My Best Friend

[Guest guest]

Kellie,

You and Dena are in my prayers. If it means anything

to you, I'd like to tell you about my own family's

struggle with cancer. In 1980, when my mother was

pregnant with me, my father was diagnosed with

non-Hopkin's Lymphomia (cancer of the lymph nodes)for

the second time. After treatments started to fail, he

was given 3 months to live, my mother was only 4 or 5

months pregnant. My mother prayed that he would live

long enough to see his second child (and also that I

would be a boy, but that didn't happen!). After all,

my father was considered infertile from previous

cancer treatments and my mother getting pregnant again

seemed like a miracle. My father pleaded that my

mother divorce him to save her the tremendous cost of

his funeral and such. My mother refused. As long as my

mother refused, my father continued his therapies,

even though the doctors thought it was hopeless. When

I was 5 months old, my father went into remission. In

battles like these, it is only the guidence of loved

ones that is needed, sometimes.

My father was again diagnosed with a higher grade form

of the same cancer a week before I left for my year in

Israel. I didn't really want to go, but he insisted.

After a year, I returned home to a very different man.

Seeing my father weak and uninterested in life. He

never allowed himself to get like that before. I took

all his blood work and read it all, cover to cover,

and saved it in a computer program. I decided that if

he wouldn't take charge, I would. My father is again,

in remission.

So, maybe it wasn't that you needed Dena and that is

why you met. Maybe it is that Dena will need you! Stay

strong and everything will work out.

In my prayers,

Sara

--- hectichouse@... wrote:

> I wanted to tell everyone about my best friend Dena.

> When I moved to

> Missouri 19 yrs. ago I met Dena through our

> husbands. Her and I

> instantly hit it off. Our children were the same

> age, we were both from

> out of state without our families. Everything has

> been really great.

> When I became pregnant with and Tyler Dena

> was the first one to

> laugh her butt off because we were 36 yrs. old and

> had always felt that

> was over the hill to be doing the baby thing. She

> took me to every

> doctor appt. , came and helped with my kids when I

> was put on total

> bedrest. She was there when I lost my home in the

> floods of 93 " . I can't

> think of a time she hasn't been there. Even was at

> the hospital when I

> had and Tyler because my husband couldn't get

> there in time. So

> many things I could say about her. I found out this

> morning that she has

> lung cancer. This is tearing me up. I love her with

> all my heart and

> wish I could take this from her. I can't write

> anymore. I just wanted to

> tell you all what a wonderful person she is and what

> she means to me.

>

> Kelli....Mom to: , age 22, Greg, age 18,

> Twins: Set one- April &

> Ash age 15, Set two- (ds) & Tyler, age 4.

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Sara, Kelli here. Thank you so much about telling me about your father.

It sounds like it has been a long road for you. It also gives me hope

that things will work out for Dena. She has 3 children and this is very

hard on them. I worry about them. Again thank you very much for caring.

Kelli....Mom to: , age 22, Greg, age 18, Twins: Set one- April &

Ash age 15, Set two- (ds) & Tyler, age 4.

[Guest guest]

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.- Henry Ford

Martha Murdock, DirectorNational Silicone Implant Foundation | Dallas Headquarters"Supporting Survivors of Medical Implant Devices"4416 Willow LaneDallas, TX 75244-7537