Love the Mom You’re With
Posted on 08. May, 2011 by Natalie in Natalie's Blog, Video
Mother’s Day is here once again. Talk about a tricky holiday. Sheesh. What do you get the woman who gave you life? How do you express how much she means to you in a single card or gift? Geez. Try as we may, words can never really express what our moms mean to us.This year I am unable to be with my mom back home in The Great State to celebrate her day. As I write this I can’t help but wish that I could be. My mom hates sappy public displays of affection (primarily because it makes her cry – she’s a tender hearted one). So, being sensitive to her wishes, I would never publicly pronounce that I love her more than words can say. I would hate to embarrass her by announcing that she’s a treasure and that I love that I have her accent, her feet and the same cowlick that she has in her hair. And I certainly wouldn’t talk about how much I love traveling to uncharted lands (like Big Sur and Italy) with her, I cherish our long psycho-analyzing walks at the lake, and I love the fact that I tear up at sappy public displays of affection just like she does. I’m so incredibly grateful that I’m one of the two people in the history of the world that gets to be her daughter. We couldn’t have asked for a better mom. But I wouldn’t say that in public, of course. 
So… since I can’t be with my actual mom this year, in honor of Mother’s Day I took my “LA Mom” to the range. It sounds relatively uneventful, I know, but there’s some back story here.
I’ve called Los Angeles home for several years now and though in that time it has become a part of who I am, I can assure you, this town was not waiting for me when I got here. LA can be pretty tough, especially if you’re fresh off the bus with stars in your eyes and don’t know a soul within 1,000 miles of this place. In fact, if you’re not careful, it can eat you alive. When I first arrived in my beloved La La Land, as we affectionately call it around here, I was that very starry eyed naive newbie. Thankfully, after floundering for about 6 months, I met a family that would change my life.
Hailing from the UK, they had a special place in their hearts for lost little “LA orphans” like me. They instantly took me in as one of their own. If I needed a place to stay in between apartments, their door was wide open. When I had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving, I had a seat at their table. When I had the flu, the mother of the family nursed me back to health. When I went to the emergency room for a broken ankle, the dad, a doctor, treated me. In a family of all boys, I had the distinct honor of being the honorary daughter and sister. I often say – and oh how true it is – there’s no way I would be who or where I am today without them.
One April day, after they had been in my life for a few years, I got a call from the middle son informing me that after month of an excruciating battle with a mysterious, little known illness called Guillain Barre, Lucie Pearl, my LA mom, was diagnosed with stage 3c Overian Cancer. If you’re familiar with the diagnosis, you know that it’s not one you would wish on your worst enemy. Coming from a medical family, I knew what the diagnosis meant: the battle would be long, complicated, risky and painful. And after all of that, a positive outcome was nowhere near guaranteed. If you or a loved one has experienced cancer, you know exactly what I mean. And you know that the patient is not the only one in the thick of the fight. For the family and loved ones, the fear and heartbreak and anger surrounding the illness cut to the core. It’s war and it doesn’t take long before battle-weariness sets in. Surgery, chemo, hair loss, sleepless nights, a roller coaster of test results, the infuriation of being forced to simply wait… we went through it all. Together.
That was April 2006. I’m pleased as punch to report that Lucie Pearl has had her long awaited fifth and final PET scan and she has officially hit the “all clear” benchmark. As you can imagine, this was a pretty significant event for us all. Lucie Pearl is back to her happy, thoughtful, and adventurous self. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Lucie Pearl and I went shooting.
After reviewing the safety rules, we stepped up to our lane. This was an entirely new experience for Lucie Pearl, but you never would have known it. She didn’t show an ounce of fear, intimidation or hesitation. I guess if you survive cancer, you don’t really fear much anymore. We shot a Ruger .22 and then switched to a Beretta .22. After Lucie Pearl got the hang of it all, I pulled out a target I had set aside just for her. Across the center target I had written CANCER in large letters. As I unrolled it and clipped it up, Lucie Pearl was giddy. She clapped her hands and jumped for joy as I told her that this was my way of showing cancer who’s boss.
It was time to bust a cap in some cancer. Here’s a little clip of our time there:
To all the moms out there – Thank you for being who you are. If you’re reading this I think it’s safe to say that you are passing on a legacy of strength to your children.
We also want to say Happy Mother’s Day to the newest moms in the Girl’s Guide clan, Brandi and Keelee, for bringing our beautiful nieces in to the world. We love you very much!
Natalie & Katie
