(The beautiful Christmas tree is one of the ones at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia.)

New Rule: Never go to the oncologist on Friday the 13th of anything ever again.

No, breast cancer has not returned to pollute my body again but an ovarian cyst they have been watching is now annoyingly septated so I might be getting spayed in the future.

I am not borrowing trouble, it is what it is , and I will deal with it accordingly if that’s what my doctors decide. I guess I’m just a little bit annoyed.

But I would rather be a little bit annoyed, maybe have to get a hysterectomy, then have doctors who aren’t watching me and pop a side effect cancer as a result of Tamoxifen.

And then I had a huge reality check. I went into the chemo lounge at my oncologist’s office to get my flu shot. I was seated next to a woman older than myself who is living with stage four metastatic breast cancer.

That zooms you back down to earth very quickly. But for the grace of God go I could not be more true.

She was a lovely woman and we just sat there and talked. She wondered what radiation was like, she’s never had that. Just chemo. She takes oral chemotherapy at this point. You don’t lose your hair as much apparently with oral chemotherapy.

She drives in from Delaware once a month to get this oral chemotherapy and then goes home. She was so sweet and positive and just nice to speak with. It really was a nice thing to have met her. The funny thing is, after my appointment and flu shot I went to the Home Goods store near Penn Medicine at Radnor and I saw the same lady there as well!

I wish I had gotten her name. She is just one of those random people who touches your life and that will leave a lasting impression. I hope she has a Merry Christmas. She deserves it.

This whole experience today reminds me again of the fragility of life and how fleeting life can be.

Today I also saw two women who are friends of mine that I do not see very often. Neither one knows each other, I am the common denominator. I saw them both in the grocery store.

And then there was the humor portion of the day. My sweet man’s former mother-in-law sent a Christmas card here to the house addressed to him and my stepson alone. I apparently, am invisible. Pretty funny stuff. But I guess it must be hard for her.

I have been decorating like crazy and I am in love with my Christmas tree. It really is pretty.

For the first time in my adult life I am hosting Christmas Day for my family. I’m very excited to do this.

Life in time march on people. Grab the spirit of the season and keep those you love close to you.

Pax