A beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Spring has sprung here in lower, slower Delaware. It is absolutely beautiful today. Perhaps a saunter down to the mailbox and back would be appropriate this afternoon.

 So, after much cajoling, my computer finally allowed me to download these pictures of Ken from his chemotherapy appointment yesterday. For those of you keeping track, this was chemo treatment # 5 and radiation treatment #18. (We finished #19 this morning.)

Would you tell me how anyone could possibly look this adorable while I.V.'s full of ooky stuff drip into their veins?
Pretty amazing. Maybe it's because he got to choose a window seat with a lovely view of a garden...

We will leave you with a little story that we hope makes you feel some joy, if for no other reason than it's so nice when a plan comes together. A couple days ago we were fortunate enough to be on hand for the final cancer treatment for a lovely lady we shall call Mrs. M. She had been undergoing both chemo and radiation for an inhumane length of time in hopes of eradicating her late stage breast cancer. Not only did she have to deal with the effects of her treatments, but had to make not one, but two trips back and forth from quite a distance away, five days a week. Add to this the fact that she had to drive herself as she had no one to help her. Well, over time spent together these last few weeks, we got to know Mrs. M pretty well. The one food she had been able to still enjoy was CHOCOLATE! This is also my favorite thing, so I tried to bring her little treats every so often. She was always most appreciative. As her final day of treatment approached, we tried to think of something to give her that she might enjoy. It needed to be something unique, because we wanted to surprise her if we could. During one of our many trips to the pharmacy, we noticed that they were selling all of their remaining Valentine's Day candies to make room for the onslaught of Easter's goodies. (So silly really, as they are the same things but with different wrappers.) Anyway, I saw a Hershey's chocolate apple wrapped in golden foil. I picked it up in hopes that the appropriate gifting opportunity would arise, not originally even considering Mrs. M. Finally, the night before the FINAL TREATMENT, we were packing up our usual bags for the trip to Ken's treatments. It hit me...the apple was for Mrs. M. 

The next morning, I placed the gift bag with the chocolate apple and a card on the chair that Mrs. M would occupy when she arrived to the cancer center waiting area. Ken had gone in for his radiation when she arrived. She was so tickled to see the gift bag, and said, "You shouldn't have done anything for me. Shall I open it?" I nodded and watched her face. First, she was surprised. Then she looked very puzzled. "I know you know I love chocolate, but why an apple? I'm not a teacher." I jumped up and said, "Because an apple a day keeps the doctor away!!!!" Her smile absolutely lit up the room for a split second. Then, her eyes misted up and she gave me a huge hug. When Ken came out from the "magic door", she hugged him as well. It was a moment I will long remember. This is what's important now.

Hope your day is sunny,

Paula