We All Scream for Ice Cream!

There’s a story behind these photos…

I am a member of an online photography forum that is near and dear to my heart, called ClickinMoms. It’s a wonderful group of mostly women of all skill levels–our common link is that we share a passion for photography. When you are actively involved in a community like that, you find yourself in the unusual position of sharing in the lives of people you’ve never met, people who become more than just names and avatars to you. Over the last few months one in particular has prominently featured in my thoughts. She is a young mother, younger than I am, a non-smoker, who was tentatively diagnosed with lung cancer. Started by a single post on the board eloquently expressing the turmoil in her heart, the theme all of us eating ice cream together across the miles has come to symbolize to us her both her struggle and our collective prayers for a long and happy future for her and her family.

Today was her surgery, and in the days leading up to this my thoughts have turned more and more toward her. I felt helpless, and I wanted to feel like I was doing something to brighten this time for her. Emily and I brainstormed, and we decided that maybe we could all post photos on the board with a theme of ice cream. Here’s what Emily and I came up with, while having ice cream for lunch today in honor of Lisa:

I admit, the smiles came much more easily when her husband posted earlier today that there is tentatively great news: The surgeon this morning didn’t think it looked like cancer! I don’t think her oncologist has told them anything definitive yet, and she was still in surgery then and nothing has been posted since, but we are keeping her and her family in our hearts…

I will come back and edit this post when I know more!

**Update!!** It’s official: It’s not cancer!!!! She has what’s called “interstitial pneumonitis”, which is a lung disease that will need to be monitored, but is not life-threatening. She’ll be in the hospital for a few more days recovering from a difficult surgery, but then she will get to return to the happy (and oh-so-relieved) arms of her family!