Tweet
This article is different from the others I've written so far... this one is more for me as I pay tribute to a good friend, Donna, who passed away Thursday night after battling cancer on and off for 16 years... so many times we thought that she'd beat it and was cancer free... a month ago we learned it was back and we were invited to her birthday party... just under 2 weeks ago we learned that they had decided to stop treatment and that she had 2 months to live... less than a week ago we learned that she could go any time... and Thursday night she did.
Final Lap Donna Pits
Donna Pits appeared in Final Lap case D along with Nick Stickers and One Eye Mater... as you can tell from the above photo, she was an old rusty Car who had seen her better days... a very small appearance in Cars... she didn't have the pizazz of a Piston Cup Racer or the fancy paint job of Antonio or Costanzo... she appeared in the background and was content with that... just like the Donna who was a great friend to both my wife and I.
Here's a photo of Donna Pits opened:
Quiet and unassuming... better days behind her... but never complaining... just like our friend.
We've known Donna and her husband Robin for over 22 years... he took computer classes at the community college where I was teaching... he came to take a single course... and ended up continuing until he earned his Associate Degree in Computer Information Systems... he and I became great friends... when I went through a dark time in life after my first marriage ended in divorce, he was there for me... got me a spot in a bowling league... and when I decided it was time to start dating again, he encouraged me to ask out the nursing instructor who is now my wife... Robin and Donna did things with Terri and I and we became good friends... Their daughter was the same age as Terri's oldest son, 9... we all used to tease their daughter and our son about getting together but it never happened... When Terri and I married, Robin was my best man... I ended up moving to his bowling team when the league reorganized after several people and teams left and I needed a team to bowl on... we'd get together and watch every WCW (Pro Wrestling) pay per view and the main 4 WWF pay per views... Donna would often come out and she and my wife would scrapbook together... and even when we stopped watching the wrestling shows, Donna and my wife (and other friends) would get together once a month and scrapbook.
When Donna and Robin had a son 13 years after their daughter was born, we were asked to be the godparents... it was a great tribute... we were close... and then cancer came... we couldn't get together as often because of the treatments... but she never complained... her faith was amazing... after a few years she was cancer free... and then it came back... after a few more years, she was cancer free again... and then it came back... the last time it came back it was over 15 years after the first diagnosis... they tried a new kind of treatment but by now it had spread to other areas and was very widespread and she was weak... and ready to be free from the pain... Her faith was strong even if her body was not... I complain when I don't find new Cars to buy or my elbow hurts... she never complained.
She was 52 when she died this week... 4 months younger than me... it seems so unfair... but I know she's in a better place now and she is no longer in pain... I'll remember all the good times from the 22 years of friendship and not the last few visits where she wasn't the Donna that we'd known all these years because the cancer had robbed her of her strength but not her caring and love for her family and friends... she was more concerned about others than she was herself... even up to the end.
This coming week I'll be serving as a pall bearer at her funeral and paying my respects... My wife and I will be there for her husband, son, daughter, and grandchildren.
Life is short... enjoy and treasure your time with your family and friends.
Comment