Chapter 51
Wednesday, October 12th…
“Hi Debbie, this is Amanda. I have some stuff in my car for the care packages. I’ll bring it with me when I get Caleb.”
‘Ok. Thank you.’
“Thanks for keeping an eye on my mom. I am worried about her. She didn’t talk much while we were on our trip.”
‘She is okay. We had a long talk last night. I’m sure it’s just all these changes coming up. She will be okay.’
“Ok. I’m just worried about her. I am having a hard time with these changes too. The closer it gets, the more emotional I get about it.”
‘I know. I asked her if she was going to be okay, being by herself in Houston. She told me; it didn’t bother her one bit.’
“I don’t want her to be by herself. I am worried she won’t take care of herself.”
‘Luisa and I will get on her case if she doesn’t. We are already talking about going to see her.’
“I am planning on going multiple times. I will figure it all out, after her appointment next week. Southwest Airlines has a deal going on until the 27th. Once we know more, I will plan out my flights.”
‘Oh, really? That is good.’
“Yes. Flights are $84.00 one-way. I will plan a few times for me to go by myself, and a trip or two with each of the kids.”
‘That would be good.’
“Could you make me a care package for another friend with cancer? I will need to mail it, so travel sized items would be nice. Thank you.”
Text from Laura. 4:35 P.M…
“Thanks for today. It was a good day.”
‘You’re welcome. Are you still at work?’
“No. Home.”
‘Do you want to know what was in that Amazon box we got today? Someone donated a bunch of little notebooks and pens. That will be nice to add to our bags.’
No answer…
7:22 P.M…
“That’s neat. Sorry, I fell asleep.”
‘Are you doing okay?’
“Yes. Are you on date night?”
‘Date night is over. We went to Red Robin.’
“I see. How was it?”
‘It was good. I got the chili.’
‘What did you guys have for dinner?’
“Pizza from somewhere. I was asleep when David brought it home. Are you mad at me?”
‘Why do you say that?’
“I don’t know. Short answers.”
‘Hahaha! Does that mean, I talk a lot?’
“Maybe…”
‘No, I’m not mad.’
“Today, someone asked me about radiation. It got me to thinking. I know the doctor said I couldn’t have radiation again, but what if I said to just do it. Would I be where I am today?”
‘I don’t know the answer to that.’
“I just want people to believe me about my health. What I say is the truth about me. You know, at times you second guess yourself.”
‘Yeah, I know. Is Rachel coming home this weekend?’
“Yes, on Friday. I can’t wait. It will be fun.”
Thursday morning…
“I’m going to be late. I just got up. Rough night of coughing. Sorry.”
‘Not a problem.’
Text from Luisa…
“Debbie, Laura is going to be late. She said, she had a rough night.”
‘Yeah, I heard from her. Thanks.’
Thirty minutes later…
“She’s on her way. How is your day going?”
“Luisa, it’s going great! Not!!”
“Oh boy.”
‘I just got whacked in the face by this little Benjamin, now he is crying. Stacey’s other kid keeps saying he wants to go home. Me too!! At least this kid is not crying.’
“Lol. Did you tell Benjamin not to hit his teachers? Tell him you are going to call his dad.”
“His mom told him not to hit before she left. Stacey didn’t tell me she has a kid who likes to hit. Oh boy! Get this… My day keeps getting better. One boy came back from the bathroom and tells me he has pooped his pants. Great! Another boy comes back and tells me there is a big ole turd on the bathroom floor. I guess that explains the missing poop. Come on guys, you are in pre-k. We shouldn’t be having this problem.’
“Wow! Lol. We need to go get a drink or maybe a new job!”
‘Haha. True.’
This next story I am about to tell you, has been one heck of story to write. I have spent over a week (now two weeks) just trying to write it. I don’t know if I have writer’s block or just don’t care for my words. I’m trying to set up what happened and describe to you Laura’s mood. I just can’t find the words that explain how she went from being so happy to being so confused. See… There I go again. I’m not sure if confused is how she felt.
I have written this story multiple times and ended up erasing it all. I just can’t find the story I want to tell, in all these different versions of my words. I have walked away. I have turned off my computer. I have erased it more times than I can count.
There’s a message I want you to get from this. A feeling I want you to feel.
Today… I might have found it.
I am going to finish telling you about this day, and then I’m going to share with you another story. In that story, is the feeling I want you to feel.
Laura had a rough night. She messaged Luisa and I early this morning, letting us know she would be late. If Laura spent half of her night coughing, you can pretty much guarantee she’s going to be in a frustrated mood. That wasn’t the case when she walked in.
Walking thru the door, a little before 10, was a bright and cheery Laura. She apologized for being late, and then asked me about my day. I felt she laughed a little too hard when I shared about my morning. “I’m sorry I missed it.” Yeah Laura, I’m sure you are.
Laura was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. She wasn’t tired. At least, she didn’t show it. She wasn’t even coughing that much. The person who walked thru my classroom door was excited, talkative, and happy.
Every day at school, we have what is called circle time. We talk about the weather, do the calendar, and sing songs with the kids. Today, Laura turned circle time into a big dance party. When Laura said she wanted to have fun this week… By golly, she meant it. They sang silly songs and danced until everyone was exhausted.
Yeah… That was Laura’s mood.
Our plan for the day was this…
Preschool. Meet Luisa for lunch. Then Laura would finish out her day helping Luisa in the daycare. And that’s pretty much what we did.
At lunch, we talked about her upcoming trip. We planned out times when Luisa and I would come to see her. Laura was just as talkative as she was before. We had our lunch, and we had a good time. That… I do remember.
Now…
Lunch is over and I’m getting ready to leave. These two need to go back to work. It is in this timeframe when Laura’s mood suddenly changed. I’m using the word, ‘mood’ but actually, it was something deeper. It was like something in her soul was taken away. I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Luisa saw it too.
Before I write anymore, I want to say this… Words are powerful.
During our visit, a friend of Laura’s stopped by to say hello. I will not be naming this person, because I do not believe they knew the impact of their words.
He asked how she was doing. He knew the journey she had been on. He kept his conversation short, with a few simple words. Before he left, he made a comment. It was that comment that changed Laura’s mood.
I’m going to say it again… Words are powerful.
Before I go any further, I want to share a conversation Luisa and I had. We had this conversation later that night…
‘Luisa, I’m a little worried about Laura. I know that comment that was made today, hit her hard. I know from our past conversations; she has not wanted to think about how much time she has left. She believes, she will hopefully be around for many, many, more years. I know that his comment probably scared her. Did you see her face?’
“Yeah, I could tell that her wheels were spinning.”
This person knew about cancer. It has touched his family as well. He knew about treatments, trials, and MD Anderson. These two have spoken about Laura’s journey in the past, so telling him about her next step, was something she felt completely comfortable with. She explained how she was ready to move forward, and how she felt MD Anderson was the place she needed to be. In Laura’s heart, she believed this place was going to fix her.
Luisa and I went from watching our friend having a positive attitude to watching the color slide from her face.
Their conversation…
Laura told him she would be leaving for Houston in a few days. She felt comfortable and assured this was the best place to be. If I remember right, she asked him what he thought.
I called Luisa while writing this. I wanted her take on that conversation as well. Neither one of us remember the exact wording of this statement, but we both agreed on what was said. She remembered the same thing that I did. And… The word that stood out the most.
This comment took us by surprise. I can only imagine how Laura felt.
And incase you are wondering what the word was. The word was… Accept.
When Laura discussed her plans to move forward, he replied with something like this…
At some point, you have to accept, that there may be nothing else anyone can do.
I’m going to say something here, only because I believe it. Please… Don’t ever let someone feel it’s time to give up hope.
Hope is needed. Hope is half the battle. Hope… Is also love.
My other story…
I shared this story at one of our cancer centers today. We were talking about how you can touch someone’s life and not even know it. The young man in this story touched mine.
As I sat back down at my computer, I knew this was the story I needed to tell. This story holds the feeling I was wanting you to feel. These are the words I’ve been searching for…
I met a young man a few years back while out seeking donations for our fundraiser. Let me explain to you how this day went…
Every year I visit our local restaurants to see if they would donate a gift card for our raffle. I walk inside and immediately ask for the manager. As I introduce myself, I hand them our flyer.
‘Our local dance studio is hosting a Zumbathon for us.’
I explain a little about our organization and how it all began.
‘It started off as a preschool kindness project.’
(To get you caught up to speed… We are still passing out our care packages.)
I tell them a little about Laura, and all the places we deliver to.
‘I would like to know if you could help us out with a donation for our raffle. All the proceeds go to purchasing more items for our bags.’
At this point, they usually ask me… What do you need?
‘A gift card would be wonderful.’
At one of these restaurants, I met a young man. I handed him our flyer and went right into my spiel. I didn’t get very far into my story when he spoke up and interrupted me.
“Where do you deliver to?”
‘We deliver to four cancer centers. Sarah Cannon over here at Centerpoint, KU in….’
Before I could get another word out, he interrupted me again…
“There’s a letter in the bag.”
I paused before I answered him…
‘Yes. We put it in a Jesus Calling book.’
This young man’s eyes started to tear up.
“My dad was losing hope. He got really ‘down’. It was that letter that made him hope again.”
I stared at him as he stared back at the paper. I honestly, didn’t know what to say.
“This is not my store. I’m from Overland Park. I’m only here to help train another manager. You started talking, and I’m like… You gave my dad a bag. I can’t believe I am standing here talking to the person who wrote the letter. You gave him so much hope.”
‘Your dad got one of our bags?? Wow. How is your dad doing?’
“He didn’t make it. He died.”
I put my hand over my heart… ‘I’m so sorry.’
“That letter made him hope again. Which gave my family more time with him. Thank you.”
Hope is needed. Hope is half the battle. Hope… Is also love.
Words are powerful…
“Hey Deb, I miss you! Our plane has been delayed. I might not be coming into work tomorrow. I already texted Kathy to let her know. If I don’t, could you bring my check home please?”
‘Stace!! I miss you too!! Sure, I can.’
“Thanks. I got you and the guys a present. I’ll stop by your house when I get home. Ohhh… I’m gonna come over. Lol.”
‘Come over to my house?? Nooooo!!! You know I don’t like company!! Haha. I’m just kidding! Hey Stace, just letting you know… Luisa is taking up a collection at work for hotel and gas expenses for Laura. She has a card upstairs in the baby room for everyone to sign. She’s already collected, $380.00. She is going to give it to her next week. If you want to be a part of it, let Luisa know.’
“Yes, I do! I’m going to call you in a little while.”
Thursday evening group text…
Laura… “Ok, I had a thought… Do you think some of my friends might think I’m in denial of my cancer?”
Deb… ‘No!’
Luisa… “No, not at all.”
Deb… ‘Do you want to know what I think? I think they don’t understand because things with you have changed. Your entire life you have been independent and strong. You’ve always been a person to take a lead role. I think it’s hard for people to see you this way. I mean, with cancer. I’m pretty sure I know what you are talking about, so let me explain it to you in a different way…
There’s a book about love language. It’s how we interpret love. Some people feel love by the words we say, some feel it by touch. Some need to be acknowledged by praise, and others want to simply be cared for. I believe your love language is to give. Example… You have always been a person to put out the time and effort in a conversation. You are always doing something for others. By giving, you feel love in return. Now… You got cancer. Your focus had to turn towards yourself. Meaning… I have to take care of me. I have to go to my doctor’s appointments, and I have to be sure to rest and eat. Cancer has become your top priority. The people I believe that you are talking about, are seeing you in a different way, not a bad way, just a different one. Maybe their love language is to receive. Maybe they feel love and friendship by what they receive from others. Not everyone is a giver. There are receivers in this world too. Your focus has changed because of cancer. And now, your cancer has changed. You are trying to live your life, as you say, to the fullest and not let that cancer define you. Maybe this is what others don’t understand.
I know this is all over the place, but I think you will get what I’m trying to say.’
Laura… “That makes sense. I understand that. Both of you know, I love you very much. This has to be the hardest part for me. Knowing my choices. Short or long. It sucks. But it is something I have to do. I am not giving up. Ever! I will fight. This project… Our care packages. It’s important to me. I want it to continue. Love you both. You have been there for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Love you.”
Luisa… “I love you too. Everything will be fine. Debbie, you are so good with words. It does make sense on what you said.”
Deb… ‘You better not give up! Do you remember our conversation the other night?? Any of us can spend our life worrying about dying. I’m sure we have all had that fear a time or two in our lives. We can worry, or we can enjoy it. I am learning to let worry go. I want to enjoy life and laugh more. You have a small charity growing, my friend. You need to see it for yourself. We have a TON of donations. You have a purpose. Don’t you? I’m glad we all have each other. Love you guys too.’
Laura… “I am not giving up. I just have to think about it sometimes. I have things I want to do. You understand that don’t you? I am living for each and every moment. Love you guys so much.”
Deb… ‘You mean… You want to ride the mechanical bull in Texas?? Okay then, we will do it! Go to bed, it’s late. Stacey’s flight got delayed, so she won’t be at work tomorrow. Phone is by my bed… I know you know that.’
Luisa… “Let’s get those things done, Laura. Let’s enjoy and make memories. You are an extraordinary person. I look up to you. The courage that you show, it’s amazing. It’s ok to be afraid. Know that God is right there holding you.”
Laura… “Ok, I have a list. I will need some help with it. I want to make a small bucket list. NOT riding a bull. Lol.”
Deb… ‘Ohhhhh if we are at a place, and they have a bull…’
Luisa… “Show us the list. It would be our pleasure to help.”
Laura… “I know God is with me. I believe He has this. I couldn’t do any of this without you. Goodnight.”
We met in the office Friday after school. Laura, Luisa, and I talked about Laura’s list. I really wasn’t expecting this to be today’s topic of conversation, but Laura brought it up as soon as Luisa walked in. Laura had her list of things she wanted to do, places she wanted to see, and things she wanted to accomplish. You know, if for some reason… Well…
Let me take a minute and tell you about our friend. Laura didn’t look sick. She wasn’t thin or feeble. She had a full head of hair and a little bit of weight. If you didn’t know better, you would think she looked quite healthy and good. You see… Cancer wasn’t showing up on the outside, cancer lived somewhere deep in the middle. She looked as healthy and strong as you or me. Her birthday is in a couple of weeks. When you are turning 54, you shouldn’t be making a list.
I remember when Luisa walked in. We looked at each other for a brief moment as she sat down across the table. I don’t know if either one of us knew what to say or exactly how to feel. Would this be eerie or uncomfortable? Would we even know how to respond? And what about Laura? Will she be nervous? Is she going to be scared to talk about this??
When she started talking, the uneasiness in the room, got up and walked right out the door. She wasn’t nervous at all. There was excitement in her voice.
“I have my list!” (Insert giggle.) “Don’t laugh. It’s not a lot.”
The room relaxed and we started joking with each other. I brought up the bull riding and we all had a good laugh. A few minutes later, Laura asked me to close the door.
“Okay, you two, hear me out…”
The first thing on her list was a Disney Cruise with her grandkids. Luisa spoke up and told us about having a timeshare. She wondered if there was a way to transfer it to a cruise. She told Laura; she would check into it once she got home.
Next… She would like to take a trip with her mom and sisters. She didn’t mention any specific place she would like to go, just some place where they could all be together.
The third thing she listed, was a beach trip with her girls. I think we all knew that one was coming. Everyone knows how much Laura loves the beach.
Is that it, Laura? “No. I have a couple more.”
She giggled when she told us about the next one and made us promise not to laugh.
“I want to go on a road trip. I want it to be just us girls.”
‘You want Luisa and I to go on a road trip with you? Where are we going to go?’
“I don’t care, anywhere. I just think it would be fun.”
Oh boy, Laura. Yeah, that would be interesting. I can’t picture the three of us on a road trip. These two, just might get me into trouble. You bet, I told them that!
Now the eerie quiet that I was worried about, was settling in the room. Laura took a few minutes to gather herself as she leaned back in her chair. Her voice softened and her eyes welled up with tears.
“I want to write letters to my girls. I want to write letters to my grandbabies. I just don’t know if I can bring myself to do it.”
You could have heard a pin drop in that room. That’s how quiet it was. In that moment, this list became real. Wow. That one hit hard. That one wasn’t fun. I don’t want to talk about this, anymore.
I did what I always do when things become too serious. I made a joke to lighten the mood.
‘Well, don’t expect me to write them! You’re doing this one all on your own. I’m not writing one damn thing for you. Not on a piece of paper and not on some stupid napkin.’
That’s all it took for the laughter to flow.
After we spent a few minutes reminiscing about all the times I had to write something for Laura, she went back to naming off her list…
The next thing she mentioned was the care packages. She wanted the care packages to continue. Ok Laura, we can do that. We’ll keep the care packages going. We talked for several minutes on how she wanted to help others who are going thru what she did. We ended that conversation with a promise. I promised to keep them going for as long as I could. That made Laura happy.
I thought this might be the end. After all, I knew how much these care packages meant to her. We have had so many conversations about finding our purpose, so I assumed this would be the last thing on her list. Little did I know, she wasn’t done talking..
The room became quiet again and the seriousness returned to her voice. I could tell by looking at her, she had something important she wanted to say. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it. I took a deep breath and dropped my head.
It’s funny how a memory can take you back. I remember this moment so clearly. I was sitting in the chair by the office door, across the way from Laura. I had my head down because I didn’t know what was next. I didn’t want to be having this conversation. I didn’t want to be talking about death. I didn’t want to be talking about anything before it, during it, or after it. I was afraid of what was coming next. Laura paused for a long moment and then scooted her chair up in front of mine. I could feel her presence looking at me, as I raised for a moment to look back.
“I want you to write the book. I want it to help others.”
I dropped my head back towards my lap, shaking it the entire time…
‘Oh Laura, don’t do this to me. I don’t know how to write a book.’
She leaned in a little closer. She got more serious in her voice. She touched my arm to stop me as I continued to shake my head. I raised it again to look at her. Her eyes staring at mine…
“You can do it. I know you can. If I can go through cancer and EVERYTHING I have been through… You can write the book. Please Deb, write the book.”
I know I had this confused look on my face. I remember staring back, not saying a word.
“Please. It’s going to help people. Promise me, Deb. Promise me, you’ll write the book.”
She waited for an answer. I knew she was serious.
I started to say, but… But ended with… Fine.
Sunday evening…
‘I got on the internet and looked up that bookstore where these ‘Jesus Calling’ books came from. We can buy a case for $182.00. That includes shipping. We would get 24 books for the price of Amazon’s 20. Another thing… In your letter, you wrote that you have marked a few pages. Do you want me to bring you these books so you can do that?’
“No, I can give you the dates. It is my birthday and my dad’s birthday. I went ahead and had Amanda order 20. We can use the rest of our money to purchase more if we need to.”
‘Ok. Check this out (I sent a picture). Our donations are outgrowing the box. I have a pile of Kleenexes growing halfway up the wall.’
“OMG. That’s a lot.”
‘I just counted our lotion. Right now, we have enough to make 50 bags. We have plenty of the other stuff so we could make more. We’re just going to need to buy some more lotion.’
“That’s good. How was your weekend?”
‘It was fine. Did laundry and cleaning. It went by fast. How about you?’
“Same. I had a good weekend with Rachel. We had fun playing with the kids. David and I just spent 2 hours trying to figure out the fastest way to Houston. He doesn’t want to drive thru Dallas. Guess which way we are going? We are taking route 1 off MapQuest through and by Dallas. OMG. Pray for me. Lol.”
‘That’s funny.’
“Are you sure you are okay with watching Simba? I appreciate it so much.”
“Sure. I’m going to let him hang out with Chase in the basement. Gunner doesn’t like cats. Shoot, this dog doesn’t like anyone. There is no way I will be putting them in the same room together. Chase is excited to have a roommate.’
15 minutes later…
“I sent you an updated version of our letter. Did you get it?”
‘Yeah, I got it. Sorry, I was cooking.’
“You are cooking?? Lol.”
‘Ha! Yes, I am cooking. With sides. Are you packed yet?’
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Nope!”
‘Do you think you will be staying?’
“I don’t know. What are you feeling?”
‘I am thinking you are going to stay and start up next week. I think they will have an opening for you.’
“I hope so. Can you go with me tomorrow to the doctor’s office to deliver the care packages? I want to introduce you to the nurses.”
‘Yeah, I can. Do you want to take some of these blankets that were donated? If so, we are going to need some bigger bags. We don’t have to. We can do it another day.’
“I have some big bags. I’ll bring them with me. Thank you for everything.”
After work, I met with Laura in the parking lot. We put our care packages together from the back seat of our cars. I re-sacked the items one by one, while Laura put the letters in our books. Once that was finished, I followed Laura to the cancer center. We parked our cars and carried in 6 large bags. Inside each bag, was a handmade blanket donated by the church youth group. What a wonderful surprise for those going thru cancer.
Laura introduced me to the receptionists, then took me to the back to meet the nurses. She let everyone know that I would be delivering our bags while she was in Houston. I recognized a few of the faces. I met them when I came with Laura for her treatments.
Laura made her rounds to hug each nurse before we left. They wished her well and wished her luck.
We’ll be praying for you, Laura. Tell Amanda, to keep us updated.
4 P.M…
“Are you home?”
‘Yeah, I’m home.’
“We’re ready. Can we come by?”
‘Are you coming by yourself or is David coming with you?’
“David is coming too. We are going out to dinner after we leave your house.”
‘Ok. I’ll have Clint clean up. He’s been out in the shop. Let me know when you are on my street, so I can put Gunner up.’
“Ok. We will be there soon.”
Laura, David, and the cat were on their way over. Chase and I will be watching Simba while they are in Houston. Depending on whether Laura is accepted or not, depends on who returns home. Either way, David should be home sometime towards the end of next week. We agreed to watch Simba as long as they needed.
The doorbell rang. They were at the door. David brought in all of Simba’s supplies. He spent the next few minutes telling Chase about Simba’s routine. I would guess they were here, maybe… Thirty minutes or more before they left for their dinner. We had a nice visit and assured Laura; Simba would be fine.
‘Hey Laura, are you packed yet?’
She giggled that laugh of hers, as she closed the car door…
“Nope. Not one thing.”
6:49 P.M…
“How’s Simba?”
‘He is good. He ate his dinner and now he is lying on the floor next to Chase. Looks like they are getting to know each other. Are you packed?’
“Clothes are on the bed. I’m glad Simba is doing ok.”
‘Are you missing him, already?’
“Yes. Lol.”
Tuesday, October 18th, 2016. 8:33 A.M…
“Good morning. How is Simba?”
‘He is doing okay. He was crying in the middle of the night. I could hear him around 3:30 this morning. I went downstairs to check on him. Chase said, he thinks he was looking for you. Yes, he still had food and water. I checked. He finally settled down and went to sleep. I haven’t heard anymore from him.’
“Thank you, so much. I appreciate it. Have a good day. I will be thinking of you.”
‘You guys be careful. Have a safe trip.’
1:40 P.M…
“Hi Deb. How are you?”
‘I’m ok. Where are you guys at?’
“We are in McAlester, Oklahoma. Is Simba being good?”
‘I haven’t been home yet. I can let you know later. Do you know where you will be staying tonight?’
“I don’t know yet. Are you sure you’re, okay?’
‘Yeah, I’m sure.’
“David is driving. We just stopped to eat. We have 80 miles till we reach Texas.”
‘That’s good.’
“Yep. Going the speed limit.”
‘Hahaha! Glad you are obeying the law. It wouldn’t be that way if you were driving. Huh?’
“Nope. Lol. What have you been doing?”
‘Went to Bass Pro.’
“Did you have a talk with your mom?”
‘Nope. No talking.’
“So, what then?”
‘Just walking around and looking at stuff. Yes, I did sit in the sun by the window, but only for a little bit.’
“I see. So why are you quiet?”
‘You are traveling!!’
“No, really?”
‘Ok, I might be a little quiet. Had a rough morning. I have one neighbor dealing with cancer and another neighbor just diagnosed with dementia. And last night, Brandi told me a story she heard from a teacher at work. A friend of hers (daughter), was just diagnosed with cancer. This young woman is a newlywed of one year, pregnant, and now found out she has breast cancer. Brandi said… They took the baby early, so they could start her on radiation. This young mom can’t even be around her newborn because of the radiation treatment they are giving her. It just breaks my heart. Add on… That story Nicole told us about yesterday. The 27-year-old with cancer… That really got to me.’
“I see. That is a lot. Sad to hear. I am sorry for these people facing this horrible disease. Thinking of you.”
‘Clint’s friend came over. He was telling us about another longtime buddy of theirs. This guy’s, wife, was just told she has pancreatic cancer. I guess she is not doing well. I fixed up a care package for Kenny to take to her. He is going to see this guy sometime this week.’
“That’s good. That’s what our bags are there for.”
Wednesday, October 19th. Text from Amanda…
“I am trying to be ok. It is just hard, the unknown. I feel like my family can pick up on my anxiety. I am worried about my mom.”
‘Caleb and Elizabeth are doing great. They are happy and having fun. Elizabeth just walked by my classroom. She was holding her buddy’s hand with a big grin on her face. It’s okay if they sense a little anxiety. It helps them learn about compassion. That is a part of family life. Don’t beat yourself up. Your mom is doing good. She is ready to get this going and taken care of. I believe this place is going to make her better.’
“Thanks. I am trying. I’m emotional and just don’t feel like myself. I am spending some ‘me time’ before I come pick up my kids. Getting my toes done. Thanks for talking to me. Hopefully, Friday will help me feel better.”
12:42 P.M…
‘Are you there yet?’
“We are here. Sorry. I haven’t texted anyone. My phone was hot because I was using it for directions. I had it sitting on the vent to try and cool off. We are at the hotel now.”
1:30 P.M…
“Hey Debbie, you forgot to pick up the donations from upstairs.”
‘Oh shoot, Luisa. I forgot to look after school. I checked this morning, and the box was empty. Do you need me to stop by this afternoon to pick them up? Is there a lot?’
“No. Just a little case of water and a small bag. It can wait until tomorrow. Have you heard from Laura? I sent her a text this morning, but she hasn’t replied.”
‘I didn’t hear from her either, not until just a little while ago. I told her I would send her a picture of the cat. I guess I need to do that.’
‘Here’s your picture, Laura. Simba is doing good. I took this picture of him sitting on Chase’s desk. I guess he likes to be close to Chase while he is working on his computer. Oh yeah, and there was no crying last night. So, don’t worry. Looks like they are becoming best buds.’
“That’s good. Makes me happy. Thank you.”
‘Is everything okay? Everyone is worried about you.’
“I am fine. It’s my phone. It’s not keeping a charge. Everyone was texting me when I only had 15% battery left. We needed the phone for directions. It’s been a long day, with a lot of coughing. Everything is good.”
‘See… You should have borrowed my GPS.’
“Lol. Maybe so.”
‘Luisa is worried about you. Hold on…’
Switched to group text…
Deb… ‘Luisa, Laura is talking now.’
Luisa… “Laura, how are you? We miss you. I miss seeing you in the building. Deb is a little lost without you. Lol. Right, Deb?”
Deb… ‘Yep, like losing my right arm.’
Laura… “I miss you both, too. I am a little tired. It’s been 2 long days, but I will make it. Deb don’t lose your arm. Lol.”
Luisa… “You will have your family there with you tomorrow. Try to get some rest. Love you.”
Deb… ‘Did anyone notice Luisa just called me, Deb?’
Laura… “Lol. I will get some rest. Love you too. Have a good night.”
Amanda…
“How is my mom doing? She hasn’t really responded when I asked her.”
‘She has been quiet with Luisa and I too. I asked her about it, just a little while ago. She just now answered. She is fine. Her phone was not keeping a charge. Everyone was texting her while she was using it for directions. The only thing she said was… It has been a long day.’
“Ok, thank you.”
‘Don’t worry. She is fine. She usually tells me if something is wrong. Have a safe flight and keep us updated on your mom.’