Yesterday was the day before Chemo #2, and boy did I make the most of it. My day started with prepping The Red Menace Wig that won my FB Wig of the Week Contest. I put on makeup! Something I rarely do. Donned my wig and headed out the door for my P/T with mom. Lauren loved my look. Mom took pictures to prove I wore the wig about town. While out I wore my new silk Oscar scarf and my big sunglasses to hold the hairs in place, and Mom said I looked like Jackie O! Well, why wouldn't I? My daughter had played Jackie for 2 1/2 years in Grey Gardens! Of course I did. After P/T, which is going along quite well, thank you, we jumped in a cab and headed across town to Luigi. I promised I'd be there, no matter what, and I had a lot of gals expecting me. Stuck in traffic, thanks a lot Dancing With The Stars, we finally gave up and walked the last three blocks. I quick changed into my dance gear, and headed into class. Luigi was leading the last set of stretches and suddenly his class abandoned him, and headed toward me for hugs. Luigi was like, "Who is hugging my class?" "It's me, Melissa, wearing my wig!" "Why the Hell are you wearing a wig?" So I lifted my wig to show my bald head. He hugged me. We all laughed and went back to work. Just doing the last group of exercises, the cool down, had me all heated up from the wig, so I took it off and danced sans wig. What a freeing experience. I love this class, and I know I've said this before, but I'll say it frequently, because when you have something this special, you will praise it all the time. Here is a group of beautiful women and men who share a love of dance. Most of us danced as a career in the past, most of us can't dance professionally any more, but the dance never left us, and the desire lives on, and this class feeds our souls. It's Group Therapy. We support each other, and we laugh, and have fun, and we are still pretty damn good. We range in age from as young as 8 to 84. We are short and tall, thin and full-figured, fully-abled and disabled, and still we move, we never stop moving. Luigi is our medicine. He always makes you fill like the star. He is encouraging, exacting, and always kind. He imparts stories from years gone by, and has the most sayings of anyone I know. The best known ~ Never Stop Moving! My favorite ~ Put it in the Right Place Before You Make the Move. And ~ When You Learn Something Wrong and Do It Long Enough That Way, You Learn It Right Wrong. So to my Mentor, I LOVE you from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for sharing your heart, your skill, your story.
After dance, a dear friend, Ester, took mom and me to lunch across the street to a small French Bistro. I love this woman. She is tiny, and full of energy. Ester is 84 years Young! She moves like she's 30 and dresses just as hot. She always looks fantastic, and always has a smile on her face. Her face is care worn, and yet she looks youthful and as if she has 84 years to live. We had a wonderful time, so wonderful that we lost track of time and Mom and I had to rush to get back downtown so I wouldn't be late for my coaching client at four. I met with my two clients who are coming along nicely, and I tried to emulate the same encouraging spirit of Luigi. Sharing my knowledge and supporting the theory of Getting it in the right place before making the move. It's harder with acting, the concepts aren't physical, rather mental. Get your head in that right place before you open your mouth. See that sky, that room you're in. Feel the mood, the emotion before you open your mouth. Imagination is a funny thing. Some have imagination in spades, others must learn what it is.
Ed was home when we got to the house. It's so wonderful to have him home. My other half is here now, to help me go on, and now Mom packs to return to her home in Arizona after being gone for 2 months. Ian got back from school and after my last client we headed up to the movie theater to see Zombieland. What a sick twisted movie. Laughing in places we shouldn't, oh so many wrong things. Bill Murray and his cameo, best thing EVER! We had so much fun, it was truly back to normal. I'll take one day of normal over weeks of so-so. It doesn't even matter that today I dive back into Hell. I had such a wonderful day yesterday that it will carry me through the week.
My mom left for the airport this morning to return to Arizona. Ed drove her there and will meet me at the cancer center later. My son has the day off from school, and will hang with his friends. Cathy, my BFF will be my Chemo buddy today, and I will don my Red Menace Wig to make my oncologist laugh. More pictures will be taken to prove I wore it. I will talk to someone about getting a real wig to wear and drugs will be given, the drug induced high will come on me, and I will remember little for the next few days. But that said, I love my life. I'm happy, and know that I am winning this battle. I feel not just good, but GREAT! A positive attitude, a good healthy dose of humor, a circle of beautiful friends, a family that loves you, and an awesome team of health care providers makes the difference, not to mention faith makes for the best outcome. I've learned that you don't just need this when faced with an obstacle like mine, this is available to you every single day. Be good to yourself today, do something that makes you laugh from deep inside you, and tell that special someone just how much you love them, even if it means taking a risk. You never know, you may get the same in reply. In the wise words of Edie Beale, "Choose to Be Happy!"
Nite!
Love and Light!
Melissa
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