U Rah Rah Boylan High School

Dear Hope,

I am so touched at how so many of Lori’s high school friends and some of my own have reached out to let us know they are praying for our family. Being in contact with all of these former Titans brings back a lot of great memories. Those were the times when the crisis of our lives revolved around your date to the Sadie Hawkins Dance or which shoes and socks you were going to wear to make your statement of individuality amongst the polyester uniforms. Those were the good old days. But at the time I could hardly recognize it as GOOD.

Here’s the deal, when you are the younger sister of a very smart, very beautiful and very talented student…there are big shoes to fill. Then you throw in the fact that I was only ONE year younger than Lori, so I was literally walking in her footsteps as I began and continued my high school career. I remember Mr. Davies handing me my D+ midterm in geometry and asking if I REALLY was Lori’s younger sister. I am thankful that some teachers did not notice that I “recycled” some of Lori’s final papers…(gotcha Mr. Bodner) and I regret the fact that some did! (Note to self, Mrs. Voights is a wiz at psychology AND has a photographic memory!) Anyway, no matter what anyone said to me, I could never be insecure about being Lori’s sister simply because she NEVER made me feel that I was less than her. She even downplayed some really amazing accomplishments that I would have happily showed off in her face it were me! Like, the time she was in The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for poms. She came home as if nothing happened and I was the one who had to pull out every piece of detail from her so that I could make myself think that I was right there with her. That is just the kind of person she was back then. She never looked at life too seriously and took things as they came. I don’t remember her stressing out over anything or getting caught up in the drama of high school life. I guess somethings have not changed..because come to think of it, she is still that same person. One week post chemo and she has not let the drama of cancer take over her life. Sure she is doing some extra things to take care of herself, plenty of rest and taking advantage of those who come and visit and help out. (trust me..she is not gonna say no if you offer to do a load of laundry). But Lori continues to be the calm, serene person while I call her everyday and grill her for every bit of information so that I can feel like I really am going through this with her. I can tell immediately when she answers the phone whether or not she is having a good day. I hold my breath when the phone rings and I sigh in relief when I hear her say “Hi” in her sing songy voice. Today when I called her she told me all about her pedicure and how excited she was that the shoes she ordered online had finally arrived. Pampering herself and online shopping...same old Lori. She may have cancer...but cancer DOES NOT have her.