Celebration Day!

Today’s the day… my final radiation treatment… my final cancer treatment! I woke up happy that Ric was going with me this morning. The poor guy’s had a lot to deal with this year. I’ve been scared and sick and not always pleasant to be around! He’s been by my side from the beginning… right there holding me when I told him about the call telling me I needed to go back for another mammogram… when I had that first sick feeling that something could be very wrong. I liked knowing that we would share this day. We had weathered this storm together from the very beginning and we would see the rainbow together today!

Lisha was my radiation therapist for my first treatment and she was there today for my last. She, and all the others have been so sweet and kind. The radiation treatments were much quicker than chemo and the therapists couldn’t stay in the room during treatment, so we didn’t get to know each other as well as the nurses during chemo… but I still appreciate their caring and comfort and friendliness. Their attitudes once again made a scary situation easier! I’ll remember them fondly… always.

Ric went with me this morning to radiation, and after the treatment he suggested we go to IHOP for breakfast. On the way down to Kanawha City, I almost called him on the cell phone (we were in separate cars) to suggest Bob Evans instead, then decided IHOP was fine. When we arrived at the restaurant, the hostess met us as the door, and Ric quickly said we’ll go over there, nodding to the left. I looked and saw balloons and wondered why he wanted to go to where a kids birthday party was going on. (I didn’t even stop to think that it was weird to have a child’s birthday party at 7:30 AM on a weekday.) When we walked around the corner I saw my daughter’s face… the my step-son, then my son-in-law, then my son, then all the grandchildren… all my family early in the morning, who lived in Parkersburg, who were at work or in school… was I seeing things? Oh my! My FAMILY! They’re ALL here!

There were all kinds of balloons and flowers and cards… and my FAMILY! They came all the way down, left at 5:00 AM, will be late for work and school… just to celebrate this day with me! I cried… of course… but tears of joy! I was so happy… and had never been more surprised in my entire life! We just had a wonderful morning… eating breakfast together, laughing, and celebrating!!! It was the best gift ever… to have my husband and children and grandchildren surrounding me with their love. I’ll always remember this beautiful morning!

Jill said they wanted to do something really special for me… something I would never expect. It was special… I was completely surprised… and will never forget this wonderful day.

The celebrating went on all day… I received a dozen pink roses (my favorite) from Susi and Skip, lots of well-wishes and congratulations from our V100 listeners – some even holding simultaneous celebrations, and a gorgeous hand-made pink and cream quilt made by the Winfield Quilt Guild!

After my air shift the surprises continued. My co-workers had a Cheesecake Party to celebrate the end of treatments. The people I work with have shown their support all throughout this unusual year. They’ve taken care of me during difficult days, helped me, prayed for me, cried with me, laughed with me, and celebrated! Work is a place where we spend a lot of our time. Work gave me a reason to get out of bed in the mornings, when it would have been easy to stay in bed and wallow in the suffering. And when I did come to work, I had warm, friendly faces to greet me… people who became my family during this time.

The day ended with Ric taking me to Sitar… our favorite restaurant… and we celebrated the end of the treatments, and talked and laughed about this wondrous day filled with love and celebration.

Ric is the best secret keeper ever!

Jeanne K. Cochran

10/6/06