Lessons learned early ...

I was the last of 8 children born to Jean and Fred Diersing, so needless to say, my parents were 'up there in age'  My mom was one of 13! Death was something I learned about early in life.  All 4 of my grandparents died when I was 6-7 years old.  With my grandmother dying in our family room one week after my 7th birthday, the day after my communion.  Then my favorite uncle... the first time I heard the word CANCER...  My favorite aunt.. I could NOT understand this one! She was a NUN! She devoted her life to GOD! HOW could HE do this to her? AND BRAIN CANCER?....

Death got to be so common while I was growing up, my God Father would pull out a silver dollar and hand it to me at every family funeral and whisper in my ear "We've got to stop meeting like this" and Wink at me... It always made me smile and feel better!  MANY years later,  he and my God Mother, his wife... Betty and Bud ( I always thought they were my aunt and uncle... but they were cousins!)  were in a nursing home together and within hours of each other... took their last breath!  There was a double funeral. That was a first for me. I stopped at the bank on the way and as my husband held my hand I whispered in my Buds ear "We've got to stop meeting like this" and tucked the silver dollar in his breast pocket. Then I told him I'd see him later!  I, in turn, gave another silver dollar to his son, one of my favorite cousins and shared our story with him.   Tears were shed and smiles were shared.   I have no doubt I will see him again, along with my grandparents, my uncle, my aunt, my dad... my father-in-law... my brother-in-law that died from the long term effects of  cancer radiation in the 60's ...  Michelle, my neighbor who died of cancer a few years ago... the Bookers who both died of cancer 2 years to the day of each other...  Tom, down the road ... and the MANY, MANY others that we have lost over the years and those that we will still lose to this UGLY monster.  THAT is why I detest cancer.. I don't fear death... but I sure do fear cancer!