A Little Help For My Friend...

I met Caitriona when I was 12 years old.

We attended a private school in Ojai together where my father worked. With a small student body, everyone knew everyone. Even so, Caitriona seemed to get along well with everyone and I think it is fair to say she was well liked, in fact she is still friends with many of our former classmates!

Born in Korea, Caitriona was adopted by an American father and an Irish mother. It is an understatement to say she has a wicked sense of humor and a penchant for naught words.

Over the years, our lives have taken us in different directions. Her path took her north for school and eventually to Seattle where she started a family. I moved south and went to school and also started a family but we both ended up back in Ojai.

As a busy mother of three active boys, she still finds time for her creative endeavors and is a talented silversmith. Ever generous with her time and talent, she has shown me many of her techniques. I am proud to own several of her jewelry designs!

She had been struggling with what she thought was intestinal inflammation from a food allergy. A hard knot grew in her stomach and was keeping her from eating. A trip to the doctors revealed something more serious. Her wicked sense of humor in tact she issued this announcement to friends and loved ones...

"Fellow humans, and others!

I am writting to you today because here I sit at 43 years old, pondering what my life is all about..... a most irritating exerercise I don't recommend it!, (I'll spare you all the details, or even the basics!), what I am writting to say, is that I have most recently been diagnosed with the big "C", no, that is not constipation or canker sores, it's one of our more uncomfortable friends, cancer (mine has found a cozy spot in my liver).  My cancer, or should I say cancers, (we don't want to limit it to one small little tumor, we want to spread the wealth for that bigger and harder challenge!) is called Aliena for her strong resemblance to an alien protruding distortedly and disruptively from my abdomen and of course her offspring (I chose not to name them for fear of unnecessary attachment and potential death bonding). So, I wanted to let you all know where I am in life, kind of like, "Where is Waldo", but in my case, I'll always be found on my couch, bed or under some fantastic ultra nifty high technological scan while being exposed to high doses of radiation, so they can determine how much more dosages of radiation they can give me. Frankly, I'd prefer to be hit by a semi but that was not my journey and this is. So, my dear friend Janice came up with this great site that allows us to keep people informed, should you have any interested. Please take note, I will not ask whether you are reading, I will be too busy suffering :)

Good luck to you..................... I mean, good luck to me , the good luck to you, is putting up with me because the way I see it, if I suffer, I do my best for all around me to suffer too, after all -sharing is caring !!! 

With Love and better health to you all,

Caitriona"

Laughter is the best medicine. (that and an expensive dose of daily chemotherapy.)

Knowing how cheap medicine and doctor visits are I thought sitting back and doing nothing would be the best bet. Oh. What's that you say? They are ridiculously exorbitant? Well then, look for the "Caitrionas F*ing Journey" listings in my etsy shop tomorrow at 10. The entire listing sale (except for the shipping) will go to Caitriona. If you think that isn't going to cover the thousands of dollars in medical expenses or time off from work, or feeding three hungry teenage boys, you are probably right and you can donate directly here...

Donation items will be listed in my etsy shop 10/5/12 at 10 am.

www.gaea.etsy.com

Caitrionas beautiful designs can be seen here...

www.cmeek68.etsy.com

Many thanks, Gaea