Dee Story by Karen Kunz

     As I sat by your side last night, I sensed your fear, I can see it
in your eyes, I can hear it your voice. Nothing I can say can quench
the fear you have right now. You are facing death in a way most people
are uncomfortable with, which is cancer. I was working on a story for
my writing class, another story and pulled out my stamp collection. In
it was a stamp of the four chaplains from world war II. I went on the
internet and read a beautiful story of how these 4 men, 2 Protestants a
Catholic and a Jew who gave up their life preservers on a sinking ship
so that others might survive. They were last seen arms locked together
praying and singing as the boat slipped into the icy waters off the
coast of Greenland. What does this have to do with you, you must be
wondering right now. Well, I thought what if I wrote a story about your
cancer and comparing it to the sailing I've done over the years. As you
go through your chemo and radiation you can read it and will be like a
life preserver for your spirit. So here it is, many a times I have sat
on a ships deck and listened to the crew tell how they know someone who
sailed the horn or want to sail the horn themselves. They hold these
sailors in great reverence Cape Horn is considered to be the southern
tip of South America. For many years it was a major mile stone on the
clipper route by which sailing ships carried trade around the world.
However the waters around the cape are particularly hazardous, owing to
strong winds, large waves, strong currents and ice bergs. These dangers
have made it notorious as a sailors graveyard, and just imagine now
your this tiny boat named Dee; the horn your sailing through is chemo
and radiation, a dark passage. Don't worry that your small, the first
small boat to sail around Cape Horn was a 42 foot yacht Saoirse, who
rounded it during a circumnavigation of the world between 1923 and
1925. Don't worry when the strong winds give rise to large waves
crashing tossing your tiny boat. You are strong and will "luff up"
which means to turn the boats head right into the winds. Remember
sometimes you have to use a winch which is a metal drum turned by a
handle to give the "crew" more help tightening a line. In those times
you can rest assured your family and friends will "steer" and guide
you. Sometimes you will feel this cancer is "in irons" to head into the
wind and refuse to fall off. It's ok to be nauseous even the best of
sailors get seasick. Try to keep down something anything as these waves
beat all fury against you. Remember sometimes God calms the storm,
sometimes the sailor. They built the Panama Canal in 1914 a safer
passage replacing the long treacherous route via the drake passage and
Cape Horn. If you take the first three letters of both, it is pan can,
which could stand for Pancreatic cancer. Only you have to travel the
horn first, unfortunately, you can't take the safer route, rounding
cape horn is considered the yachting equivalent of climbing Mount
Everest. The little boat Dee will be a might proud vessel as she pulls
into port. Traditionally a sailor who rounds the horn is entitled to
wear a gold loop earring in the left ear the one that has faced the
east bound passage and to dine with one foot on the table. Years ago
you gave me gold hoop earrings for my birthday. I will wear them the
day God is at your helm, removes your port and declares you are cancer
free, I am giving you a horn with a crucifix on it to remember your
journey. After the storm the sunshine will be glorious. The Captain
will give the signal and far away the sound of amazing grace starts up.
Quietly at first the bag pipes barely audible. The bag pipes louder
now, the canvas unveiling a little at a time. I can feel the music
getting louder and louder each time a little of the canvas is exposed.
Not due to fear, for once but for ultimate joy. We are the only ones
who can hear this reverie out in the middle of no where. The canvas
touches the sky, now she hits the wind as if speaking to an old friend.
They embrace the wind and her, and the ship tips to the side in a
greeting. The beauty of the massive canvas touches the sky as if its
beckoning for God to reach his hand down and begin to paint, and he
does, for he has charted her course all along.