Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2008. At that point Mattie just had his first limb salvaging surgery and was recovering. His arm was bandaged and in a sling, but the left arm was fully functional. Mainly because the left arm hadn't been operated on yet. This photo always gets me to laugh. The lady by the door was Anna, Mattie's physical therapist. Mattie, I believe, really pushed Anna to grow as a physical therapist. Anna became a trusted member of our team and she always looked out for Mattie's best interest and found creative ways to inspire Mattie to use his limbs and keep them active. As you can see, Anna wanted Mattie to lift his left arm and maintain its strength. Certainly he could have achieved this through exercises, but she knew he wouldn't do them. But he would play! Therefore, she brought in a water gun and animals in front of him that squirted out water. Anna was the target and Mattie had a great time that day trying to get her all wet.
Quote of the day: I think the best friendships are those that can stand the test of time, where the friendship is based more on who you are than on what you do or what you have. ~ Steve Pavlina
Though the Foundation had one activity after another this week, I had the good fortune to be able to connect with two friends who live out of state. The irony is I met both of these ladies through the same professional association, an association in which I was a board member.
On Thursday evening, I met with my friend Beth, who now lives in South Carolina. The last time we saw each other was at Mattie's funeral. So it was a very special reconnection and the hours we spent together just flew by. Beth and I have a mutual respect for each other and when Mattie was first diagnosed with cancer, I took him over to Beth's home in Alexandria, VA. Beth is a cancer survivor and the visit was to show Mattie that Beth survived and therefore with treatment, he could too. Mattie met Beth's cat, she gave him some meaningful gifts, and it was a special outing for us during a very stressful, anxiety provoking, and uncertain time. You don't forget these acts of kindness. They remain with me, so much so that Beth and I reflected on that visit, now five years later!!!!
I love tonight's quote, because my friendships with Nancy and Beth are definitely based on "who we are," and not what we do or have! Being appreciated for who one is, is vital, especially since I am a person who is defined by cancer and the loss of a son. There are so many slogans out there of what cancer can't do to a person. It can't do this and that to one's character, personality, etc! I get all of that in theory, but for most of us cancer does define us and most likely will to some extent all of our lives. I think what my friends appreciate about me is that I am straight shooter, I have opinions, you know where I stand, and I tend to be a person who stands by these convictions. Any case, in the midst of whirlwind of a week, that has left me exhausted, I find reconnecting with friends energizing. Friends have a way of reminding us who we are at the core, and frankly regardless of who you are, I believe..... we all need to feel a part of something and appreciated.
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