Monday, May 5, 2014

My New Life Starts

I spent a few weeks in Arizona, then came back to New York to start looking at what clinical trials were going on. I had met a guy in Arizona that I really liked but I knew that I was going home to New York, so we just became friends & nothing more. I had found a clinical trial for a new oral medication, so I inquired about it & they put me on the list since I met all the criteria for it. Then they kept pushing the start date back further & further, so I decided to start looking at other options. I came across another one that seemed more promising than that one & made the inquiry. Wouldn't you know it was in Arizona. They asked me to come out for the testing to meet with the additional criteria, so I packed my bags & off to Phoenix I went.

Dad met me at the airport & this time I didn't have the apprehension that I did the last time. We went to have lunch at one of our favorite places & then home to get me settled in. That evening we went to a meeting & it was like being at home. Familiar faces & friends, I couldn't ask for more. Two days later I went for my appointment. They were wonderful, but due to an injury I had & they had done a cortisone injection into my knee, I had to wait another 30 days for them to do my blood work. So instead of going back to New York I just stayed put.

The days seemed to fly by. We were always doing something or going somewhere. I finally went for the blood work & the had a really hard time getting it all due to my crappy veins, but 8 sticks & 20 tubes later we got it all. Ugh!!! I met with the Dr again & he proceeded to tell me that if I do participate in the trial that I need to come in every 6 weeks for screenings & such. So now it was decision time for me. I went home & talked to Dad about it. He said "Well kid, it's your choice what you want to do. I can't make that decision for you." A lot of help he was. I called my mother & told her about my dilemma & she said "You want my honest opinion" I said "Yes, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't". She said "Pack your stuff  & go! Honestly you're no good to yourself or anyone else being here in New York. Physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually you're better off out there." Of
course my first thought was "thanks mom love you too" (dripping with sarcasm) but I knew she was
right in a lot of ways. The warmth agreed with me & the winters in New York were brutal on me. I came back to New York & started packing.

I moved out to Arizona in January of 2007. That guy that I had become friends with the previous year, well we got seriously involved. Charlie & I had a fairy tale romance so to speak. At the end of March I flew back to New York for my fathers wedding. While I was in New York Charlie & I had several phone conversations & I got the feeling that he was planning something but all he would tell me was that he had a surprise for me when I got back. I couldn't wait to get back anyway, I missed the warm weather, but most of all I missed him. I left the day after the wedding to go back to Arizona. Before I left I had given Charlie a coin that I always kept with me that had its own holder that I kept on a keychain & told him that it was his insurance policy that I would be back.

When the plane landed I could barely contain my excitement to be back home & to see him. I couldn't wait to get off the plane. As soon as my feet hit the airport floor I started running. I didn't have to call, I knew exactly where he was & I ran right to him. It seems so silly looking back at it now. It's almost like all of those cheesy romance movies you see when couples see each other when one comes off the airplane. I'd do it all again if I could too. It was like no one else in the world existed except the two of us at that moment. We kissed & hugged & we walked down to the baggage claim area to get the rest of my luggage. We went outside to have a cigarette since it was going to be a little while for my luggage. We stood there talking & laughing, then he reached into his pocket. He got a really serious look on his face & he pulled out the coin with the coin holder. He looked at me & said "Since you're back, I guess I don't need this insurance policy anymore." Then he put it in my hand. He said "but I would like to make a lifetime policy" & he turned the coin holder over in my hand, got down on one knee & said "will you marry me?" In my coin holder was an engagement ring along with my coin. At first I couldn't say anything but shake my head yes as the tears started to come down my cheeks. When he got up & put his arms around me, I knew that I was marrying the man that I had always been meant to marry. I was marrying my true love.

We went in to get my luggage after he put the ring on my finger. We got my bag & went to the car. I
was smiling from ear to ear & felt like I was living in my own fairy tale. We went & had dinner, then he brought me home. Dad was still awake, so we told him the news. He was happy for us & of course he had to make a wisecrack comment "good now you can put up with her!". We all laughed. We went to see his mom the next day & she was happy. Especially when I asked her to go dress shopping with me. Now we just needed to plan a date.

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