It was easy to guess when it was New Year’s Eve since squad cars began pulling the daring speeders over early on State Route 309 as I made my way to still another appointment. It’s one of those times again. Holidays and medical appointments.

Rats!

This time, I'll get to compare how St. Luke's Medical System handles breast cancer as opposed to how Temple University handles lung cancer. So far, it is jaw-droppingly different. While Temple is a world leader in robotic lung surgery and my lobectomy outcome two years ago there was satisfactory, the pre- and post-op care was MIA unless you want to call the life-sized, stuffed, hot pink lungs the nursing staff signed, post-op care. Those made it into Quakertown's garbage collection. What can I say; I was mad that a part of one lung was missing and didn't know until a couple weeks later that there was no cancer.

But, removing a small, biopsied, cancerous lump from my breast in St. Luke's well-oiled, pre-op, so far, is exactly opposite. I've been given an inch-thick breast cancer manual to read; all necessary outpatient surgery appointments are made by a coordinator; three different social work sources have phoned, two to check if I am faring alright emotionally and detailing the service available to me, one to make sure I had transportation; another call came that all instructions, lab orders, and directions were being FedEx-ed to my address; and I was mailed a hot pink journal to write down my thoughts and questions. (I put it in the Goodwill donation bag.)

Maybe, it is all the awareness around breast cancer that has taken place over the past few decades that explains this world-class patient treatment. And maybe it is St. Luke's system. Or both.

At first, I was kind of numb. Again! I'm thinking to myself. That's three Decembers out of the last four that a big deal diagnosis ker-flopped smack in my path. It was hard to concentrate for awhile. Yes, there are emotional stages. Not because it's breast cancer so much it seems for me, but because it comes so soon after feeling (more than thinking) I'm out of the woods. That leads to those end-of-life thoughts and I start to wonder if I've got my will up to date enough.

Then, Keoni, Aidan, and Seth played such a beautiful concert at the church a week ago Saturday. Not just because it's my grandsons and Seth playing, though I'm still enchanted every time they make music, but it seems so personal played in a smaller setting, as though something greater that can't be explained is taking place. Sometimes, a moment like that is so full there is nothing possible to make it any better.

That's when the darkness began to lift. I could tell because it was so easy to become weepy. Then, a couple conversations with friends, and after that I could see again the world is spinning on its axis just fine, something really is in the back of beyond. Yes, geese are moving through the sky honking to each other, fat squirrels and birds dine on the manna scattered for them every day, and the year is new again.

What good friends there are! Some have already stepped up, and more let me know they are at the ready, including my dear family. All, all of them.

Nothing can possibly make it any better.