My sister Jen sent me an email around the beginning of October asking me if I wanted to go for a weekend to visit family in Lancaster, Pa. It's a little bit more than four hours from here and I hadn't been there since my grandma and aunt died four years ago.
We have a cousin named Dave who has been battling Mesothelioma. His doctor told him a while ago that he has beaten the odds already. He has lived longer than any of his doctors previous patients with the same disease. We know our days may be numbered and wanted to visit him while we could.
My sister drove here on a Thursday night and we left for our destination on Friday. When we arrived our cousin didn't have a good day and spent a few grueling hours at the hospital so we didn't get to see him that day. We hung out with our aunt (his mom) and went to visit another uncle before dinner.
We went to check into our hotel at 9 that night and when we got there they said they didn't have our reservation and that the hotel had been booked for months! We were stranded. We didn't know what to do or where to go. We sat outside the hotel long enough that the girls at the desk felt bad for us. They came out and told us they had a few late check outs and that normally they wouldn't rent out the rooms, but that they would go and clean one so we could have a place to stay. It ended up being a smokers room so we booked it out of there Saturday morning, but at least we had a place to stay!!! After we got settled we went down to the bar, got some cokes, and went back to our room. I've never gone away for a girls weekend and this was so fun!!!
Saturday morning we got out of the hotel, and a few blocks away was a restaurant called The Red Rose that my grandma was a waitress at for thirty years, so we went there for breakfast. I don't ever remember going there as a kid so if was fun! One of the owners was there and came and talked to us. He worked with our grandma for about ten years he said. I learned some crazy things about my grandma that day, but was so glad to share a piece of her that day!!!
When we left the restaurant we went to visit our cousin. It was so good to visit with him and his wife and our aunt! It had been way too long. It's so hard to see those you love suffering, but his spirits are so strong and it's amazing he hasn't let anything drag him down. He's a very special person and he has such a lasting impression on anyone who meets him!!! I am truly blessed to be part of his family!!!
After we were there for way too long we left so he could rest. We then went back to our uncles to visit him one last time and then we headed back for my house! There were some fun things that happened on the way home, but I'll keep those secret!!!
I'm so thankful that my sister allowed the opportunity to go and visit! It's a weekend I'll remember forever!
My Aunt Yvonne, my sister Jen, cousin Dave, and Me!
My sister Jen, cousin Dave, and Me.
Dave and his wife Fran.
My Aunt, cousin, and his wife.
I love my aunt she's funny!
My uncle Ronnie, cousin Anita, and me!
My sister, cousin, and uncle.
My sister, me, and our uncle.
Our uncle has suffered from Kennedy's Disease for at least a decade. We are truly grateful that he is still with us today also! It's always great to see them also! It had been way too long!
