Jolly Ranchers, A Turkey, and a Wig

Brown Ribbon for colon cancer...

In 1938 two baby girls were born to sisters...that made them cousins.

Joy filled the hearts of the moms and the girls began a life growing up together.

A blanket on the lawn and two babies cooed and played together.

Years went by with the girls having play dates, dolls and dress up in the upstairs bedroom.

The school years came and they went to different grade schools.

Family get togethers, picnics, celebrations when dads came home from the war, holidays

at Grandma's house, funerals and all the things that families do, brought them closer.

Jr, high and high school found them at the same schools.

These were the years of homecoming, pep rallies, playing games under the street lights, crushes on boys,

French fries and cokes, family picnics and graduation.

After graduation one of the cousins told the other that she was going to get married.

That brought wedding showers, parties, and the one cousin was the bride and the other her maid of honor.

A little later on the second cousin announced her wedding plans and they did the same things as before.

The babies started coming....and long telephone calls... sometimes into the night for two stay at home Moms.

Joys, loneliness, struggles, child care, recipes, a shoulder to lean on.

The phone calls were important.

The kids were raised as the cousins were...picnics in the park, swimming at the pool, birthday parties etc

The phone calls continued...the teen years and on and on.

The empty nest period began and the phone calls continued.

Then one day it all changed...one cousin's husband was ill.

Cancer

The year and a half or so were spent caring for him. The phone calls were more important than ever.

How to cope, treatments, hospice then he passed away.

Phone calls then just to listen...

Then two years later the other cousin's husband was ill.

Cancer again.

This time it was reversed. The cousins talked into the wee hours....such sadness filled the lines.

Hospice again and then he died.

Phone calls just to listen.

Time passed and one cousin decided to move to another state. The second cousin decided to remarry.

They stayed in touch by phone and an occasional visit.

Then can you believe it....Cancer again...this time it was one of the cousins.

Through surgery and treatment she was healed.

Joy filled the telephone lines.

They got together for lunches, weddings, funerals, and the phone calls continued.

They were both contented and happy once again.

Now Cancer has reared it's ugly head once again. A phone call told the cousin that she was sick again.

Phone calls now talk of chemo and it's side effects....the loss of hair.

This is where we are today. I am one of the cousins....the lucky one. This weekend will find my daughter and I taking a drive to Iowa. We are planning to visit my cousin and bring her some cheer. I talked to her the other day and asked what she was hungry for....she said, "Turkey...just a turkey sandwich." A turkey is in the oven as I write this. She mentioned liking Jolly Rancher candy...it leaves a good taste in her mouth. A bag of Jolly Ranchers is in  my purse....and then she turned so serious and mentioned that she was losing her hair. Her hair is so important to her...she said that she got a scarf from the hospital...her son said, "That's not you, Mom!" It was garish with pink polka dots I had brain surgery 3 yrs ago and I have a wig in the drawer. I asked, "How do you feel about gray hair?"  She said, "That's what I've got, silly." So I told her about the wig. I could almost hear her sigh on the phone...."Oh, please bring it...I'll give it back to you when I'm finished with it." I told her to just pass it on to someone who needs it when she's finished with it. She mentioned wanting a fish fry from Chicken George's restaurant in her town. So, this weekend we are going with photos, lots of laughter, memories, Jolly Ranchers, a turkey, and a wig and a fish fry at Chicken George's.

Balisha

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