Andrea and I had planned this trip to the shore months before she lost the ability to walk. My sister-in-law was nice enough to let us stay at her Ocean City place for the week. The 3 bedroom shore house suited our families perfectly. Just 3 weeks prior to our shore trip, Andrea was admitted to the hospital for pain. We never anticipated that she would spend 2 weeks there. When she was released 2 days before her birthday, she was determined to make that trip. If Andrea really wanted to meet us down the shore, I had to be upfront with her. I told Andrea that the house had alot of steps leading to the front door (Bryon carried her piggy-back). I told her that she had to make her way up 4 steps to get to the bathroom from the living room (she scooched up on her hiney). I wasn't trying to discourage her, but this adventure would test her physically. Bryon and I had to prepare for her visit. We called all over in search for a beach wheelchair. We purchased a lounge chair big enough to keep her feet out of the sand (she had to go to the beach). Bryon installed a new shower head so Andrea could sit in the shower. We accomplished all of these tasks. We were ready... so was Andrea.
Andrea could not drive, so my mom volunteered to drive my sister's blue Chevy Trailblazer to Ocean City, NJ from Warrington, PA... a huge accomplishment in itself. My mom won't drive on any major highways in her little black Saturn. Andrea was so proud of our mom! They arrived around 11:00am on Wednesday, September 1st. The plan was... go right to the beach. We dressed Alexa in the back of the Trailblazer and went to the beach. Bryon double-parked at 34th Street. My mom and I unloaded the kids, Bryon set-up the umbrella and chairs and trekked back to the car for Andrea. I can still see Bryon pushing Andrea on that wheelchair made of PVC pipe and huge tires. He carried her to her lounge chair, she made herself comfortable and smiled. Here comes my favorite part of that afternoon... Andrea pulls out her Blackberry to update her Facebook status. Bryon looks at her and says... "If you don't put that thing away, I'm gonna throw it in the ocean!!" Andrea responds..."it relaxes me." Bryon retorts..."You're on the beach. What's more relaxing than that!?!" Andrea sulks... "fine!" No more Blackberry after that conversation. On a side note, if you go back to that date on Andrea's Facebook page you can see her status update from the beach.
Andrea watched Alexa play in the ocean for the first time that day. Andrea insisted that Alexa wouldn't go in the ocean, so we didn't put a swim diaper on her. Her diaper was down to her knees after 5 minutes in the water. Alexa didn't mind. She had a blast with everyone!! When it was time for lunch, Bryon said he would run up to Blitz's Deli to grab hoagies. "What do you want, Andrea? How about a hoagie?" Andrea paused, thinks... "OK. Italian." She ate the entire thing!! Please understand, Andrea drastically changed her diet months prior. In a nutshell... NO BAD STUFF!!. She took a break from that diet for 2 days.
Wednesday evening we ventured up to the boardwalk. This was an eye-opening experience for me. It was challenging to maneuver the wheelchair through the crowds. Andrea nervously sat as people grazed her tender feet, sometimes yelling... "watch out!!" We were hungry... again. So we asked Andrea..."what do you want?" The answer: pizza. Now where do you go for pizza on the OC boardwalk? Mack and Manco's, of course. After "dinner"... rides!! After rides... Kohr Bros. ice cream!! After an exhausting day... bed.
Andrea and Alexa shared a room that night. Andrea's blood sugars were low that night. She'd been a diabetic since her pancreas surgery 2 years prior. As she settled in bed, I brought her orange juice to help elevate her blood sugar. I kept my cell phone by my side all night, just in case she needed me. She texted me first thing in the morning. I went in her room to see her... more orange juice. When I returned with the juice she told me that she'd slept pain-free all night. She was pain-free for the first time in over a month!! I guess you could call it beach therapy.
After breakfast at Kessel's Thursday morning, we took the kids to the playground. Shortly after, Andrea packed up and ventured back home.
I look back on those 2 days and I am amazed!! Amazed at what Andrea accomplished in a total of 26 hours. I never imagined that Andrea would be in hospice 3 weeks later. Never.
Andrea always lived life to the fullest. Always. Cancer or no cancer, she did what she wanted to do.
Lesson learned: Appreciate life every day. Live life to the fullest every day.
