Scribblings

Christmas Cards & Cancer

I've never been really good at Christmas cards. I have good intentions every year that I will get them addressed and signed early. I don't like to send out a card with just our names. I usually like to write something, even if it's just "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year". That's why I tend to procrastinate. I tell myself I don't want to do a rush job. I'll wait for a day when I have plenty of time to write what I want. Of course, that day doesn't come. Even when I panic and start on the cards on the 20th, I don't have enough time.

Maybe I also procrastinate because I've not been fond of sitting at the table for several hours, writing. I mean, I can't exactly type out a 'form' note for friends and family. That's really ... well, lazy I guess. It's impersonal. It's annoying. It's ... one of those obnoxious newsletter thingys that I hate!

This year was no different. I started out with every intention of doing the Christmas cards over the Thanksgiving weekend. Hah. When the weekend slipped by, I thought oh well, there's still plenty of time.

This morning TB suggested we do the Christmas cards together, get them done so we could put them in the mail. It was a whole lot less stressful having TB sitting next to me. I guess another reason I procrastinated is that it's just no fun doing this by myself. I'd been doing Christmas cards on my own for about 15 years now. Boring. But this year it wasn't boring although my hand did hurt by the time I was done.

I get frustrated when that happens. There is a lot I'd like to say in a note but I keep it shorter than I normally might because of the injuries in my wrists and fingers.

Anyway, by lunch time all the cards were signed, addressed and stamped. We took them to the post office and hopefully they'll get where they need to before Christmas.

Just before we went to the post office, my friend Elfie called from Austria. I hadn't heard from her in such a long time! She tried to call a couple of times but I wasn't home. So this time, I got her phone number so that I can call her back. The first round of chemo didn't work very well and the cancer has spread to her liver. She had some more surgery and will be having chemo again next week. It's scary!

Elfie sounds okay on the phone but I worry. She says she is sure the chemo will work this time around ... it has to because she wants to come and visit next fall. Cancer is a nasty disease and hers seems to be virulent. She was okay in the spring and planned to come visit me in June.

The week she was supposed to fly to the States, apparently the cancer was detected. She had to have emergency surgery and then more surgery and then chemo and then more surgery. It's blowing my mind.

Elfie has had a colonoscopy and it's bothering her a lot. She doesn't like it, it's painful and she feels very self-conscious about it. TB said that people who love her won't care and she said she knew that but still felt she'd be "imposing" because of the stoma and the bag. She had colon cancer and so there is an opening in her side and a bag to catch the waste. I understand how she feels. I'd feel the same way!

We're praying for her, have been ever since the first surgery.

I hate cancer! It's a nasty, vicious disease!

Rich's Aunt Terri has had cancer for a long time now. She's been having chemo for years and is still here, fighting bravely. I guess her form of cancer is less aggressive somehow? It's troubling her more this year than it has been in recent years. There was a time when she'd completed chemo and was okay. In the last couple of years, though, it seems she's on chemo all the time. Just before Thanksgiving, she had to go into the hospital because there was about 2 qts of fluid around her lungs that needed to be drained.

My two favorite uncles died from cancer. My aunt has had it and had a lump removed from her breast. A cousin died of breast cancer when she was in her early 40s. My dad had a bout with it. If there was a way to die that scares me, it's cancer.

Thursday we have one week left to Christmas. You know, that is scary too! I'm not done with my shopping and the stores are off the wall! Next year, I am definitely starting earlier!