Sometimes I wonder

 I received this e-mail this morning and I'm still trying to come to terms with it.  I've included it below because I'm amazed at the strength this mother has right now.  
This student graduated from my band program 4 years ago and shortly before graduating from CMU this past spring she was diagnosed with colon cancer.  The mom and dad were still active in one of my booster organizations and the student kept in touch through her college years.  Things have progressed rapidly which is actually what the girl wanted.  My tummy tuck is in a week but I pray I can go to the funeral, of course I'm hoping for after Christmas but she is shutting down and it doesn't sound like it.  My program very much has a family feel and she is the first one that I've lost since I've been teaching (11 years) so it'****ting hard.  
This really should make all of us pause to realize how lucky we are.  We've been given a second lease on life while others are called back to the lord as their lives are just beginning.  So I guess I'll leave this out there:  What are you doing to earn it?  Is there extra time you could've spent with a family member or neighbor?  Have you put your change in the Salvation Army buckets outside of the stores?  Take this weekend and let's try to do one thing we normally wouldn't do or say for somebody just because we should.
Thanks for listening, like I said I'm still coming to terms with this and just needed to share it with some friends
--Sax


"I don't even know how to begin to attempt a thank-you that comes anywhere near showing how I feel. I can't express enough the gratitude I have for all the love and support the best fellow co-workers in the world have shown me this past year and especially now.

Other than a setback Tuesday morning before we left to come home, (my daughter) and I had an awesome time in New York City. For those of you who don't know, a trip to New York to see a Broadway play was my daughter's last wish to do. Thanks to your generous donation, we were able to see three Broadway plays - Ma Ma Mia, Hairspray, and Phantom of the Opera. They were absolutely amazing We took a carriage ride through Central Park and walked around Times Square. We also took the downtown loop tour that allowed us to go up into the Empire State Bldg, take a water taxi out to the Statue of Liberty, observe the Manhattan skyline at night, view the Brooklyn Bridge, Carnegie Hall, MSNBC Studio, David Letterman Studio, Radio City Music Hall, Rockerfellow Center, etc. There were way too many things to do, we just couldn't do them all If you haven't been to New York City, I highly recommend it.

I want to take this time to aid in HR's program of getting employees and their family members aware of and using the insurance benefit that covers wellness testing each year. My children have always been very healthy and as they grew and their lives got busier, we didn't take them to the doctor, unless they had an injury or an illness requiring a prescription. I look back now and wonder would we have found (my daughter's) cancer sooner if she had a physical every year even though physically she felt fine? My 22 year old daughter went from feeling perfectly healthy one day to finding out she had stage 4 cancer three days later.  So please don't assume feeling healthy, actually means you are healthy. Use this insurance benefit to get monitored for what might be an underlying condition that won't rear its ugly head physically until its to late to be treated. I don't want any of you to have to go through losing a loved one this way or us as fellow coworkers losing you. I want us all to learn from this and hopefully through early detection, prevent it from happening to any other (work) family member.

(My daughter's) condition has been failing quicker than what the oncologist originally thought. Other than a bite or two this past week, she has primarily stopped eating and has become weaker and more confused each day. She spent sometime with Father Art yesterday. After coming home, she has drifted in and out of sleep. She had an odd anxiousness all night that she hasn't had before in which she'd somewhat wake up every hour or so wanting to be moved from one location to another, but not remember she had just moved. Other than an ocasional eye opening, she has slept all day. Hospice came to check on her and told me today that she may only have a few weeks left. I'm weeping all over the computer right now, but in my heart I know she will soon be at peace and with our Lord in Heaven.

Take care and everyone enjoy every minute of the holidays with your family and friends.

I feel for you.  I hope she is pain free and please know there is a better place waiting for her. 

Sax,

I can totally relate to what you are feeling.  A very Bright Intellegent 20 year old gil whom I worked with just lost her life in a fatal vehicle accident.  A bit different cir****tances, but still a tragic loss.

Pam

I'm so sorry to hear of your student's illness.   I teach general and vocal music in a tiny school district, and music teachers just have this way of getting close with their students, eh?   I had a student killed in a car accident two years ago, and two of my students' dad just committed suicide two weeks ago.     How great that you are still involved with her family, and I hope that they continue to be that way in your program.  It might be of great assistance in the healing process for them.   Please keep us posted.

 Yeah we have a way of being more than just nuts and bolts learning.  With the number of students I've had I'm grateful I haven't had to face this yet.  Unfortunately I got a call late last night, before I answered I knew the student had passed away.  They're going to hold a memorial on or around the 20th.  I pray that I'm well enough from my TT on the 15th to attend.
Thanks for the support

oh my i'm sorry!   I do hope you'll be able to attend.    My daughter recently played at the memorial service of a young upper classman band member who died in an auto crash up in Houghton...beauiful but so very sad.

Take good care.

My brother died four years ago of Leukemia following a bone marrow transplant at age 30 leaving behing three children.  I feel your pain and the families pain.  May God be with you.

Mary JO