"Leap of Faith and into His Will" by Mary LaFrance

The heat and warmth of the summer days was what I loved most. Even though I was suppose to stay out of the sun, I’d been a lover of heat and the sunshine since I was a kid. I was playing golf every chance I could and doing many outdoor things. Visiting friends and doing whatever I could think of to occupy my time, because chemotherapy would start soon.

On July 23, 2005, I took a friend to the airport as she was headed out for some R and R and a lazy days vacation. She was a school teacher and deserved this time. I told her I would see her when she got home. The same day, I had a conversation with my friend Ann, who told me her elderly mom was in and out of conscientiousness. I could hear in her voice, that her heart was feeling a heaviness and sadness. I prayed with her over the phone and told her to let me know if she needed anything.

On July 25th, I spent the first half of the day working on things for the junior high students doing the Bridges Program for summer school. Lots of activities were being planned for them, so it was good to get the planning done now. After work, I drove to the facility where my friend Ann’s mom had been living. Arriving at 12:15 p.m., and being met by Ann who was weary and sad. Ann and I began singing old hymns to her mom Betty, and continued for 2 hours, as we knelt at her bedside. Around 3:00 p.m., I asked Ann if she’d like to go outside and take a break on the deck. She asked me if I thought her mom was waiting for her to leave the room before she passed away. I said, “If I were a betting woman, I believe that Betty is waiting exactly for that to happen.” Ann’s husband Mike came around 4:00 p.m. to bring Ann something to eat because she hadn’t eaten all day. As we sat on the deck in the warmth of the sun and Son, the owner of the facility came out to let Ann know that her mom had peacefully went home to be with Jesus. Ann cried, but not in sadness so much, but in relief that her mom no longer had to suffer.

The next day, I went to Ann’s house to help her plan the music for her mom’s memorial service, which would be held on July 28th at her church. I sang, “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban. Ann and I sang two songs as a duet, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “How Great Thou Art”, two of her mom’s favorite hymns.

On July 27th, I had to go to the Interstate Avenue oncology clinic for a head to toe PET Scan and CT scan. It would take about 4 hours and they told me I could bring my portable Walkman to listen to during the PET scan because the test was so long. I arrived and the technician injected my arm with radioactive isotopes that would scatter and define on the imaging any cancer cells in my body. An hour later, they were ready to do my PET scan. I had to lay flat on my back with a wedge under my knees to relieve any pressure on my lower back. The technician was in another room with a speaker that I could hear him talk to me. He said for me to start my Walkman to listen to my music, but I would need to lay perfectly still during the slow moving scan. So it began. Within a minute, his voice came on and said, “Um, excuse me, but I have to tell you that you are tapping your toes to you music. You have to keep your whole body still. Let’s try it again. Well, after the 2nd time of me not being able to keep still as I listened to my favorite songs, I suggested that the Walkman be removed and I would just lay there like a zombie…LOL. If you have never had a PET scan or MRI, you won’t understand the concentration it takes to lay still, but if you have, you know what I mean. In order to concentrate on being still, I began singing all of the Christmas carols that we sing in our quartet at the Portland Grotto during the Festival of Lights, which runs from the day after Thanksgiving until December 30th each year. By doing this mind exercise, I was able to succeed and the technician was happy and relieved. The CT scan was a piece of cake compared to the PET scan! When everything was done and over, the technician told me all results would be sent to my chemotherapy oncologist and he would go over the results with me soon.

The morning of July 28th, I took Leon to the airport at 5:00 a.m. for his flight to Canada for his family reunion. Over 100+ relatives were going for the 100th anniversary of the family homestead before it would be sold later on that year. I chose to stay behind, not wanting to risk catching something on the airplane or at the reunion. I came back home and packed up the truck to later head to Fort Stevens, along the Oregon Coast, to go camping with my favorite cousin and her family for 4 days. At 2:00 p.m., I headed to Harvest Community Church, for Betty Cronrath’s funeral, where Ann and I sang to honor her mother. I left for my family fun time and camping around 3:45 p.m. and arrived at the campground at 5:45 p.m., greeted by cousins and loads of fun to begin the next 4 days!

The weather at the coast was perfect as we flew kites, took walks, rode bicycles, and of course made smores. My appetite wasn’t so good these days, but camping made food taste better. Cousin Virginia and I had many great talks, and most of them centered around Jesus and all that we are blessed with in our lives. Sleeping in my tent and hearing the ocean was a great way to sleep. Rest and relaxation was good medicine before my life would take on the treatment plan.

I got home from camping on July 31, in time to mow the yard (3 acres) and get the truck unpacked, house cleaned, etc., before Leon came home the next day. I picked Leon up around 2:00 p.m on August 1st, and he had tons of stories to me, along with pictures of the homestead and family. He got to bring home the weather vane that his grandpa had made to go on the roof of the big barn. It pleased him so much to be given this heirloom.

I made my brother David some things to eat that we had growing up. Our mom’s homemade potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, meatloaf, and cinnamon rolls. He was a very happy man as I unloaded the box and set it on his counter. He reminded me to let him know if I need anything. He was trying hard to not sound worried, but I knew he was anyway. I told him I would update him often, but I needed to get home, because tomorrow was my last visit with Dr. Brouns before I started chemotherapy on August 12th. I still have many things to do before life gets a little more hectic.