Over the past 2 years I spent a lot to time with my sweet childhood friend Melissa Waller as her caregiver. I got the amazing opportunity to be by her side through her fight with stage 4 lung cancer. She was an amazing fighter and really did not complain much. Of course the terms of this condition weighed heavy on her as she had to make many decisions and knew that her life was being cut short. But all in all she stayed true and positive through this horrific disease. I often thought of her mom who also lost the fight of cancer. I'll never forget the last time I was with her mom and hearing her talk of skiing again and not letting this disease define her. Melissa had the same outlook on life which I know stemmed from her mothers example.
My heart aches to think that the Waller family has lost two of their close family members to cancer. Through this experience I learned what mourning with those who mourn means. I truly felt like I lost of part of me. I felt much comfort in being there for her family and in the understanding of God's plan for us and knowing, with out a doubt, that the part of me I lost the day she died will again be together when it is my turn to move on from this mortal life. I am forever grateful for the kindness that was given to me from the Waller family. They truly treated me as their own family member and I was honored to be able to be with her through her last breaths. She died on a beautiful Arizona day which happened to be Thanksgiving. The feeling that she was not alone as she left her body was undeniable. Everyone who was in the room with her knew and felt that her mother was there to assist her on to her new beginning. I personally felt the Spirit of God very strongly through out that last week with her. We shared much of our young life together and I am touched by the love that Melissa and her family showed me during those years.
Here we are the last time I got to spend one on one time with her in September. This was the last time I really communicated with her. We had a great time that week. She dolled me up with a "Melissa" makeover from head to toes. Then we went out to her favorite restaurant Postinos in Phoenix. On this trip I brought all these letters she had written me after her family moved to Park City. We used to write each other about twice a week. The letters made her laugh so hard. We laughed for a good hour and a half reading and talking about how silly we were in our early years. I am so glad I made this trip.
This is us back in 1992 shortly after they moved to Park City. I flew down and spent two weeks with Melissa and her family. I arrived to a welcome banner that the family made for me, taped to the garage door (I still have this in my scrapbook).
Here we are about two years before the last picture at the Waller's home in Washington. This was the beginning of the many "Melissa makeovers" that I had. Her mom was so patient with us when we got into her bathroom and closet. We used to love to sit in these "spinning chairs" in their front room to spin and talk. Around this time I was ridding my bike to her house every morning to french braid her hair, then we would ride to school.
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