Monday, December 20, 2010

Hard Times in The Hood, Updated, HURRAY!

On Google maps, there's a little "real estate" box you can tick, and it will show you all the houses around a particular address that are in various stages of foreclosure.  It is very eye-opening.  You can zoom out and back and see all the little orange dots appear, each one representing a "distressed homeowner," as the realtors' details term them.  There sure are a lot of distressed people.

In doing this I found out that my very own neighbor, Rebel Yelling Mom--who long-time blog readers may remember--her house is going to be sold at auction.  We don't talk so I didn't know, but I imagine this is not what they wanted to have happen.

I wish we were buying a house now instead of in 2006.

And speaking of distressed people, my mind is occupied tonight with thoughts of our very own Normal Neighbor, my friend, who has to have a breast biopsy in the morning.  She is pretty worried, as you can imagine.  I believe that it will turn out to be fine, but I hate that she has to go through it, both the procedure and the anxiety of waiting for the results.  I couldn't even say very much to her about it.  I didn't want to say, "Man, that biopsy is going to hurt."  I just told her that it would most likely be fine, and it will.

I was trying to figure out if knowing me--and watching me go through all the junk I had to do in the last nine months--would be reassuring to her as she deals with this anxiety, or would have the opposite effect.  I asked Pretty Neighbor what she thought and she said she didn't know. I don't either.  Obviously I am still here and feeling great, so that's an encouraging truth, but Normal Neighbor had a front-row seat for all the difficult and downer moments along the way.  I hate that she has to go through this moment of fear.  I'll keep you posted.

Hard times all over.

xoxo
Me

Finally, edited to add: Normal Neighbor got the all-clear on her biopsy.  Before she heard, she told me that during the procedure, the radiologist told her that the mass didn't look malignant.  NN said, "But I guess they say that to everybody."  I was like, "Oh no they don't!"  During my biopsy the radiologist said, "Huh, that looks weird."  Awesome feeling, that was.  


And a bone scan I had for utterly no reason on Tuesday was also clean.  You see, one thing I like to do for the holidays is submit myself to medical testing that carries a slim, slim chance of finding anything wrong with me but that nonetheless gives me 48 hours of anxiety and gloom.  Sugarplums! Remind me not to do that again unless I have a really, really good reason.  


Now I am off to Costco (now that's what's crazy) to get a poinsettia and to open a bottle of wine actually in the aisle, right between the bagels and the rechargeable batteries.  


I love you all.
b

26 comments:

Sjn said...

I have a good friend of 3 years that I golf with. Coincidentally, she's also had the same VATS procedure from my same surgeon at Emory. I have found her quite a comfort through all this. She told me what to expect the first time and it did help with the anxiety. She did hold back though on how much that @#*&! chest tube would hurt. She also advised me to get an epidural which my Doc agreed to this time. We talk about things only cancer patients would think about and we're a comfort to each other. God sure brings people together.
I know you'll be there for NN. I think having watched you survive it all does help her. But she'll have her own anxiety. Tell her the truth, don't hold back. It's better to be prepared, at least I think so. She'll gain strength from you.

Jenni said...

Those are some hard times. Fingers crossed that NN gets the all clear.

Veronica said...

Here's hoping NN is a-okay! I'm sure that knowing you & your survival story is a help to her, even if it grounds some of her fears in reality at the same time.

delaine said...

Oh dear, I am sorry she's going through this anxiety too. I will pray for her as I have prayed for you.

Kelly said...

Gosh, I think mom said it all. Sending prayers her way!

Elizabeth said...

I do hope normal neighbor is all right. I had to do the same a couple of years ago right before Christmas, and it was awful. I imagine that your resilience would be nothing but hopeful for your neighbor.

Anonymous said...

I hope your friend is okay.

My 34 year old dear friend just had a masectomy with a grade 3 tumour during the second trimester of her second pregnancy and I sent her straight here to read your experiences and positive prognosis.

Elle said...

Hey, beautiful, I am thinking of you all. xo

Michele R said...

My heart does ache for hard times. Georgia has some of the hardest foreclosure laws in the country.
I hope that NN gets some good news soon!

KathyS said...

You're such a good soul to think about others! But knowing that your neighbor has folks who care about her is likely to make the whole experience a bit more bearable. I'll send good thoughts her way, too!

My mom just got a biopsy last week, BTW, and I'm so happy to report that she is absolutely okay.

Megan said...

So very sorry to hear about both of your neighbors who are dealing with their own personal distress right now.

As for NN (fingers crossed for her), I would think that knowing what you went through would be something of a comfort if only in that it takes some of the "unknown" out of the equation. Sometimes the scariest thing is not knowing what will happen or feeling like you're the only one who's been through something. She's lucky to have a friend in you.

M said...

Like yours, my neighborhood has had some tough times this month, beginning when my dear next door neighbor came over one night to ask my daughter to watch their cat when they left for the west coast. This upon learning that their eldest son had passed away, unexpectedly and inexplicably, leaving behind a 12 and a 14-year-old. Heart-wrenching to say the least.

No better time than Christmas to send good thoughts, kindnesses, and prayers to all of those we know (and don't know) who might be suffering losses of all kinds. To that end, I'll be keeping your Sub Mat folks in mind.

Becky said...

Thank you, guys! Kathy, that is good news about your mom. I just talked to NN and she said it didn't hurt at all, and I was like, "Really? Great!"

Bettina, I am so sorry your friend is going through all that. A mastectomy while pregnant, whew. The Young Survival Coalition website (http://www.youngsurvival.org/) has a lot of good info and a community of people who have dealt with pregnancy and breastfeeding and breast cancer. It is a lot for her to handle, my heart goes out to her.

Keely said...

Having someone who KNOWS the anxiety is probably helpful to her. I don't know her so I can't comment on whether she'd want all the gory details to be 'prepared' or would rather be blissfully ignorant, though. I'm glad to hear it didn't hurt for her.

Amy said...

Praying for Normal Neighbor. Cancer seems far too "normal", doesn't it? I know you are and will be a blessing to her. Xo

Erika W said...

I was doing some work at my local coffee shop yesterday and a guy working at the table behind me had on a black shirt with big pink letters that said:

FUCK
CANCER

As I was leaving I said, "I like your shirt."

He smiled.

Jessica Gottlieb said...

It's probably both.

I have a condition now that I knew a little bit about before my own diagnosis. Although it's good to see people on the other side, anticipating and dreading some of the side effects was a little worse.

FYI the word verification for this comment is "perkies". Clearly I'm supposed to be talking more about boobs.

Elizabeth-FlourishinProgress said...

Wishing and hoping that everything is a-ok with Normal Neighbor. And thankful that she has you to get guidance, support and a real "I know what you mean" if the not-so-good happens.

Amy said...

That's great news! I'm so glad they could let her know before everything shuts down for Christmas. And I didn't know about your bone scan...but I'm glad everything is ok. Xo

The Stiletto Mom said...

Happy happy holidays Becky! I'm so glad your friend is okay but sorry to hear about your neighbor, it's tough for everyone right now I think.

I'm so glad you got through this year, and I can't wait to see you later in January. You are such an amazing woman and I'm so glad I've gotten to know you the little bit I have.

See you soon!!!

xo

Michelle said...

Yay for NN! And yay for clear bone scans! Sad for RYM and the housing market.

Have a Merry Christmas!

(Ha - word verification is grumpe. Since I woke up at 4:15 am for no reason, I might just be a little bit grumpe, but it's Christmas Eve, so I'm gonna go with child-like excitement prohibiting sleep...)

Veronica said...

Hurray for NN! Merry Christmas.

Summer said...

Becky, I have been reading you blog off and on for a long while - I always feel like a weird stalker reading blogs of folks I don't know. I have just been diagnosed with breast cancer and reading your posts has been so comforting. Thank you for sharing so much.

Becky said...

Summer, I am so sorry this is happening to you. If you ever want to vent or have questions, email me at suburbanmatron at gmail. Best wishes to you!

Jen said...

Very glad to hear the good news about the bone scan.

adam clean said...

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