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

January started off with a quiet New Year’s Day. A little snow, football games to watch, household chores to complete, and homemade chili and cornbread prepared for dinner. We were waiting for the developer who wanted to purchase our home and property to get back to us, and complete the sale. It was a very long, drawn out process, and after many months of hype, the whole deal fell through. So, life went on and it was time to get back to work after Christmas Break.

January 21, 2007, my phone rang in the late morning. It was my brother David calling to let me know that our niece Judy had passed away from a massive heart attack earlier that day. Judy was only 2 years older than I, so at 49 years old, her life had ended abruptly. Judy was an extroverted spitfire, and her life was lived to the fullest, kind of wild at times, hard working other times, but always busy with not much down time. I had been estranged from her mom, who was my oldest sister. I prayed and asked God for the wisdom and a way to see her if it was His will. I drove to my sister’s house only to find there was a train that had stopped on the tracks and blocked her driveway. I tried 2 days later, and I found the railroad tracks were clear and I could go across to get to her house. I sat in her driveway for 15 minutes, trying to compose myself and my thoughts. Was I going to be welcomed in or shown the door to leave before I got to far? My great-niece Annie (Judy’s daughter) was coming out the door as I was going in. She grabbed me, thanked me for coming through her tears, and told me to please go she her grandma who was sitting at the small corner table in the kitchen. I quickly prayed for strength and words and went to the table. My sister Shirley looked up, actually smiled, and asked me to sit down with her and her other daughter Robbie. We chatted of course about Judy, went through pictures and I excused myself after an hour to go back home. Shirley told me to come back anytime and thanked me for coming. I spoke at Judy’s memorial service a week later, and looked at my broken sister reminding her that I never stopped caring and loving her and her family, and Jesus loved them too.

Vacations were abundant for me in 2007. In March, Leon and I took Aliceson to Vegas for her 21st birthday. A cousin had season tickets for the NASCAR races there, but couldn’t go. Mike graciously gave us his 3 tickets for the 3 days of racing and told Aliceson to have a blast! It was a great time, and I rented a sporty convertible to surprise her with. We saw Celine Dion at Caesar’s Palace, shopped and the weather was fabulous. Over Spring Break in April, Leon and I went to Tucson, AZ with our friends Ann and Mike, on a golfing vacation. One of the highlights was our round trip drive from Tucson to the Grand Canyon, all in one day. We got back around 11:30 p.m., the guys were exhausted and sat down to watch ESPN, while Ann and I went to the hot tub, to laugh some more about our day and enjoy a glass of wine. In August 2007, Leon told me to plan a trip to celebrate being done with chemotherapy. He told me to go use our timeshare in Maui for 2 weeks! I was hesitant at first, but he insisted. My trip almost got cancelled because 4 days prior to my leaving, Leon landed in ICU with a blood sugar count of 595! His doctor told him that his kidneys were shutting down, and he was about an hour away from being in a coma. His doctor told me in the hospital hallway, “Do not cancel your trip. This is on Leon not you, and he needs to own up to it and change things on his own. If you stay home, you enable him to lean on you more than he should.” I knew I would be in constant concern the whole time I was gone, but the doctor was right. Ann, Lisa and I left on August 2nd and came home on the 14th. Lisa could only stay 1 week, and after she left, Ann and I golf 3 different courses. I of course wanted Leon to enjoy a special trip too, so I bought him tickets for 3 days of MLB to watch the NY Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox. He had always vowed to see Yankee Stadium before they tore it down, which would happen in 2008. He was stunned and excited all at the same time when I presented him with the tickets, airfare and hotel package. In October 2007, I went to Las Vegas for 4 days on a girl’s trip to see Celine Dion. That’s right…I saw Celine twice in the same year! All of these trips have had their fun and lasting memories, and it’s good now since my husband doesn’t travel anymore.

In September 2007, I went in for a visit with my oncologist. He order a CT scan and a PET scan because I had a lingering cough that made me feel like I would cough up a lung. The results showed several nodules and little dots all over both lungs. He said it could be scar tissue from all the chemotherapy or possible “Mets” which refers to the cancer returning. I would be monitored closely the rest of the year.

The 2nd “Sing for the Cure” benefit concert took place in October 2007. It was another successful event, a lot of hard work and fun, and we raised $8,120 to further help low income women with mammograms and other medical needs.

November and December were cold in 2007, but the holidays went off with the usual events of family dinners, gift exchanges and such. I was fighting a moderate case of bronchitis and my primary doctor cautioned me to take it easy, rest more, and be kind to myself. I still managed to sing at the Grotto my scheduled 8 nights that season. By now I had lost a total of 38 pounds since my breast cancer diagnosis. New jeans, work clothes and the like had to be purchased. God still had graced me with energy and I was so thankful.

It was the end of 2007, and I had broken the cancer survival statistic records by remaining alive past what the experts thought I would. To God be the glory and with a grateful heart, I am singing praises to my Creator from whom all blessings flow.