Sad news

I just found out that the tumors my cousin has on his spine are inoperable and untreatable. He is 67 and has suffered with Parkinson's for many years. He was like an older brother to me when I was a child and we remained close through the years. I am his son's godmother.

There were ten of us cousins and so far four of us have had cancer. My mom had five brothers and one sister who have all passed but only one from cancer. That is why I never thought I would get cancer. There wasn't any on either side of my family.

This is especially hard on my mom who has always been close to Richard. In fact he was 5 when my mom told him she was pregnant with me and he was not happy! He told her that if I was a boy, he'd play with me but if I was a girl he didn't want anything to do with me. Well, he backed that statement up by breaking my toys whenever he got the chance.

He and another boy cousin mercilessly teased my cousin Marsha and I as would be expected from teenage boys. But the years turned us into friends.

His wife has been told that he has from two weeks to two months. He wants to go home but I don't know if it's possible at this time.


Karen