See Ya Next Tuesday

by Kay Heitsch

Life can happen so quickly it can make your head spin.

I met Ann in high school, where we attended a private boarding school. We stayed in touch over the years as I moved several times. We were both excited when I moved back to Michigan, and we now lived about 15 miles apart. Ann and I started to spend time together, including walking.

Ann was very much into healthful living. She would get online and take quizzes about how long you should live according to your healthy lifestyle. Ann would want me to take these too. After taking several, she determined we would both live to be over 100.

I smiled and would tell her, "Ann, I don't live a healthy lifestyle to live a long time. I do it to feel good each day." I'd remind her that Todd lived a healthy lifestyle and died suddenly in a car accident. I had a different perspective on life since Todd's death.

Ann had a daughter named Sara, with special needs, who lived in a group home. Every Tuesday night, Ann and I would go over to Sara's group home and lead the "kids" in dancing exercises. It was a fun time for everyone. One evening after the activities were over, I was getting into my car when Ann called out. "See Ya Next Tuesday!"

Before Tuesday arrived, I received a call from Ann. She was calling from the hospital. I was shocked! She told me that she had gone for a jog, taken a shower, and gotten into bed. The next thing she knew, she was in the hospital. Quite honestly, she said she didn't even remember how she had arrived at the hospital.

Well, when the next Tuesday came, I found myself sitting in a hospital waiting room. Ann's husband and I sat waiting for a doctor to come out and give us the results after Ann's brain surgery. When the doctor came out, the news was not good. He had to tell us Ann had a cancerous brain tumor. Ann died 6 months later.

Like Ann, we should do our best to live a healthy lifestyle, but that does not guarantee a long life. I still maintain that we should live a healthy lifestyle to feel good every day.

Life can happen quickly. You don't know what next Tuesday will bring.