Woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend... Just when I thought life could not get any better I heard a knock on my door, it was Cancer.
It changed everything but not for the worse. I choose Life and Hope .
BACK OFF CANCER is what I say!

The beginning of this journey...shaving my head

The beginning of this journey...shaving my head
Me, Francesca, on April 1st 2007, the day I shaved my head....

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

"The Club"


We spent a week in France with our dear friends and on the drive back we stopped at the Genova Aquarium to check it out and to stretch our legs , eat good Focaccia.

While we were at the Madagascar exhibit I spotted HER from afar. She was probably younger than me, was holding her son ( who was also probably younger than L.) hand. He husband holding her so tight. I knew it.

Not by the bandanna she was wearing... but by her face. The color , the lack of any facial hair.. the puffiness. I panicked for a moment, and almost began to cry. I have been a little removed from Cancer World lately and had not seen "that face" for a while.

I got closer... I really wanted to take her into my arms and tell her.. IT WILL BE OK... Hang in there.. look at me... I was you, just SIX months ago...

Which cancer did she have? how far along into treatment was she? which stage? Was that boy her only child? But I knew that my honest sign of affection could have been easily translated as an attack from a freak. I could see the headlines: "FREAK ATTACK ON CANCER PATIENT AT THE GENOVA AQUARIUM"...

So I didn't say anything but as our shoulders touched, I quietly said a prayer ... that she may continue to hold that boy's hand for a LONG LONG TIME...

much love

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You always make me cry. What a great picture.

Ví Leardi said...

Francesca querida ...long time no see...saudades minha filha....sei que vc está bem o que é um alívio....mas meu Deus,que coisa mais linda que vc escreve aqui ...não pude deixar de chorar....
me dê notícias...nós aqui contornando os problemas e tentando ver só o bom..Fernanda vai casar en janeiro e já comecei os preparativos ..nada muito grande mas vai ser gostoso...ela está super feliz e o noivo é um sonho de moço.O tempo passa tão depressa,que precisamos correr.
Minha querida todo o meu carinho grande beijo Tia Vi

Kimtjfd said...

You always make me cry. What a great picture.