Gals Walking, Surviving Alone and Preserving History

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   \Instead of my normal Friday post, I waited until today so I could include a picture of "The Boob Crew" as they prepared to depart at 0500 this morning for their marathon and a half, two day walk to fight cancer.

Samantha and Audrey, my daughters, on on the left, while Linnea - a breast cancer patient - is in the center, with two additional friends.  Except for Linnea, who will likely make portions of the trek but not all, these women have been preparing for months.

Any cure for breast cancer would be a huge breakthrough in the fight against all cancers, mine included.  Thanks to all of you who have supported this worthy cause.

Samantha called me as they crossed Memorial Bridge, reminding me that I too had walked across Memorial Bridge as part of JFK's funeral procession on 25 November 1963.  Large lump in my throat during that conversation had nothing to do with cancer.

This past week has been a busy one for me, since the Queen Vee took a well-deserved break from her job as head nurse and flew to Denver to get her first chance to hold our 8th grandchild, Tessa Grace Carlson as well as  to visit with Whitney and Olivia and help Matt and Mindy with "projects."

I learned to feed myself without using Mr. PEG as well as how to do the twice daily PICC Line cleaning with just two hands.  The only part of my care that required help from the family was wrapping my PICC Line arm in plastic bags before I bathed.  I told Travis, who helped me this AM, that the plastic bags were the most useful part of the Washington Post... The rest is ultra-liberal opinions thinly disguised as news stories.

It will be good to have the Queen return on Tuesday night, since 0830 Wednesday, 7 May is the PET/CT scan to determine whether the 35  days of radiation and the 12 days of chemo has left me cancer-free.  We should have an answer by Friday, 9 May.  An extra prayer on my behalf would be most welcome as I lie under the beams of the two scans.

Finally, I wanted to share with you a project that has dragged on for far too long but is now complete. I had all the patches and crests of every unit I served in from 1962 to 1992 mounted in . sequence from left to right, top to bottom.  This, along with the framed sets of my medals and my Father's medals, now make one piece of framed military memorabilia each for Chris, Samantha and Matt when I am gone.  Who gets what will be up to the three of them to work out.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support. I need and can feel all of them.  As my sister-in-law, Linda, said "The first hundred years are the hardest..." Amen!

I'll see you on the high ground!