Silence is not so golden

I've not posted anything for a few weeks. I figured that out when in the last few days I had received messages and emails and texts checking in on me or asking how I was doing. Silence, I decided, is not so golden because in that void conjecture can take it's place, good, bad or otherwise.

I am doing well, still a poster child for chemo. Last week, I started the Taxol which is a lighter weekly infusion. My sister, Kelli, came in from the other side of the Lake to take me to chemo and take care of me (something she has done my whole life!). Since this initial dose starts with a large dose of Benadryl, a good nap was guaranteed and Kelli said she might take pictures of me that may or may not have included drawing on my face with a Sharpie. Thankfully, she was kidding (right Kelli?) and my nurse Alicia, who is also a middle sister, was looking out for me by telling Kelli that she didn't have any Sharpies! 

Those of you with sisters understand the bond shared. And my sisters are my dearest friends, understanding far more about me because of our shared history. Kelli and I shared a bedroom, much to her chagrin, for our entire childhood. She was always the neat one while I operated on a clean-as-needed-though-it's-rarely-needed basis; this difference spawned many a fight and an attempt at dividing the room (though my side of the room included the closet and the door to the hallway so the division didn't last long!). Many of our childhood disagreements would lead to 'hanger' battles with one of us flaying a hanger at the other which would mostly end in fits of giggles. Our Mom said these mostly happened on Sundays when 'the devil seemed to work overtime' (and I'm sure as a Mom of five children trying to get us dressed, fed and behaving to get to church on time was no small feat since we had one shower and a whole lot of attitude!).

Kelli's visit came on the heels of my visit to the Detroit area where I had spent Friday night with my sister Kerri (our names all start with K, including our surviving brother Kevin!). I had spent part of Friday reading to a second-grade classroom in Detroit. It was my third or fourth year (?) and it was my son's fiance's class - and it's one of my favorite things to do! I'm grateful that Carmen keeps inviting me. And the night with Kerri is one of the reasons I love this tradition, because though she's only 2.5 hours away we don't see each other enough. We intuit much about one another, sisters do, and it's like an emotional shorthand making the time together full and rich. Kerri and I lived together for awhile after I moved back to the Detroit area after MSU and, for me, the jewel of those years was Kerri's friendship and support. 'Dynasty' Wednesday nights with our Chinese take-out was sacrosanct! 

This post, it seems, is less about my cancer journey and more about my life with sisters! They've both also had breast cancer and they also have MS, so you could easily understand our bond and that 'sister shorthand'. Despite the crappy health, we are three faith-filled, positive, mostly-happy (unless we're crossed then look out!) women.

Sisters by birth, friends for life. Left to right Kathleen (laughing per usual), Kelli and Kerri.