Thinking Pink For Kathy.

Back on 9/13, I mentioned a life-altering event that prompted me toward great feats of charity knitting. Here's that story.

Kathy and I met on move-in day at the University of Delaware. We lived on the same floor in the Honor's dormitory, but weren't roommates. She was an actual Honor's student: extremely bright, pretty, classically trained soprano, intensely focused on her studies and her desire to be, if memory serves, a physical therapist. I was an Honor's student wannabe: very good grades due to an excellent short-term memory, poodle-perm on a stick-like body (cut me some slack here, it was still the '80s), decent singer after years of pretending to be Broadway material, absolutely no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. Despite my shortcomings, we hit it off that very first night during an impromptu ice-cream social on Main St. So much can be achieved over a bowl of homemade Rocky Road.

Four years of undergrad flew by. We were roommates now. Kathy's talents in all things science-related, as well as her compassion and empathy, led her down the road to a nursing degree, while I dove into ancient Greek and Roman history and art. We studied (a lot), we partied (a lot), we cried on each other's shoulder during boyfriend crises, family crises, and school crises. I was done with my curriculum after the fourth year; Kathy had a fifth year planned. So we went our separate ways, but stayed in touch through the years as we got our first "real" jobs, got engaged, got married, and had children.

A little more than a month ago, I received an email from Kathy. A lump in her breast. Wasn't there the month before. Was having a lumpectomy.

A couple of weeks later, all the tests were conclusive. Chemo was an option, with all the pain and weakness and sickness that goes with it. So was a mastectomy. One surgery, a long recovery period, and very possibly, no more cancer.

Today, as I see it, was the day that Kathy got rid of her cancer for good. I'm sure the mastectomy went very smoothly, and she's resting comfortably (with the help of some powerful drugs) with her family nearby. Once she's on the mend and is feeling up to it, I'm hoping she'll be amenable to a Roommate Reunion - I'll take a day off from work to drive the couple of hours to her home for a long-overdue visit.

Today, The Family A.K. was thinking pink for Kathy (Husband of A.K. is wearing a light pink-and-white striped shirt. Hard to tell with my camera-that-needs-to-be-replaced-badly).
I actually started thinking pink last night. It was a Caring Place night, and since the building is always chilly, I layered up.
Baby A.K. was thinking pink last night, too, when she demanded that Daddy let her wear pajamas with "polka dots".
And the piece de resistance: Breast Cancer Awareness Week in Harrisburg was commemorated with a ceremony led by Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll. With a flick of a switch, the massive fountain in back of the Capitol was awash in pink water.I've always wondered how they get the water so... pink.

Here's to a speedy recovery, and an end to breast cancer for Kathy and for all women everywhere.