terrshee's Diaryland Diary

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Mom's Okay

My mother does not have lung cancer. I am profoundly relieved, yet also astonished. A woman of 77 who has smoked a pack and a half a day for over 50 years by rights should have lung cancer. My mother is the most fortunate of women.

I am also astonished that in spite of the diagnosis she is earnestly trying to quit smoking. I wish there was something I could do to support her in this, but having gone through cigarette withdrawal myself over 20 years ago, I know that the best thing to do is leave her to get on with it. I never remember doing anything that required so much pure will and determination. She's tried to quit before. I'm fervently praying this time she makes it. Even at her age the benefits would be worth it, and on a selfish note it would make visiting her a lot easier.

The recent lists of 10 interesting things you've done that no one else you know has got me thinking. At first I couldn't believe I'd actually done 10 things worth noting, but after a bit I came up with a list. The problem is that I'm not sure anyone else would consider them interesting. ;-)

1. Saw a small volanic eruption at Mount Arenal on my first trip to Costa Rica.

2. Saw a total eclipse of the sun on my third trip to Costa Rica (at least as much as the weather would permit).

3. Been on CSPAN with Ozzie Osbourne (for about 15 seconds when he visited our table at the White House Correspondents Association dinner).

4. Sat between some drunk Finns and a frantically praying Mexican on a flight from Sweden when an engine failed on takeoff.

5. Walked out of an 11th century church in Uppsala to a yard that had a Viking runestone in it (Celynen may have done this, maybe I should think of something else, but it was very cool).

6. Went thourgh six weeks of out-patient drug and alcohol rehab (one of the funniest and most frightening experiences of my life).

7. Had a small lump removed from the roof of my mouth that caused the dental surgeon to exclaim, "Whoa, I've never seen one of these before."

8. Had my picture taken with Robert Rubin (former Secretary of the Treasury) and he hand inscribed it.

9. Got an absolutely perfect grade in a college course I didn't want to take and could not have cared less about.

10. Made some poor guy's neck crack on K Street in DC when he spun to get a second look at me wearing a perfectly respectable business suit, only it had a short skirt and I was wearing 4-inch heels.

7:02 a.m. - 2005-02-26
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