Anna's Army...

My other family.

One of my best friends, Anna, was diagnosed with breast cancer back in May.  I won't talk too much about it here.  It is, after all, her story, but a Jac, Kes and I got to join her parents and boyfriend up in New York for her third chemo session in late October. 

The trip was a bit of a whirlwind.  We all arrived on a Saturday and left Tuesday, which is sort of a random time to go anywhere.  But it totally worked.  We even had time to go to the Today Show with signs supporting Anna's Army, and for Jac and I to accidentally end up on an express train to Harlem.  Because of course that happened.

Looking a little rough on the subway (coming back from Harlem),
but - to be fair - Kes had us up at 5:30 that morning.

(Jac and I have been besties since our first day of high school, and so far we have twenty years of misadventures to keep us entertained in our old age.  She won't remember them, but that's why I'm around.  ;P )

As for Anna, she's always been like a second little sister to me.  Jac and I used to babysit her when she was little, and she was in my wedding.  I'm so proud of how well she's been doing (can you imagine a cancer diagnosis?  At 25?).  She's handled the last six months with a strength and grace well beyond her age.

It makes me so grateful, that - even after all these years (or maybe because of all these years?) - we can still get together, regardless of the distance and circumstances, and laugh like we've never been apart.  True, there were tears that weekend in NYC.  How could there not be with cancer being the reason for this particular reunion?  But there was significantly more laughter.  And isn't that always the best medicine?

Stay strong, Little Bonzi!

Note:  I'm posting this on November 17th - the date of Anna's fourth and final chemo treatment.