Thanksgiving is traditionally my favorite holiday. Food, more food, and a day devoted to family and gratitude: it doesn’t get much richer than that. And the fact that I was born on Thanksgiving means that every few years the holiday coincides with my birthday.
This year represents a bit of a departure. Peter is in Mattapoisett with his dad, Meema, Grampy Don and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins. Jemesii spent the holiday in Boston with her boyfriend Justin; August in Ft. Collins with my sister Bink and her family. I am in Longmeadow with my friends Melinda, Kihan and their son Christopher.
Melinda has spent much of the day in the kitchen; I’ve been helping out with some side dishes and a rather feeble attempt at gravy. A malfunctioning oven threw us for a bit of a loop, but dinner was still delicious. Earlier in the day we’d watched a favorite little jewel of a Thanksgiving Movie, Pieces of April. Ironically, a malfunctioning oven is part of the plot line:
It’s been a lovely time and I am grateful for the care and company of dear friends. But I do miss my family on this day.
life and breath: outliving lung cancer 
Dearest Linnea,
And, thus a new tradition has begun … yet transcending the changes you have been through, are what you have kept so close to you during the past months of transitions.
Your gratefulness, compassion and empathy are the ‘rocks and lanterns’ you
share and, at times, give away to others who will need your warmth and love.
Be well, my friend.
Louise in Montreal
Dear Linnea – when words just dont come for me I turn to music. This Pali chant on metta (loving kindness) always brings me to a place of harmony often after it brings tears. I hope it does the same for you.
with love, Beryl
Ahh Linnea, we too had a new Thanksgiving here. My daughter-in-law prepared a wonderful meal and a beautiful table. I was a bit overwhelmed by how much I missed Steve on that day, but we had a lovely time. Our sons and Grandkids kept the tradition of a good, long hike after dinner and we shared sweet memories of past blessings. I am glad you had good friends to share your day. Each day is what we decide to make it. I am deciding to make the most of mine, it appears you are too. Stand Strong. Hedy
Linnea,
I have recently started to follow your blog. I am a newly diagnosed ALK stage IV diffuse lung adenocarcinoma with a femur metastasis (6-7-13). How I fell upon my diagnosis was that I was over 4 months pregnant (I was 35 at the time) and everyone thought that my shortness of breath and fatigue were related to my pregnancy despite being a very active person prior. To make a long 6 month story brief – my husband and I had to let our perfectly healthy baby boy go to start therapy as we were 17 weeks. I was placed on Crizotinib which was effective, however only for 3.5 months, I then was placed on a heat shock protein inhibitor infusion alone (no crizotinib) and the cancer roared its angry head in 1 week alone, which resulted in me being oxygen supplement dependent. With that they started me on more standard chemo – carboplatin and Alimta plus adding back in the crizotinib. I had 1 dose of each thus far and crizotinib daily. The plan is – when this stops working or doesn’t work I will – go back to the clinical trial option of a 2nd generation ALK inhibitor. My care is here in Colorado at the university with Dr. Ross Camidge – who has lots of ALK clinical trials. I’m in general a very positive person, but need some patient insight. I just happen to also be a veterinarian oncologist so scientifically I feel comfortable with that knowledge base. I am wondering if you would have any spare time to share your experiences with me on the phone or email. I would love to hear from you if you have any time.
Sincerely,
Kim