My friend, Carrie...

My friend Carrie has been in the hospital fighting for her life for two weeks.  It seems like it's been months already...but it has only been 14 days and she may remain in the hospital for months at this point.  I consider Carrie one of my best friends, but in my heart she is more like my sister and I have spent the past two weeks trying to comprehend what is happening to her, her son, the rest of her family, and all of her friends that are like an extended family.  I literally don't know what to do and for people who know me - I don't like not knowing what to do.  Carrie has given me a hard time on quite a few occasions over my control freak issues.  Just as many people, I am praying for her and am trying to focus on my faith in God, but it is trying and I would be lying if I said this situation isn't testing that.  Writing is my outlet when I can't verbalize my thoughts or if I just have too many.  I am spinning with how comes, what ifs, and whys...

Carrie and I met when I first moved to Sierra Vista in 1981.  It was fourth grade and we went to Bella Vista together and were in girl scouts together.  It was because of girl scouts that we became better friends.  I moved to Village Meadows for 6th grade, but we were still in scouts together.  Than in 7th grade we both joined Rainbow when we were 12.  Rainbow is what created and sealed our lifelong friendship.  Between the ages of 16-18 we spent an incredible amount of time together-traveling and making life long memories.  Our junior year we went to California together on a group trip for Rainbow. It was her first time on a plane and I will never forget how nervous she was.  She still doesn't care for plane rides.  We got matching black t-shirts with our first names on the front and green metallic sahuaro's and ARIZONA on the back.  We were going to Disneyland and it was the first time either of us had been there.  It was such an 80's thing to have matching t-shirts with our names so everyone knew we were best friends from AZ while we walked around Disneyland.  I will never forget when we were standing in line for Magic Mountain and I read the warning sign about people with heart conditions not riding.  I was freaking out about her getting on-I kept asking if it was a good idea.  She finally convinced me that the ride was safe for her.  I spent the whole ride staring at her wide eyed worrying - when we got off she convinced me to ride it again because I didn't enjoy the first time.  We did go a second time and then a third...and it was a blast.  That was just one of many times in my life when Carrie had to talk me down from a freak out.  She has always been a balance for me.

Carrie and I both had our sons when we were young.  Josh was born when I was 19 and about a year and a half later Carrie had Will.  I remember a lot of Josh's baby stuff being passed onto Will.  Our lives went in two completely separate directions at that point.  15 years passed by and my mom and Carrie's mom stayed friends and my mom would give me updates on Carrie.  Our lives both changed drastically around that time and we both ended up back in Sierra Vista.  I knew she had been back in town and was working at the bank on post, but I was embarrassed to reach out to her because my life had been a real wreck before I moved back.  I missed her though, even after all those years.  I got her number from my mom and called her.  Literally within a week we were back in each other's lives like time hadn't passed.  She had been worried about reconnecting with old friends as well and together we started seeking out old friends and before we knew it we were having get togethers with other old friends from school.  It was at that time that I realized I wasn't the only one who saw what a wonderful, caring, sweet, and kind person Carrie was.  Out of all of us, Carrie is the most genuine, her kindness and patience is one of a kind.  And within all that is an amazing sarcastic sense of humor.  After her divorce she worked harder than anyone to establish her independence
and in an almost annoyingly stubborn way would not accept anything that she felt she didn't earn.  Just trying to buy her lunch turned into a complete stand off.

Carrie is the most amazing mom!  I don't even need to expand on that because everyone can see it.  Her world is her son and it is unwavering.  Everything she has done since moving back to Sierra Vista has been for him.  I am so angry that right now in the midst of everything she has worked so hard to accomplish and be on top of this is how she ends up.  She busted her chops at her job and was just promoted to Branch Manager at her job.  Her and I just spent the last year working to re-open our old Rainbow Assembly and we accomplished that on December 13th - literally right after she got promoted.  Her son is kicking butt in College and I know she was still very concerned about the future, but I know that she was finally proudly and confidently looking at all she had done for herself and Will.

The outpouring of love and support for her has also truly validated how much she means to not just me, but everyone she is friends with.  Her genuineness and good heart beams out of her.  Please don't stop praying, wishing, hoping, sending positive energy - whatever it is your faith brings you to do for people you care for please send it to Carrie and her family.