Thanksgiving day 3

Today, I am thankful for my health. I am thankful that I am healthy- even though I am overweight, have a lot of possible-bad-genetics coming my way, I am thankful.

Tonight we had a breast cancer awareness event- a fundraiser and small musicale for those in the middle GA area. SAI, my women's music fraternity I was in during college, sang at it, they had some speakers speak, etc. I got asked to sing kinda last min, since I was in town, and knew 1 of the 2 songs.

I have an amazing friend named April. We played flute together in band and woodwind ensemble. She was always quiet, and we used to joke I was teaching her how to be "a flute diva" for when I left. Well, my last semester (while I was student teaching) she got diagnosed with breast cancer- age 24. It was scary and I couldn't be there as much as I wanted to be- or should have been. I offered to do a lot and be there, but I didn't push my way into it- and she never asked for it. She played flute at my wedding and it was beautiful.

I started a thing called "KAIMP" Keeping April In My Prayers. I got a bunch of our classmates to put it at the end of our statuses on FB- to remind her we were thinking of her and praying. She loved it. As she went through treatments, we assumed she was getting better, and it slowly got dropped. She was active in any breast cancer awareness things... we (SAI and many groups on campus) hosted our annual "breast cancer awareness musicale- loving named BCAM" in dedication of her. We sold KAIMP ribbons. It was great- and she spoke.

Some people in middle ga started a book. http://www.blessyousister.com/ is the link- please check it out! It has the stories of survivors from all over middle GA (and even all of GA, I think.) I never purchased it- I kept a distance I guess- cancer scares me. I only knew April, and she and I grew apart as she is often tired and at the doctor.

Tonight, at the event at GCSU, it really hit me. I'm not there enough. I hung out with her some and we just talked- picked up like the old days. She introduced me to one of her survivor friends and said "This is Lori. the one I thanked at the end of my story in the book."

My jaw dropped. I haven't been  enough, not by a long shot. I was humbled by her love- her graituted for all the love I gave. And I wish I gave more.

Well, recently, they found more cancer. She's stage 4. She will be traveling to ATL to Emory for experimental treatments as they try to get rid of it.

I'm bringing KAIMP back. I'm being there for her in the ways I can. She inspires me.

I'm thankful for my health. I'm thankful for April, for KAIMP!