off topic

Hi.

I've been debating on whether or not to write this post because this isn't exactly the forum for it, but it's an important request. In this season of love and joy and hope I was thinking that maybe you can open your heart a bit more to say a prayer for my friend.

I'm a big believer in the power of prayer, positive thoughts, and would really, really appreciate if you said a quick prayer, a few positive words for my friend, Fort. You may have seen on this site a link to her blog called "B Positive: Not Just a Blood Type." I have been friends with Melissa, also known as "Fort," since we were freshmen in Jefferson Hall at OU.

You may know someone similar to Fort, but I doubt it. She is one of those people who doesn't have an enemy in the world, makes friends as easily as others blink their eyes. She is completely outgoing and interested in the world around her, eager to make those around her feel welcome and have as much fun as she is having. She is loving and caring, but also funnier than heck and has a knack for getting a smile out of just about everyone.

For about six years now she has been fighting cancer. You can read her blog for background, but basically she started off with Stage 2 breast cancer. In fact, she found out she had cancer and was pregnant on the same day. She lost her son when she was six months along. He would have been five this October. She beat the cancer, but a few years later it resurfaced, this time at Stage 4. She beat it! and we had a good time celebrating that. Unfortunately, about a year ago things started not going so well. She's been having treatment for a while now, but two weeks ago got so sick she was admitted into the hospital. Yesterday she was admitted into hospice.

I don't want this description to be all sad because, as you can see with the title of her blog, she has combated this illness with the very best attitude one can muster. She has opened my eyes to this world I didn't understand, and even though I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around so much of it, her incredible dedication to her blog has allowed me to realize that just because you are told you have cancer it doesn't mean that you have to stop living.

Fort means so much to me. I think the world of her, and believe that she has influenced me in ways that she'll never understand. Please keep Fort, her husband John, and her family in your thoughts and prayers. You never know what a little prayer can do.

Have a good weekend.