It has been such a roller-coaster of emotions these last few weeks,
From coming to grips with Mrs. Geri going into hospice,
her passing, her funeral and during all of this, I receive a text
from a dear childhood friend, my first friend who was not family,
"...Please pray as I begin my battle with the Big C"
... and I cry, Every where we turn these days, Cancer is there.
With her permission, I will try and make some type of
honor to this blog.
Like I, Roxanne Doucet Bruce, Known as Rockie as a child
(blue shirt in front)
was the baby of a large family. A wonderfully large family.
She and I became friends when my parents finally got over
the fear of my own battle with Cancer and actually let
me branch a little out of their site.
This travel took me to the very back of Dursette Street
where I met a distant cousin but really, my first real friend
who was not living in my home.
Oh and were we friends!
Every day after school, we were at each others home.
They had an awesome playroom and our parents started
saving empty food boxes and we made a grocery store,
yes, I do believe we had more empty food boxes on our
shelves than Walmart during a hurricane watch!
We had talks, we rode bikes, we played in the woods,
we sang jingles to the new tv shows we
were privileged to watch as our families had tv's when
color tubes were obsolete.
On sleepovers, we watched SNL, I still think of those nights
when I watch SNL these days.
When one of her brothers, Kim, died in a car accident,
I remember myself and sister C going there to give
some type of comfort to a mourning family.
It was the first time I saw a Mother grieve the loss of a child.
Even at that young age, watching her Mother's pain,
I realized Parents are not meant to bury their children.
As we got into high school, being a year apart,
we drifted a bit, having different friends,
I moved away for nursing school, she stayed and
married one of my "party" buddies from high school,
Nathan to most, Nombre' to his friends.
Then our babies came, MY gypsy baby and her E
were friends and another generation continued.
I moved all over, she stayed grounded, having bought her
childhood home. When I got her Private message of
the battle she was about to fight,
I sent her words of encouragement, we spoke about beginning
a journal and maybe even a blog about her journey
and I am honored that she has asked me to help her with these things.
There is never a good time to fight like a girl....
She and her hubby were training to begin long distance trucking
as a team now that her two boys are grown.
Bad timing but that damn Cancer,
it takes nothing into account.
So I sit here to let my dear friend know,
Rockie:
I love you, I love you for the childhood you were part of,
never treating me like a sick child, always as a friend.
I love you for the kind hearted wife you are
and how you raised your boys with such love
that they were and still are your heart.
I love how although years may go by before we talk,
we know we can reach out to each other in good and bad
times for the things we need.
I promise to do as much as I can to help you through this journey.
I have no doubt that with your spirit and family support
you shall win this war.
Be kind to yourself, you don't have to be a savior,
its ok to take a day off and do nothing.
Pamper yourself, take long baths but most of all
as another young friend of mine who has passed was
famous for saying,
"CHIN UP, CHEST OUT"
with the sweet gentle soul you are, Cancer will never win.
With the family and friends you have, Cancer will be run off.
Keep your spirits up and if you need a day of laughter,
call and I can be there in a few hours.
To all those reading, Roxanne believes in prayers in
numbers so please, please pray for my dear friend.
Love you, my first friend!
(She the littlest one, others are her siblings)
Roxanne and my high school party friend, Nombre' (Nathan)
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