Blip.

This is Abby 

(and her husband, Tiff).

She is DRL's god-mother

for all intents

and purposes.

Elena calls her "Gramma Abby."

Stella will too.

As soon as she can talk, anyway.

This summer,

Tiff and Abby had planned a trip to visit us.

Then we found out they wouldn't be coming until Fall.

At least.

Abby,

you see,

had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

But before I had time to be scared

worry

cry

DRL and I received an email

from Tiff.

She was going to have a double mastectomy.

Maybe some chemo or radiation.

The prognosis was amazing.

And as Abby thought about it

more and more

a funny idea popped into her head,

"why let cancer ruin my summer?

I didn't get to choose to this disease

but I can choose how I fight it."

So she talked to her doctors,

and the decision was made.

A double mastectomy.

No reconstruction.

No Chemo.

No Radiation.

No 

Ruined

Summer.

The surgery was a success.

Almost as soon as she was diagnosed

she was

cured.

Cancer Free.

Boobless,

yes,

but cancer free.

Susan G. Komen may not have been able to save

Abby's Ta-Ta's

but with early detection

modern medical technology

and a patient with a finger 

ok, well, a fist, really

on the pulse of her own care

her cancer was a blip on the radar screen of her life.

And okay,

maybe I lied a little.

I did cry. 

But only for a moment,

when I first heard the news.

And then I talked to Abby

I heard her voice.

There was never 

any

fear.

Not even a trace of it.

For one ounce of her bravery

I would pay a king's ransom.

Abby,

We love you.

As your granddaughter would say,

Forever and ever.

And still a day more.

We're glad it was a blip.

We're happy you're here.

Really

really

happy.

And we're glad you got to visit us in Austin.

We had an amazing time.

Cheers,

A