Derm update: Just found out that all is clear on my neck. So looks like the slicing and dicing is over. Stitches come out Tuesday.
Friends update: We’re going to Madilyn’s friend’s house tomorrow for her birthday party. Cadence is turning 3!
Family update: Jeff’s sister Pam is having a baby on Thursday!
I was in TN visiting family this past week. Yesterday was the 1-year anniversary of Dad passing away. Why don’t we call those “deathdays” like we do “birthdays”? Too morbid, I suppose. Looking back it’s so unbelievable that Pappaw and Dad died within 9 months of each other. And yet they were 20 years apart in age. Neither one of them should have gone when they did. But death is no respecter of persons, that’s for sure.
I’m proud of my grandmother and mother for grieving like they should and still being strong. It was good to be with them this week. Here’s a picture of us at the mausoleum where Pappaw and Dad are “buried” next to each other.
You know what’s sort of funny in this picture is that both mom and I have bandages on our face and neck. Since melanoma has touched our family twice in this manner, we’re being very aggressive with prevention. Mom had a precancerous place on her face removed, and my big neck bandage was from where the surgeon removed a piece of skin on my neck missing its pigment to test for cancer. Found out today it’s free and clear.
We will not let Dad’s death go without it serving as a warning to us and others to do what you can to prevent skin cancer. In some cases, it’s not enough. But all we can do is what we can do, right?
I showed Mom the documentary called A Man Named Pearl this weekend. It’s so good. Mom commented about how much Dad would have enjoyed seeing this. He would have. I can’t help but think in the resurrection dad’ll be landscaping and gardening again.
