From Chris ...

Earlier tonight, I spoke to Chris who has opened up her home to Lisa and I during our recent stays in Vancouver. Chris, is one of the TITS. The only one that does not live in PG. Since Lisa went into surgery on Friday, Chris and I have had many conversations about life, love, relationships and friendships and, of course, Lisa. Actually, it was more like one long-running three-day discussion punctuated by time on the blog, phone calls, sleep, and getting ready to see Lisa, only 15 minutes away. Oh, yes, we ate too :)

I asked Chris to send me something that I could post here ‘in her words’. Lisa is not the first close friend that Chris has supported through breast cancer. In fact, during a brief escape from the hospital on the day of Lisa’s surgery, Chris learned that yet another friend had tested positive for the disease. I’m certain that Chris could drive to VGH blind-folded.

Chris emailed me back with some thoughts straight from the heart. Anyone, who has “experienced” cancer in their life time will be familiar with the underlying emotions in her voice.

From Chris ..

I took Norm to the airport this morning; he has been here since before her surgery but must return to work. After dropping him off I drove straight to VGH to visit Lisa. She was awake and glad to see me. It’s day three post-op. She’s had a decent night’s sleep and has found her sunny smile again.

Lisa is healing well but it’s a slow road. Last night she phoned her 8 year old daughter to wish her good-night. Keeping it together on the phone took everything she had.

Cancer is painful. You walk in to surgery with no pain or symptom and you wake up feeling terrible, only to hold your breath until you learn about what ‘they’ in the medical field want to do to you to prevent it from spreading. It’s especially hard to endure, you wish you were dead.

Lisa is 42, she teaches high-school. Special Ed. She’s also working towards her Masters degree – she should complete it in July. She is beautiful. She looks a bit like Sandra Bullock. She has risen to every challenge [and she has had more than her share] with dignity.

She is my friend and I am exactly where I need to be.