Sometimes things don't go as planned....

...and usually after the fact, you realize why it was meant to be that way. We left on schedule for our R&R weekend and it actually started out wonderfully - we spend the day Saturday at the pool,

had lunch, caught up on our "things to talk about list" and even got an ice cream cone. As I was finishing up my 90 minute massage, a loud knock on the door gave way to an emergency with my best friend and she was on her way to the hospital via ambulance. In a few short minutes, we went from the above solitude to Dorchester Hospital and later to Easton Hospital where we spent the night together.


By 1am, T was in emergency surgery for an ectopic/tubal pregnancy. It is beyond me how ironic this is, for so many reasons. It was one of the more sad times I've ever spent with my best friend - but one that I would never have wanted to be any place else for; for her sake. Having been down that road, I know how painful (physically and emotionally) this is and it was actually a blessing that it happened at such a time when we were together, without our kids.

It was certainly a pigeon moment (or night) I should say. I couldn't help but think of how glad I was to be there with her as she went through such a gamut of emotion - she was scared, sad, devastated, shocked, heart broken and over-ridden with pain, all at the same time. My only wish was that I could have been in her place so one more person didn't need to suffer through an ectopic loss, which I know all too well.

As we waited, hour by hour for a prognosis and then plan, we cried together, complained about the doctors and nurses, and marveled at how ironic this was. All the while, the hours ticked by. At 2:30am we were finally settled in to a room, post surgery - she in a bed and me on a cot.

The last time we did this girls getaway, it was just after my 2nd ectopic pregnancy. It was a "cheer me up" trip. And here we were, there again, only she was the patient this time. It was meant to be that way, obviously. Although it's never easy to go through something like that without your spouse, the next best thing has got to be a girlfriend - and one who has been there and knows the drill. Although our girls weekend was not as we intended for it to be, I would not have wanted to be anywhere else, considering the circumstances.

T, you were so strong. And as you said, we have been through a lot - but it always turns out ok. If we stop and look around at how much we have, we are so blessed. I sent a special request up to my little angel in heaven last night as you rolled into the OR and I know he embraced that little soul that you lost last night. What a night my friend - one we will never forget; yet one we would like to forget. Either way, you came through like a champ; every day from here on out, will give way to a bit more healing. This too shall pass, but not without another footprint on your heart...

**EDIT: Just to make this whole thing a little bit more ironic, when I checked my calendar this morning to get my week organized, it said my 2nd ectopic was on 9/9/05 - two years ago to the day of this same weekend.