We seem to understand more

Cancer patients seem to understand more...I have had 2 friends diagnosed with cancer and in the past 2 months one began her chemo for her stomach cancer and the other one lived only 21 days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer...I immediately reached out. Sweet Carla, my childhood friend. Only God knew to have me out of the blue call her...and upon asking how are you she takes that deep breath and says "well I have stomach cancer"...I went into the mode. I understood what was up ahead for her,started telling her some good items to have around, and offered to sit with her during chemo infusion. She drives to Walnut Creek Kaiser from her home in St Helena! Her husband can only take so much and I knew...so I releived him one day and there I sat, watching the nurses chatting near her discussing what drugs she already had pumped into her body and which ones were waiting their turn...watching Carla be forgetful mid sentence-that's called chemo brain..I know that one all too well...and when she got up to go to the bathroom and rolled all her meds in their bags hung over the walker-I remembered it all again..The picture planted in my mind, was her turning around and looking at me as I was leaving and say so sincerely "thank you for coming to visit today". It just hit me. Stupid, nasty, awful cancer. And then there is Jeri. An incredibly bright ray of sunshine. Never married, was a Principal to Adam all during his elementary school years. I can still see her riding the donkeys in the gym for donkey basketball, and just laughing hysterically.The kids were her kids. They pulled the usual corporate bullcrap and demoted her to Kindergarten teaching. I visited her in her classroom, and saw how tired she was with the adjustment..but I related because of all my insane radio firings. I know what it feels like to be blindsided...and then received the school email saying they were making her Director of the Pre School. I emailed her as soon as I saw it and referred to her as "Girlfriend you so deserve this"...It was perfect, she now could be with the kids and back to administrative. She loved my note...but then May 8th the blanket email with her pancreatic cancer diagnosis. I was sickenend and so very sad. The Caring Bridge site was developed for her and I began witing her.A Godly woman with prayers all the time sent to her-but I somehow felt these people just didn't understand what was going on in her mind...and i addressed it in the lightest way writing all the time. But to hear she lost the battle in only 21 days I was shocked and so saddened. Numb by the news of cancer killing another person. It just is mind boggling. So Monday is jeris Memorial Service at the school and I will contact Carla to sit with her again, and I close with the disbelief that this disease has taken another one of my friends....somehow I can understand them so well.