Feeling blessed and embraced by all of the support

Friday Sept 1 was my original surgery date.  But due to my transfer to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) for treatment and surgery, I instead arrived on E 72nd St for a CT Scan.  While I was laying down on the table the technician informed me that this scan was of my lungs.  I was startled, confused and nervous.  Did they think the demon had spread to my lungs?  Is this how they tell you?  So I took a few deep breaths, started by Rosary and relaxed.  Within 5 minutes I was done and another few minutes out it in the beautiful day.  I called Tom and asked him what he knew about this scan on my lungs - he responded that Dr. Jarnigan had explained that since the original scan revealed a nodule on one of my lungs he wanted to rule out spread.  This is proof that you must bring someone with you as a second set of ears = you will not remember everything the medical staff says!

I decided to walk down to 33rd St to pick up the PATH back to Hoboken and then the train home.  Its 3 trains to MSKCC.  And its less than 20 miles away.  But for NJ/NY it can be hours of traffic without mass transit.  The day was just perfect, I walked under the Queensborough Bridge - a lovely structure and wondered which immigrants built that marvel.  I recalled Tom admonishing me for wanting to walk so far - its a few miles at most - and just then it struck me that my mother, aunts and Grandmother had walked these streets for miles, many times.  It filled me with strength to know that I was able to do the same thing.

A few blocks more and I noticed a young red haired woman jogging toward me who looked familiar.  Sm Lillo, one of Julia's high school gang of girls. She yelled my name and began hugging me (sweaty too).  She expressed how happy she was to see me and was similarly startled that I don't look like I have cancer - I don't feel like I have cancer either.  Sam told me how much the girls plan on helping Julia and supporting her.  It was very heartwarming as I have known these girls since they were 12 and they have grown into wonderful, accomplished young women.

As I zig zagged my way to Herald Square, I looked to my left along Park Avenue and about 38th St. and there was a beautiful church.  So, in I went and they were having noon mass = perfect.  This church was out of something in Europe - the Stations of the Cross were Renaissance quality oil paintings, the ceiling was beveled and so much gold gilt and the alter over the table seemed to be made of Mother of Pearl.  I thought to myself "well we are on Park Avenue"  then I thought "there are rich Catholics?"  All the Catholics I know come from working class immigrants - how did these folks get rich?  Either way it was a lovely mass, I lit a candle and prayed for strength, and the expertise of my medical team.  While I was there though, I felt so embraced by all of the people who have reached out to lend support through, thoughts/vibes and prayers.  I just felt it working. 

Out on the street I realized I was hungry and was a bit overwhelmed by trying to find a place to eat when I saw and Irish flag = bingo, food.  As I walked down this side street I realized it was filled with restaurants, I began to look at menus and found a Moroccan place named Arabesque.  This became, nearly, the best part of the day.  I sat in the front at a white marble bar - it was bright and sunny.  The bartender poured me a glass of water and recommended a delicious and simple dish, kale, mushrooms over risotto.  I chose a glass of Sancer

re.  This perfectly attired woman who was in her 80's began to strike up a conversation.  Her birthday is September 9 and she will be 87.  She was born in Paris and when the Nazis occupied they forced her to wear a yellow star.  Her parents were able to get her out of Paris and to Normandy (now my interest was piqued!).  She stayed with 'an aunt' but you could not miss the respect with which she said the following, "I was young, scared, relatively alone and then the Americans came".  She became so excited.  "My parents thought they were sending me to the quiet countryside, they had no idea how loud it would be when the Americans arrived".  She explained that she met a young GI who had forged his age to enter the war, he was 16 and was from NYC.  After the war they kept in touch but she was dating a boy who she stated came from some wealth but he didn't seem to want to work and he didn't read.  That was enough for her father to send her to relatives in Passaic NJ.  She contacted the American GI, they married and he passed away a few years ago.  She lives on Park Avenue in assisted living and has lunch every day at this café.  She looked at me and said - 'you are not well'.  I responded, 'you are correct, I have cancer."  She told me I would be fine, people have survived worse but be sure to take care of your skin as it is the most important part of your body.  What and inspiration!

Walking home from the train through Taylor Park (one of my favorite places) the sky was painted with clouds that swept across it as though done by an artist.  I received a phone call from the Doctor's office informing me that my CT scan was negative for spread to my lungs.  I was overjoyed but not really surprised as it followed the them for the day.  Tom and I had a lovely night on our patio, dinner, a fire and dancing.  It was a blessed day.