A True Survivor

Let me tell you a little story.

We met at Skeeter Barnes BBQ, the restaurant we worked at in college in Kearney, NE. (I met most of my dearest friends there.) I was 20 years old. She was 21. One night, she and a couple of other girls we worked with were getting together after work at her place to hang out. She invited me. I went. We had a blast. Honestly, from that day on, we hung out almost every night. We got an apartment together about six months later, along with a third friend. By then, I had turned 21 as well, and we had a routine. Work, home, shower, Cunningham’s. (A bar in Kearney.)

Those years were some of the best of my life. We have so many memories. She truly became one of my family.

One day, she came home and told us she was pregnant. She was scared, and so were we, but we stood by each other, and 9 months later our first “nephew” was born…Aydan.

She moved in with her boyfriend and they had a happy little family. We began to grow apart, which tends to happen when kids enter the picture. We were still friends, but it was different.

About a year later, we all got together for our annual girl’s Christmas. (No matter what’s going on in our lives, the five of us friends get together once a year to celebrate the holiday and our friendship.) She had some news for us. She had cancer.

It was such a scary word, but for some reason, we all took it in stride. It wasn’t long before we realized the severity of the situation. She began to lose weight. She lost her hair. She lost all of her female organs….thank God for our little miracle, Aydan.

But she didn’t lose her hope. We all rallied around her and renewed the strength of our friendship to be by her side to help her fight. She fought the battle of her life, and at times we were all terrified for the worst.

We promised her that once she beat cancer, we would celebrate by going to Vegas.

We fulfilled our promise the following year when she was told she was in remission. We all got tattoos to mark our unique and lasting friendship, and to remind us of the battle we just won.

She has continued to fight, and yesterday, on Aydan’s 6^th birthday, she was told she is officially cancer-free. She has beat the most evil disease on the planet.

Her name is April. She’s a fighter, and I’m proud to call her my friend.

This year, on the 9^th annual Girl’s Christmas, we have more than just Jesus’ birthday to celebrate.

Girl's Christmas 2006: Irish, me, McGee, April, Shiloh. April told me she had cancer that day.

Girl's Christmas 2007: Me, Irish, McGee, Shiloh, and April in front. April was fighting for her life at this point.

Girl's Christmas 2008: Shiloh, April, McGee, and me. (Irish was there in spirit) April was in remission. Her  hair was growing back.

Girl's Christmas 2010: April and Irish in front, McGee, Shiloh and I in back. Irish and I were both pregnant here. Hence the pajama party.