Cathi

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Many in our local breast cancer group, including me, have just learned that a group member and our friend, Cathi Thomas, died recently. Cathi for years fought ovarian cancer and long had been in remission. She didn’t attend our cancer meetings every week but showed up enough to be known and appreciated. Cathi stayed busy with many interests. She was a careful planner who seemed sometimes in a hurry to move on to her next stop. Activities high on her list included bird-watching, traveling, and attending concerts (she loved a recent Lady Gaga event in the Tri Cities), and sharing activities with her adult children.

She first captured my attention after her return from an Hawaiian vacation, while she described renting a car, asking around, driving to recommended spots for bird watching, and seeing fabulous birds. I introduced myself as a fellow bird admirer and we became friends. She stayed active with local bird watching groups and always let me know when special birds were nearby, where to find and how best to watch them. Last year, a rare trumpeter swan landed locally and made more news by hanging around. Cathi was excited, found the bird and told me where, took a camera, and hurried to photograph it.

Our informal cancer group for years has met regularly, welcoming anyone with a cancer issue. Some attendees actively battle the disease, others are in remission. Long-time regulars hold the group together, keep its weekly meetings going. Members are in various stages, from actively battling cancer to being in remission. The group isn’t exclusive to breast cancer, some have other cancers. In the years that I participated, we lost a few friends, and periodic losses, even those anticipated, are sorrowful blows.

One day not long ago, while I was working at Costco (my part-time job), Cathi came into the store and paused a few minutes to chat with me. This time, she said that she’d just been rediagnosed with a renewed and aggressive ovarian cancer. Her serious condition demanded rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. “I’ve already done all that,” she said, “and I’m not going through it again.” She looked at me, said clearly, “I’m chosing palliative care.” Unsure what to say, I hugged her. That was the last time I saw Cathi.

Recently, I learned that during Cathi’s final weeks, she actively gathered others with ovarian cancer and started a group for that disease, participating until her death. Recently, the ovarian group celebrated Cathi’s life by gathering at her favorite pub. Maybe the breast cancer group will plan an event for Cathi, to remember and say goodbye.

Dear Readers, have a good day, appreciate and enjoy friends. Diana