So When Does Silver Turn to Gold?

My friend over a lifetime, Doris, called me yesterday. We communicate at least once a week.

In 2010  Doris was diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer. She never smoked, always took care of herself, eating properly and the like. Lung cancer is the last thing one would think would affect a person like her.

A stage-4 diagnosis doesn't offer much hope. It's virtually a death sentence with life expectancy at diagnosis being approximately eight months.

Four months ago, I wrote about Doris on this page: http://rjscott-dogloverrevealed.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-does-every-cloud-have-silver-lining.html

Yesterday Doris called to tell me how pleased she was with the Realtor that I recommended for her and her husband when they decided to sell their beautiful country rancher and downsize into an assisted living community where they purchased a smaller residence. Doris' husband, Ben, has had a decline in health which was the motivating factor in their decision to downsize. Their property was just too much to maintain (in-ground pool, large lot, long driveway for shoveling snow), etc.

They had closing on the sale yesterday, and they were extremely pleased with the way Jeff, their Realtor (http://lehighvalleyrealty.com/), handled everything. The buyers were the first people to see the home. There was no haggling over price or insisting that the sellers pay the buyers' portion of fees, etc. The process was seamless.

Jeff sold two of my previous homes. I vouched for him because he's extremely reliable. He got my asking price in both instances and  I couldn't be more pleased.

Doris and I kidded about her sending the check to me. I told her that I'd take good care of it; that I love spending money, especially if it's someone else's.

As we were bantering back and forth, Doris said, "Oh! I forgot to tell you. I went to the oncologist on Monday and got the results today. He said that there is no sign of cancer. Everything is clear." This was a cautionary check-up that followed equally good results last April.

It was almost as if the closing of the home overshadowed the wonderful news about her health. She hadn't even told her son yet. "I forgot," she admitted, sheepishly.

We both laughed over that.

I asked her if her hair had grown back fully since she'd gone through surgery, radiation and chemo treatments. She said it had; that it's thicker than ever, and curly.

If I had been able to see her, I'd say that she was "beaming" over the two joyous reasons for celebration that took place on the same day.

As I questioned in my earlier post regarding Doris, "Is there a silver lining in life's clouds?" I suppose in Doris' case the silver is in her hair. Her life now appears to be "golden."

Some stories do have happy endings!