"Run-Way Ready"!

Monya's hair is starting to grow back!

First Chemo infusion!

I

First hair cut!

Yesterday Monya and I had the chance to go to lunch together and catch up on our heart to heart visits that we LOVE to have!

When I went to pick her up she walked out of her house and as she approached the car a flood of emotions came to me! She looked beautiful as always but... yesterday for some reason she looked more beautiful than ever to me! Remember I have been friends with Monya for well over twenty years!

she got in the car we just kind of looked at each other and then we became almost "Giddy" as we hugged and laughed together! We were like three year olds so happy to see each other, even though it hand only been a short time since we had seen each other! Monya looked gorgeous! I told her this and she told me "Shut-up", (not the first time she has told me to shut-up) and again I told her the same thing, as we were still laughing like three year old!s I can honestly tell you ,she look like a Europeon movie star / Runway Model!!! I could not take my eyes off of her! I know that sound weird but... I think part of the reason why I could not stop looking at at her was because when you think of someone going through cancer you think of the dark circles around their eyes, they look frail, they just look SICK!! It has amazed me as Monya has fight this battle with such GRACE and FAITH, she has never really looked sick to me even on her worst days! I know this is to much information but... she could go in the bathroom and throw up and walk out and still look "Run Way" ready! Momya finally said to me just "Shut -Up lets go I am starving", and off we went to one of our FAVORITE spots Rumbi Island Grill!

I was blessed to be able to take Monya to all of her chemotherapy appointment and some doctor appointments and a few radiation appointment as well. These were such hard times! There were days where I would get to her house to pick her up for chemo and she would be in tears and would say to me "I AM NOT GOING"! What do you say to that?? It was heart wrenching to see her suffer and yet I would say to her "Yes you have to go, you have NEVER quit anything in your whole life"! But in the back of my mind knowing how sick she already was and to know she was going to get more sick from the chemo, I wanted to say to her "Okay lets not go and lets just go and drive somewhere fun and forget the chemo"! I know this is selfish to say but... it was painful for me to see someone you love so much suffer! And... There was not one thing I could do to help her long suffering! But the warrior she is, she would get in the car and off we would go to the Mayo Clinic for more torture!

We always tried to make the best of it by talking smack about the oncologist P.A. Margo, who we did not like so well only because she would say the same thing every time we went in.... "I can't believe you still have your eyelashes". We would then tell her AGAIN.... that they were eye lash extensions, and again Margo would say "I DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE THOSE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET AN INFECTION"! And the next question from Margo would be, "ARE YOU FLOSSING YOUR TEETH"? As always Monya and I would just look at each other with that look we had that we knew what it meant," REALLY, ARE YOU KIDDING ME SERIOUSLY , if you bring these things up one more time we will hurt you MARGO!!! SHUT-UP"!!!!! Monya and I would also get a laugh from Margo's brown shoes she AlWAYS wore and the same brown "pants suit " that she ALWAYS wore! I am telling you when you are going through chemo you look for any opportunity to laugh! Even if it is at someone else expense!

Over this last year every time I would pick Monya up she was "Run Way" ready! She always had her make-up on, her jewelery and let me reassure you that her hats matched every outfit she ever wore! Not only did the hats match but she would have these beautiful blingy flowers , that she had made for her pinned to her hat to match as well! Again "Run Way Ready"!

I remember the day when we first noticed that she was loosing her hair. It was the third week of chemo! We were driving home from Mayos ,and it had been a long day! Monya ran her hand through her hair and a BIG chunk of hair came out! Monya just looked at me with tears.... but yet she was laughing and said to me, "are you kidding me right now"? I did not know what to say! The only thing I could think to say to her was... "why are you laughing"? Her response was "what do you want me to do"! At that point we both began to cry! I think the loss of her hair was one of the hardest times for her in this last year! But again she has shown such strength and courage!

When a lot of hair started coming out more and more she had her hair cut short! That is a day I will never forget! We went to her hairdressers home to cut it! It was Sonya, Kayla, Haleigh, Jenny and me that took Monya! Her hairdresser just put what hair she had left into a ponytail and then just cut it off! Talk about painful...Monya just wept and before to long we were all were crying! People say "oh it is just hair and it will grow back"! When I hear that I want to say "okay sit down and lets cut all of your hair off and then we can say "oh it is just hair and see how you will feel!

Within a week even though Monya had lost a lot of hair and she cut it short, it was still falling out all over her and would fall in her food. So at that point Sonya took buzzers to her head and buzzed it and just left like a quarter of an inch of hair on her head! Within a short time it too was gone!

But even though Monya was completely bald she still did not look sick! Like I said she wore cute hats and if you were not close to her to see under her hat you would never guess she was sick! Though she was bald when I would pick her up, she was ALWAYS dressed so cute! Her makeup done , cute big jewelry on, hats to match what she was wearing and as always "Run Way Ready"!I do have to say that Monya told me the other day that it was nice not to have to worry about fixing her hair! In fact she did not even have to use shampoo for awhile! Now since it is about an half of an inch long she is back to the shampoo! But not yet back to having to comb or brush it! It was so funny at lunch when she was explaining to me how she combs her hair with her hands! It was so funny how she explained it to me! We both laughed about that!

Through this last year with my "Bon-Bon... she has taught me so much! There have been several times through out this past year where I had to borrow some of her faith, and strength! We have had so many powerful, spiritual talks as we drove to Mayos for treatments and as we would sit all day while she was being infused with these powerful horrible chemicals! We have shared so very much with each other... our testimonies, prayers, laughs, tears, lunches, ups and downs and so much more! As hard as this last year has been for Monya she has continued to show Christ like attributes and has continued to be the best wife, mother, sister, and dearest friend ever! Monya I do have to say though you really made me look bad as I picked you up from your house and you would walk out Looking so BEAUTIFUL and "Run Way Ready"! Monya I hope you know how very proud I am of you for your courage, strength, faith and your fight to get well! But most of all I hope you know how very much I love you always and forever!

Radiation!