Hi gang! You know how time passes and family strays? If you're lucky you get another opportunity to unite and not mess up because of the standard excuses of being busy, lazy, difficult because of the distance, etc.

I haven't seen my cousin in more than twenty years but have kept up with general information through my mom. I must have been 13 when she had kids/got married and stuff. She called my mom today. Mama ran across some pictures my grandpa took long ago of my cousins (he's been dead since the 80s) and sent them to the second oldest one's (whom my mom seldom hears from) last known address. My mom stills writes/receives letters from the oldest one maybe once a year. Anyway, she called to thank my mom for the photos and in their conversation Mama found out that my cousin's husband is headed down to MD Anderson (again) for continuing cancer treatment.

I hate that I didn't know he had thyroid cancer last year (just about the time Ed was going through his stuff), had surgery (in Michigan) to remove the thyroid, kept having symptoms, sought a second opinion (at MD Anderson) and subsequently had 81 lymph nodes removed in a radical neck dissection 3 weeks ago.

BUT I have been blessed with being able reconnect with them and tell him about this board/you wonderful folks AND learn that he's coming back to Texas (where I live) for radiation therapy. I get to SEE them, too!

I hope Mark and Shelly will visit this site and find something they might be missing - and didn't even know they were missing and make new friends face with similar challenges/obstacles.

I was just sad and excited at the same time and had to share. Sorry, Ed! I really am capable of making a short post - just not right now!

Susan