road) and inability to read or watch TV. When it got too bad to wait for the approaching doctor appointment, she went to the emergency room, when she was promptly put in the intensive care and tests run. This was now the next morning. K told me whom she wanted told about this, and I spread the word to those people. I've been up there four times since then.
Now it's six days later. On Wednesday she had brain surgery. A cancerous tumor. Prognosis uncertain. Three boys ages 16-20.
You never know when life is going to change "on a dime." These young men and their mother have much to process. Even in the context of God's will, and what He allows, this is a lot to process. And for us all to think about.
1 comment:
I'm so sorry for your friend. I've had some of these same kinds of thoughts with our pastor's terminal cancer diagnosis, seemingly out of nowhere. He's in his early 50s, and my m-i-l's caregiver's best friend died suddenly Wed. night at age 56 - just a few months younger than I am. We truly don't know what a day will bring forth or how much time we have.
Post a Comment