Sad tonight.

I'm sad for a friend tonight. She's been on my mind a lot lately. We're fairly new friends. But already, it's easy to see that she's the kind of friend who just makes the world a better place. She's quiet, and witty, and funny. She was a teacher at my children's school, until the middle of the year last year. She's a mother to a set of twins about to enter their last year of high school, a beautiful teenage girl in her first year of high school and a 7 year old girl.

She was supposed to be Mason's kindergarten teacher this year. But then her name was removed from the class list. And word on the street was that she was taking a leave of absence. No one knew why. There were rumours, but I didn't believe them.

So, as of fairly recently, we've struck up a friendship. She's just the sweetest person. And yet so different than me. She's not on facebook, she rarely checks email. Her oldest children are twice the age of my oldest child. She's from the Maritimes. But she really is just Good People. She has a caring heart.

For a few days now I have been wondering what her story is. Why she had to take a leave. Why, when I asked if she would be returning next year, she couldn't give me an answer. I didn't push. I just wondered. And the friendship grew. And us younger Mom's shocked her with our sense of humour. And we made her laugh at vajazzling. And we welcomed her without knowing her story, and it didn't matter.

And today she found out that she has lost her job for next year. And after she dropped that bombshell on me, and we hugged and growled and tried not to cry about it, we walked in the direction of home. And that's when she said to me, "Well, at least I get to see some old friends in Toronto tomorrow." I said "That's Great!! Something to cheer you up." To which she replied, "yeah, real cheerful, 'here! have some Chemo, now go try to eat.'" then she laughed, and walked off towards her house. And now I know her story.

And I am so sad. Cancer sucks.

My grandpa is sick too. He's been in the hospital for about a week. Pneumonia is the main thing, but his bowels aren't working properly, and he seems to be declining fast. His Alzheimer's/Dementia is getting worse by the hour it seems, and his body isn't functioning properly. My step Mom and her siblings are starting to wonder if the cancer is back with him too. And I am so sad. Cancer sucks so bad.

Fuck you Cancer.