My friend, Penny, a year older than me, has endured several small strokes in the past two years. She was hanging in but now tests show she has a tumor in her brain and another in her lung. One lung biopsy was inconclusive and she must have another and they also want to biopsy the tumor in her head. She cries all day, her daughter told me. I fear the worst. We go back to early teens and studied piano with the same teacher. Later we both went to Chicago Musical College. In those days we were joined at the hip. We have diverged in several ways and have tilted at each other in later life, but a while back I stopped disagreeing with her because I’d rather ease her way than bug her. She has had many woes, widowed, and on the verge of bankruptcy and struggling to make ends meet by dog-sitting. So she hasn’t been able to come and see us even though I offered her plane tickets. Too proud to take me up on that. She and her daughter came once, in 2004, for Christmas.

And a week ago I learned that my b.i.l.’s sister, Ruby, has died. Don had many brothers and sisters – she was my favorite. She would come every year with her husband and stay with my sis and Don and I would go over and visit with her. I am truly saddened. She was a heavy smoker, and wouldn’t quit. I remember meeting her when I was 16 and she was 14.

As for me, my annual physical took place a day ago and all systems are go. My internist thinks I am remarkable. My new endocrinologist raised my Synthroid and gave me a hug. His nurse checked my paperwork when I told her my age. I feel like the energizer bunny.

xx, Teal