A letter from my friend Cindy

Hi Randy,

How are you? I think of you from time to time and wonder, how is Randy? Did you ever sell your place in Grapeview and buy the place next door? How are the kids? Are you still living in Kirkland? Are you selling real estate? I am doing well. I am working with my clients whom I love, running, swimming, and playing a lot. I still love concerts and in fact I'm goingto one in Seattle tonight. So many fun things to do! Keep in touch, I like hearing from you.

Cindy :)

Hi Cindy,

Very nice to hear from you. Much has changed in a very short time since we last corresponded. The house in Grapeview sold 1st of the month and it was a good thing and timing. The house down the way still eludes me but I stay in touch with the owner and hope to revisit after Mothers day as she's having her kids down and I believe they're going to discuss. So, it's still on the docket but not with any real movement. Timing is everything.

The kids are great and growing like a weed. Emily a total teenager and Riley readying his body for puberty. Both so sweet though and they mean the world to me. I'm taking them next weekend on a snow hike up in the Olympics to slide down a natural slide shoot. Jim has done it many times and will serve as our guide.

I am still in Kirkland and its working out well. I've even gone back to work. I'm just plugging along and not killing my self and it feels good to get back in the swing of things.

On a bit of a more serious note, I have been diagnosed with lung cancer and have begun to the battle. It has only been a month since I was diagnosed but things have been moving very quickly since. I'll not bore you with the details in this note but will send you the link to my blog which you can catch up, write on, add images, etc. Some days I'm up for talking, some not. So this is a good way to keep posted.

Great to hear from you Cindy. I too think of you and wish you all good things in your island paradise.

Love, Randy

OH MY GOD Randy! I read this e-mail and then your complete blog and I am very upset! What is going on in this life? I HATE cancer! I am so sorry that I haven’t kept in touch with you these past months.

You know, I was talking to a friend just two days ago and I said, “There are only two men who I felt I was attracted to both physically and mentally and one was Randy”. I am looking for a man with your personality. Kind, funny, positive, honest, and fun. That’s you.

My girlfriend’s husband is going through a stem cell transplant at the Cancer Care Alliance in Seattle and they have been staying at the Pete Groves Apartments next to the clinic. He has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I have been staying in touch with them daily and they are doing ok for now. What a great place!

I would love to keep in touch with you and talk when you have time and energy. I would also love to come visit you sometime. Please feel free to call my anytime. I know a bit about the stresses of Cancer as you know. I will be sending you very good thoughts every moment and know that a lot of people love you.

Cindy


Cindy,

Thanks for all your kind thoughts and words. You are such a sweetheart and I know had logistics / timing / etc. been better, you and I would have had far more of relationship as I felt much the same way.

Life is strange and wonderful. It sure has its twists. And if you want to make God laugh, just share your plans with him. I want you to know that I'm choosing this cancer, not letting it choose me. And that's very empowering. That's not to say some days I don't have my moments and concerns; they exist. Mostly around my kids and being around for them. But I'm not afraid of this journey and am ready to tackle whatever it presents. That brings me great peace.

I truly feel I am one of the most blessed beings I've ever known. I have so many wonderful things in my life to be thankful for I cannot begin to list them all. It's truly a wonder that God has been so good to me as I don't begin to feel I've begun to return the favors. Perhaps this is the moment of truth He's set in motion for me.

One thing I have definitely picked up through this experience already is a much greater sense of compassion. To go into the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and walk through the different floors and see the multitude of patients in their current physical / mental state is quite an eye opener. Cancer is an epidemic and although the professionals continue to make inroads, there is a long long way to go to find a cure. It's really quite something when you get in the middle of it. Again though, I believe that attitude is 99% of the healing process and as long as I hold this tight and near, there's not much control this illness has over me.

Kindest wishes,

Randy