Life is Short

You never really know how much time you have left on this little rock we call home. It's been less than 3 months since I found out one of my coworkers has cancer.

I was just told that the cancer has spread to her brain. She's being sent home to hospice care and has 2 weeks to live.

Her name is Ethel and I haven't seen her in several months, even before I found out. Her department had moved to another building so I lost the every day contact we once enjoyed. She's a wonderful person and I LOVED chatting with her. She loves animals and has two dogs and two cats. One cat named Rizzo is the funniest of the bunch, with such character that she always had a story to share about him.

Please pray that her time is not full of pain. I'd love to pray for a miracle but it just seems so unlikely.

She has a husband who depends on her for strength, love, and companionship. I weep for him as much as for her. His name is Joe and he adores her. He fights for her!

They came home from shopping one day last year and caught some slimeball robbing their home. Ethel fought him in the bedroom and Joe grabbed one of his collector swords and stabbed the loser right in the side!!! The guy got away but was captured later. Their poor dogs were terrified (small doggies...a pom and a mini something that looks like a doberman but 1/10th the size). Ethel was just pissed. :) She is a fighter. If anyone could fight through this tragedy it is her.

But I was told that she isn't even recognizing Joe. And I sit here at my desk sobbing. It's not like we were best friends but I really did come to love her as a friend. She loved my jewelry and told everyone about it - always coming over to tell me when she was wearing a piece. She was SO encouraging.

Please pray.