THE GROUP

Around the table starting from left. Me, Demaris, Jeanne, Iva, Daisy, Jewels, Icie and Arliss.

Yesterday my cancer support group met for our monthly luncheon. We picked Jo Jo's restaurant on the White River. No, NOT the one where I got sick thank goodness. Does that narrow down which one to avoid Betty? Hope that helps.

Anyway, we like this restaurant because of the view and because they give us our own private room so we can be totally rowdy and not offend the rest of the patrons. We are unabashedly noisy and laugh almost constantly. Jo Jo's puts up with us so it is a favorite place to meet.

One of our members, Jeanne, was giving an account of how the Angel Flight organization helped her to fly to the Cancer Treatment Center of Tulsa which is a fabulous hospital. Angel Flight is a wonderful group of volunteer pilots who fly people free of charge to distant hospitals for medical treatment. Jeanne who has been fighting brain cancer, was stumbling a bit as she searched for words to describe the service. She grinned and said that sometimes she forgot stuff and for us to be patient.

Demarius kiddingly poked Jeanne's arm and asked"What did you say your name was?"

Jeanne's instant response was, "How soon do you need to know?" to which we dissolved in laughter.

You see, that is what we do most-- laugh-- at ourselves and with each other. This group is wonderful medicine. Each and every one is a priceless gift. I love them all.

Monday I won't be posting or checking your blogs for three of us are going to Conway(which is a couple of hours away) We will be leaving first thing in the morning to visit one of our members, Melinda who is in the hospital there. She is also fighting brain cancer and is really struggling now. She had multiple mini strokes and is in a ton of pain.

A week ago she was barely able to attend her daughters wedding but she fought hard and was able to walk her daughter down the aisle. This is one brave girl who still has a teenage son at home. Her husband left her because "he got tired of all this cancer stuff." Such a sweet heart he turned out to be. Guess he skipped over the part of the vows mentioning "sickness and health." To show Melinda's amazing nature, she has f0rgiven her ex.

Those of you who pray, please put Melinda in your prayers. She is in mine. See ya Tuesday.