Do things that make you happy

So there is a woman that lives across the street from my parents in her 60s. She's lived there since I was probably 10-years-old and has become a good family friend. She's hilarious, blunt and extremely thoughtful. She'll come over to my parents house at least once a week to have their ritual of drinking Baileys and sharing stories about gossip in the neighborhood and family happenings. I love when she comes over when I'm home visiting because I know it will be a few good hours of stories and laughs. My favorite was last Christmas Eve when she came over and told us about how she drove past Casey Anthony's parents home and all that she saw (she was obsessed with the case, much like me!).

She's got 3 daughters, 4 grandchildren and she's divorced. She's really my parents' only friend - they don't get out much.

She's had a lot of health problems over the past few years and after many, many, many tests, doctors have continued to tell her that it's just her emphysema and something she has to live with.

Last week she went to the hospital for a scan on her daughter's request because she had been very short of breath. They found a fist-sized tumor in her lung, under her heart. After further scans they found it was wrapped around areas of her heart, in her bones and all throughout her body. They've given her two to four months if the chemo doesn't shrink it. Nine to 12 if it does shrink.

A complete shock. I'm in disbelief how this is just now being seen, and that they are potentially only giving her two months to live. I can't imagine having to know that this would be my last Thanksgiving or Christmas, or know it's my mom or dad's last and still go on celebrating. It will be heartbreaking for me to see her this Christmas and have to know that it could be the last time I see her at all.

When my mom updated me yesterday on the prognosis, I decided to put up my Christmas tree. I was going to wait until next weekend because it's 'not time' to put it up yet since it's before Thanksgiving. But who cares, I wanted it up. It makes me happy. If someone told me I had two months to live, I would regret having had waited a week longer to not be able to enjoy my Christmas tree for the last time.