I was sitting at Tim Horton's having coffee with a new friend of mine. She is also going through chemo, for breast cancer too, and sometimes we meet and compare notes.
That's how I meet my friends these days by the way. It used to be at the bar. Then, as I got older, it was at the kids' school. Now, it's in the chemo room.
Funny how life is.
Today she was talking about someone new that she met at chemo. She went on and on about her new acquaintance named Shonna. She wanted to know if I'd seen her yet at chemo, but since I go on different days than her, I had not.
After coffee we decided to stop by the hospital and go to the oncology unit and check out the wigs. My friend said there were free wigs there that I could look at. I don't know how I've missed that, but I'm not one to pass on the free stuff - so we went.
As I try them on, I noticed my friend saying hi to someone. I didn't pay close attention, I was concentrating on the wigs. There was the usual assortment of 'old lady' wigs, and a few others. There was a long blonde curly hair one that I tried on for kicks, and almost died laughing. It was very 'va va voom' and not at all a natural look on me.
Instead I picked a short hair brown wig, and I feel very much like June Cleaver with it on.
It's very proper. I like it.
I may even wear this one, who knows?
Back to Shonna.
When I finished trying on the wigs, I came out and met Shonna. She is a Stage IV breast cancer patient, and she was there having her Herceptin treatment. She goes every 3 weeks, and will do that for the rest of her life. We started talking and I have to say I have never met someone that was so positive and upbeat, funny and approachable all while battling this terrible disease. I inquired about her hair that just started coming back, and looks wickedly awesome! I hope mine looks as good when it comes back as hers does.
As we were chatting I made myself comfortable and moved her stuff over so I could sit next to her. It was pretty crowded, and I hoped she didn't mind that I was basically almost sitting on her lap. I just felt super comfortable with her.
Then, I introduce myself. (Yes, I realize I should have done that first)
I said "I'm Michelle". "YOU'RE Michelle?" was her comeback. Hmmm... that doesn't sound right. "Yes, why?" I asked. Her next sentence, no word of a lie was: " Do you have a blog?"
This is where it gets weird.
Turns out she is Shonna from Conquering Cancer by Living Well
(she's on my sidebar as one of the blogs I read and if you head over to her blog you'll see her version of our chance meeting today).
I love her blog!!
She is upbeat and has great info on foods to eat/avoid while battling cancer.
She said when I first walked into the chemo room today she thought she recognized me, but wasn't sure if it was me. How awesome is that? (No, not that I'm recognized, although... I will start carrying a pen with me from now on) but that I met her in real life. I have only had that happen to me once before to meet someone from the 'blogworld', years ago - but we had worked and planned on making that happen. In this case, it was just a happy accident. I had no idea we lived in the same town.
I still think it's shitty that I have cancer. I've just learned to appreciate the other stuff around it. Befriending people like Shonna from Conquering Cancer by Living Well is just another positive thing that would never have happened without cancer.
So here's to silver linings!
12 comments:
It was so great meeting you!! I felt so comfortable with you too - like I had known you for a long time! Well, I have been reading your blog so I do sort of know you! Here's to fighting this disease, winning our fights with this disease, and new friendships we pick up along the way! I've met some incredible people through this disease, so as tough and scary cancer portrays itself to be, well...it's not...it just isn't that powerful! Hope to see you soon!
Conquering - Here's to that! By the way, I left two messages on your blog earlier (Before I realized that I'm waiting for comment moderation) So feel free to delete one of them :)
Hey there! I only received one, so it must have worked itself out! I'll text you in a couple of days to see how you're doing. Let me know if you need anything - I remember those days of lying on the couch a few days after chemo, mind in a haze, and realizing I had run out of something and hubby at work...If you need something, call! See you soon!
Many, many moons ago, before the Internet and before Windows, and before Blogs, there was Telnet. It was a way to connect people in major corporations, military installations and universities. I was on a Writer's group out of MIT and one summer I took a cross-country trip to do environmental research and met as many of my on-line writer friends as I could. It was an awesome experience! So glad you had this serendipitous meeting. Go with what the Universe brings you, it is meant to be.
Small world indeed!
Hi Shonna - it's your 'old' neighbour, Eileen. Kids and I are great, living in Toronto and happily divorced.
Unfortunate way of connecting again, but glad we did (sort of).
Michelle, thanks for letting me know on Facebook.
Conquering - I won't have my next treatment til next wednesday...so I should be good this week but thanks! I look forward to your text.
VV - did you just date yourself? Hahaha... so funny. The first thing I thought when I read the comment was ' i remember those days, we had another form of communication, it was the post. 'Member that? Good old fashioned mail.
Eileen - yeah, I thought you'd like to know (Follow her along perhaps). I'm glad to help.
Knock Knock - I'll text for sure! I wrote a post about our meeting today too! Could not let this opportunity pass to write about a wonderful chance encounter in such a small, small world! Eileen - great hearing from you! Do you still have my email address? I have lost yours. I'll give my email to Michelle next time I speak with her and she can forward it to you if you don't have it any longer. Talk soon!
How awesome is that?? I love that it just happened. I've met two of my blog friends. One was passing through town on her way to somewhere else and we met for lunch. The other was also passing through town, but stopped long enough to tour the auto museum with us. It's so wonderful to put faces with the bloggers we come to know so well. I hope we manage to meet someday too.
When you're handed lemons, there's always a way to make lemonade!
I just met one of my blogging friends at the hospital Friday too. I don't know what I would do without my connections I have made through my blog as we journey this battle together.
Sayre - Indeed awesome! I too, hope we meet one day (I don't see why not, you live in sunny Florida...ummm, I don't need much more reason than that to visit, lol)
Mandi - I know! The people in the blogworld who are battling cancer as well, know you in a way that few other people do. They just understand it so well, and it just makes it extra special when you can put a face to a name (or blog, in this case)
Really glad you are building a good support system through this. Cheers to meeting blog friends in person!!
Yep, it sure is shitty that you have cancer. Me too. But at least we have other cool girls to get through it with. Ok, that sounds totally lame. I'm going back to "it's shitty."
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