Reconnecting

Today is Wednesday.  Wednesdays are the days I call my friend Liz.  I met Liz when we were sophomores in college-both studying Elementary Education though it wasn't until our senior year that we become friends.  As I later found, this was because we were both destined to move from our comfortable yankee surroundings down South where the weather was warmer and the teacher jobs were plentiful.

We lived together for three years.  There was a lot of good times-being young and carefree in a new city, new friends, and laughter.  There were also a few not so good times- 9/11, the time she was called a cracker by a student and the death of my grandmother.   After three years, Liz decided her heart was in New Jersey and she headed home to stay.  We have only seen each other one time since then, but since she is great a remembering dates and sending cards and I do a decent job of calling we have still regularly kept in touch.

In recent years we having developed a shared bond surrounding the topic of IVF.  Her's stemming from surviving breast Cancer at the age of 32.  She underwent egg retrieval before beginning radiation and chemo.  It took about 4 years before they had the all clear and felt ready to proceed.  I knew she had undergone IVF last fall so when I called to catch up this summer we had a lot to discuss.

Turns out we had even more to discuss then I thought as she had undergone a second IVF in June and was pregnant!  It was exciting to experience pregnancy with a close friend (even one who was 12 hours away).  However, for all I feared in my first trimester we would soon discover her biggest nightmare was becoming a reality.

Before undergoing IVF in June, Liz met with her oncologist and got the all clear.  Unfortunately, everything was not clear- a tumor had returned 5 years later to nearly the exact same spot the first had begun.  This time the stress and fear of the dreaded C word was compounded by the 10 week tiny person she was happily and busily growing.

Liz is a fighter.  Liz is an optimist.  Liz laughs even when the chips are stacked against her and God bless her those chips must look like a mountain.

Three weeks ago, Liz had the tumor removed and this week began chemo (carefully prescribed and monitored by an oncologist, a fetal specialist and a host of other experts).  Baby continues to grow strong and healthy.  Liz is tired and sick, but in amazingly good spirits.

Our weekly conversations are not those of the newly pregnant-first time mom garden variety, but they we never were your garden variety girls.  God puts people in our lives for a reason.  Even when we think we figured out what that reason was, He is forever surprising in the gigantic plans he has for all facets of our lives.

Please keep Liz and her little one in your thoughts and prayers as they continue to fight this ongoing battle.