Hello, Stranger

Hello, University Hospital! Do you remember me? The last time I was here I waddled through your hallways. I needed help getting out of my chair. I carried around a pillow and I propped my feet up. My hot chocolate sat comfortably on my swollen stomach. I was filled with anxiety of the unexpected. The last time I was here, I was 9 months pregnant.

The last time I was here, my husband had cancer. I sat in a waiting room with my family, fighting back tears (unsuccessfully). I sat in the waiting room trying to live up to the promise I made my husband that I wouldn't play, "What If". I sat in the waiting room and prayed every prayer I knew, confirmed I was a bad Catholic because I couldn't remember half of them, and made up words to new prayers.

That's all behind me now. The pregnancy. The cancer. Right?

And yet here I am, again, sitting at University Hospital. Waiting. Nic's second MRI since his surgery. I pray, I hope, I wish, that Dr. Robbins comes in and says, "Everything looks great". I pray, I hope, I wish, that whatever showed up on the last MRI is gone. I pray, I hope, I wish that my husband is fighting harder than anyone I know, and winning. He deserves that. We don't play, "What If", because no matter what, we keep marching forward. We keep fighting the fight. We know that, someday, we will be the winners. There will be no more cancer. We are a team now. Nic, Dana, Emma and Eleanor. We play for Team Dad. Team Husband. We hold him up, if ever he should fall. He never falls. We are a team and by God, we will win.

I hate waiting. Let's just meet with Dr. Robbins and review the MRI.

I may have traded my hot chocolate for coffee...but I still feel like it rests nicely on my swollen tummy :)