March 14-19th Whirlwind of a week

Click this video - it is a tribute to m from my friend Sabrina's son, I have only met him once 4 yeras ago and he did this for me. They live in Canada.

This was the worse and best week of my life all at once. I do have staph, in fact its the worse kind MRSA. When people who are undergoing chemo and have low immune systems get this type of staph it takes so much longer to heal, and can be life threatening.  Of course I had it lanced and taken care of on that Monday 3/14 but we now have to put off the final chemo treatment until I am healed. At the time we were thinking 2 weeks. Now since we know it's MRSA it could be more like 4-6 weeks of healing. Where its located on my arm is not the easiest place for me to reach so I have had to ask JOE JOE, WAYNE AND EVEN MALLORY (WHO WORKS WITH ME) TO HELP CLEAN THE OPEN WOUND. I know its not fun and was pretty gross in the beginning, but not one of them hesitated to help me, not one of them complained, not one of them made gross sounds or gagged or made me feel bad because of it. I love them for that!  Then after being out work for a week of course I had to play catch up and wouldn't you know Alexis would end up sick too with a UTI. What else could possibly happen this week to shake u my world? I was just happy to know that on Friday 3/18 I was going with Tammy right after work to Moms so that her friend Danicka could pray over me and pray with us for my healing. I was looking forward to the clock hitting 5 pm.

So Friday finally arrived and Tammy and I pulled out of my office as soon as Wayne dropped her off. I think it took 25 minutes to get to Moms. We go upstairs and I am expecting to be greeted by this pretty girl who prays for people and instead Mom comes to the door alone. I ask where she is and am told she was in the restroom. So I begin to say something to my Mom and I used a small curse word. Immediately My Mom gets on me for that when Danicka is there about to pray with me. As I am being fussed at (yes I am over 40 and still get in trouble with my Mom) I walkover to my Mom's picture window which overlooks the canal in her back yard and her neighbors yard. I was staring at her neighbors house and realized I heard the bathroom door in the hall open and as I turned around expecting to see Danicka - I couldn't believe who was there - SABRINA! to write this experience does it no justice whatsoever. If she has uploaded the video I will post it here. I was in complete shock!!! I cried, I laughed, I cried some more. We hugged and hugged and I still could not believe it. Here was one of my very best girlfriends from high school, standing in my moms living room. The last time Bri and I were together was after katrina when her family came down to NOLA to visit some family. I was so happy she came and saw me - it had been since we graduated the last time before that. And now here she was, here for me when I need her most. She told her husband she really wanted to come down and he told her to go. She is braver than I am. She flew from toronto all by herself and rented a car and drove all around NOLA and the westbank lol.... she is amazing. My Mom and sister and another high school friend, Jennifer helped Sabrina pull it off and believe me I am not easy to fool or surprise. they got me for sure! Although i had a brief premonition that Jennifer was going to come to the fundraiser dance on Saturday with Mark and Sabrina in tow, I mentioned it once and then forgot all about it.
We were able to spend a few hours together that night and it was so strange. It was as though we had just spent the past 25 years seeing each other every day! Time stood still for a moment and we were 17 again and BFF's (BTW - those of you in your teens - it was our generation who invented the term BFF lol). I just cant say enough about Bri - she is a huge part of my heart and we will always be sisters no matter how far apart and for how long we may be. I love her so much! So that night she hits me with another surprise, her son Brandon who is a phenomenal drum player and just a great kid made me a surprise. So we go pull up you tube (see attached) and of course we all cried again! I had to lose 5 lbs that night between losing water from the tears and snot from my nose---I tell ya! I just cant get over it - truly the most surprised I have ever been in my life.

Then the next night we had a funraiser dance at the Elks Lodge in Slidell. My In Laws hosted it along with the lodge and we had an incredible band Bobby Cure and the Summertime Blues in which my cousin just so happens to sing with. Bobby Cure has been friends with my parents for years and Robyn and I are just getting to know each other as cousins. She even let me sing with her and that was fun - I could be on stage every night! NOT____ She is a great woman, beautiful, caring, giving, voice of an angel, and just very beautiful inside and out. It was great seeing lots of friends and family there. y cousin George (I call him Uncle George - my moms first cousin) and his wife Aunt Celie were there and it was awesome to see and be with them. Aunt Ceilie believes in the power of prayer and angels and her and I know that God has me in his arms. All of wayne's Uncles and aunts were here, many I hadn't seen in10 or 15 years it seems. Lots of my parents friends and my zoo krewe club came as well. Of course Sabrina and Jennifer came and then as if I couldn't be any more surprised, who shows up???? 2 of the most dearest people in the world - Stephanie and Chris Kain. We all grew up together in Venetian Isles. Chris and his brother Darren were my age and they were like my big brothers. Stephanie was older by a few years and dated my uncle for a while. They all worked at one time or another at my grandparents rest., Barney's. We went to SJM elementary together and car pooled until we started driving ourselves.We shared some great childhood days together. Stephanie and I were so close that I asked her to be my sponsor for my Confirmation. I hadn't seen either of them in probably 18 or 19 years. They come from an amazing family and I was so touched that they came out to see me and my family, especially when they have their own stuff going on.

Bri about 30 minustes after the big surprise!



Tam, Bri and Mom - dirty dogs



Kelly (one of my Ellen's Angels, me and Bri - def one of my Angels




Chris kain, me and Stephanie




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Sabrina went to the Fr Seelos Shrine Saturday morning. She bought a bracelet just like mine and will never take it off. So happy she did that and experienced that church.

 
When I tell you its been a crazy crazy week and weekend. I have been up and down  crazy roller coaster of emotions. Like I aid I cant even make it sound good on paper - you really had to be with me to see how happy and loved I felt....
Here are the pictures snapped by Mom when the surprise unfolded!

SUPRISE!!!!!!!!!!

Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God!



Oh My God - thats all I could say!



If this face doesn't say I LOVE YOU MY DEAR FRIEND! Then a picture doent exist that says it!



WOW!