This Is Great! Life Is Good!

Anyone who knows my friend, Lori, knows these are her two favourite phrases.  I met Lori when we were 19 years old.  Although we met in one town and then ended up living in the same community, we only reconnected a few years ago.  Who knew we would come full circle and become such great friends?  It's been an incredible reconnection that has blossomed into a lifelong, very meaningful, friendship.  And I'm forever grateful to know her and have her as such an important part of my journey through life.

Unfortunately, we have the "cancer experience" in common.  She has beaten Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma which required a tumour to be extracted from her face.  That required 15 consecutive days of radiation therapy, which by her description, was gruelling.  She relayed it more as an opportunity to spend 15 days with friends and family.  She has been able to provide a lot of comfort and hope to me and always reminds me to look at all the positive numbers and results and says, "Don't worry about that," when it comes to the scary stuff.  "We'll just deal with it a day at a time."  Words to live by.  I can get ten pieces of negative news and one piece of good news and she'll say, "This is great!"  She always sees the upside to each situation.  Since I'm an optimist with a half-full glass (preferably of Shiraz), it's not hard to persuade me to think the same way.

Lori decided to contact the local newspaper to share with the community my diagnosis of breast cancer.  Since it was October, and therefore breast cancer awareness month, the paper jumped at the opportunity.  We were interviewed and photographed and asked to keep the reporter updated on my progress.  Lori repeatedly exclaimed, "We're famous!  This is great!"  After we walked the 5K CIBC Run for the Cure, the update was submitted and published as well.  We raised a lot of money and hopefully some awareness for breast cancer.  Lori's co-workers, Patty and Jacquie, were also on the walk and now there is a display of sorts about my journey posted at their workplace for all to see.

As a show of support, and to avoid baldness at all costs, Lori has dyed the underneath half of her hair pink.  It looks awesome!  It's hard to put into words how uplifting Lori's spirit has been for me.  Her generosity is humbling and I look very forward to her daily phone calls, "Hello, my friend."  We always laugh out loud and she makes me see that life is indeed good even through the most difficult and darkest of times.  Lori shoots from the hip, says it like it is and is fiercely loyal and honest about everything.  She is true to all her friends and adores her family.

So whatever lays ahead, "my friend", we will walk (or next year run) it together, side-by-side, through thick and thin.  Because after all, our relationship is great and my life with you in it is good!

Lori and me for newspaper - "We're Famous!"

Lori on Team K3 for CIBC Run for the Cure

Me with Lori and her new pink hair!