Street Jazz

Richard S. Drake

Something personal today

My wife donated her hair on Friday. She is determined that something good come from this sudden diagnosis of breast cancer, so she has donated her hair to a charity which makes wigs for children. As the scissors began to snip at her hair, she said softly, "Oh, God."

I turned away, so that she wouldn't see me start to cry. It isn't the first time that either of us has cried since April, when she went in for a routine exam, and they found the cancer.

So much to change in your life! Armed with nutition books, we plot and design meals. We bought a new mattress last weekend, because already the chemo is working in conjunction with her chronic fatigue, and every few days she finds herself exhausted beyond all measure. And we know it is still early days yet.

Tracy isn't used to this sort of forced inactivity; she has an MFA in Modern Dance, and combined her love of dance with a career in occupational therapy. Ten years ago she combined the two interests and founded a dance company called DanScape, qhich featured disabled individuals - people who were blind, and some who were even in wheelchairs - moving alongside professional dancers. Though I had read about the dance troupe, I had no concept of how inspiring it could be, just watching them together in performance.

Later, two car wrecks  - and the damage to her back - put paid to Tracy's dancing future. She'd like to be involved in choreography again, though, once this experience in behind us.

We know that breast cancer is not the death sentence it once was. We know that come this time next year, Tracy will, in all probability, be well on n the road to recovery. Still, we'll be glad when this year is behind us.

rsdrake@nwark.com