182)

8.)
although many months
have passed between then

and now (and many mostly
happy moments have
occurred, too), sometimes
i'm stunned by how recent
it all feels, how current:

the phone call, and the
tears that came about later;
sitting in the waiting room,
dark with green paint; only
a few days of radiation (as
opposed to the standard)

and when it was over, we
waved the victory flag
(just like we had hoped for
with all of our might).  we
were, we are, so very
lucky--we've been gifted
with the best case scenario,
in every sense of the word.

i am grateful every
day.