Last month an opportunity arose for my husband and me to travel to Milan. So we went to Italy for 10 days, returning late last night. Relationship-defining memories were stirred and made.
When I was 24 years old and a medical student, my then-boyfriend (Ted) and I walked the trails of Muir Woods. I was doing an externship in radiation oncology at Stanford University Medical Center. Romantic and optimistic, Ted and I felt deeply connected to each other in the sanctuary under the canopy of trees.
When I was 36 years old and a lymphoma patient, Ted (my now-husband) and I walked the trails of Muir Woods once again. This time, I was about to be the 15th person ever to receive a monoclonal antibody treatment in a Phase I clinical trial at Stanford University Medical Center. Frightened and cautiously optimistic, Ted and I hoped and prayed under the canopy of trees.
Three days ago, when I was 54 years old and a longterm survivor (currently in remission), Ted and I walked the trails of Tirol in northern Italy. We marveled at our 30 years of marriage, in sickness and in health. Knowing we will face future trials and hopeful we will walk future trails, we gave thanks under the canopy of trees.
Beautiful, just beautiful!
Posted by: Julie | June 20, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Fabulous! Congratulations on everything. Sounds like a wonderful trip and a chance to remember with fondness all that came before....
Wonderful.
Posted by: kate | June 20, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Jeanne M Hannah | June 21, 2009 at 05:53 AM
I am so happy for you. You deserved a wonderful break like that.
Posted by: Jessie | June 21, 2009 at 08:29 AM
Sounds llke a dream vacation, packed with memories. Glad you got to do it. Lovely photo.
Posted by: Ronni Gordon | June 21, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Oh wow! There is poetry in the parallelism:)
Posted by: Felicity Lenes | June 22, 2009 at 01:45 PM
That is amazing - thanks for sharing! The photo is beautiful. I'm so glad you had a great trip and can't wait to hear more about it!
Posted by: Christine | June 22, 2009 at 05:40 PM
Dear Christine,
I am touched by your (and others') expressions of happiness about my special trip. I will compose some blog posts as they relate to Healthy Survivorship. With hope, Wendy
Posted by: Wendy S. Harpham, M.D. | June 22, 2009 at 05:43 PM
Wendy,
I am so happy that you and Ted had this wonderful time together!
Keep on making those happy memeories...in small ways as well as the big ones.
Posted by: Debbie | June 23, 2009 at 09:31 PM
What a wonderful story! I'm hopeful my husband and I will some day have 30 years of memories of this crazy, wonderful journey. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Posted by: Susan Scibilia | July 13, 2009 at 05:13 PM
Dear Susan,
Sharing is always good, but it is so much more fun to share good news and joyous times!
Wishing you a multitude of moments for creating happy memories. With hope, Wendy
Posted by: Wendy S. Harpham, MD | July 13, 2009 at 05:17 PM