TheBanyanTree: 47 Days by LaRose Karr

[LaRose Karr]

47 DAYS by LaRose Karr

If you only had 47 days to live what would you do?

If you had a side ache and thought you had pulled a muscle exercising, you
would take the muscle-relaxers the doctor gave you.

If you still didn't get better you would see another doctor.  And when he
talked to you after the cancer test and said, "You are a sick girl.  You
have liver, colon and lung cancer."

You would still believe you could live.

You'd do all the things a person who is bent on living would do.  You'd give
and receive gifts, talk on the phone, laugh with family, shop at your
favorite store, take chemo.  And though it was entirely possible, you still
wouldn't think you could die.

This is what happened to my sister-in-law Phyllis at age 52.  Phyllis was a
Christian and my mother-in-law said her faith was strong.

On Sunday, April 27 we received a call that she was not doing well.  We
hurriedly arranged to drive a thousand miles with our son to see her.
Monday she was admitted to the hospital. Tuesday we left early in the
morning, but she was already gone.

We buried her in central Arkansas.  We went to the florist to purchase a
spray of her favorite flowers - wildflowers.  But the florist had only
tulips, hyacinths and brightly colored flowers that came in during their
daily delivery.

Her large family gathered to say good-bye.  It was the first time in the 24
years I have been in the family that all but one was together.  There were
11 originally, now 9 brothers and sisters remain.

On the first day of May 2003, we buried Phyllis and the layperson from her
church gave a sweet testimony of Christ.  He spoke of how Christ could live
anywhere but he chooses to live in our hearts.  To the large group of
grieving people, it was exactly the message we needed to hear.

While cancer can take the physical body, it cannot touch the spirit.  And
so, on this beautiful spring day we drove to the cemetery, past the
wildflowers she loved and the Lord provided.

We buried her near her son who passed away 11 years ago.  We said good-bye
to our loved sister.

Back home, her flowers bloomed in the yard, and a large wisteria greeted us,
full of purple flowers.

This is the story of 47 days and what it can bring to anyone on this earth.
Cancer can touch the flesh, but it cannot touch the spirit.

(In memory of Phyllis Jean Karr Helms – born Dec. 5, 1950- died April 29,
2003)

 On the way home, we stopped by a nursery and I bought a wisteria to plant
in my yard to remind me of Phyllis.
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