then and now. 2007 and 2011.

On our recent post-surgery check-up trip to St. Louis, we borrowed the Vespas' bikes and rode all around beautiful Forest Park. It brought back many memories because in October of 2007 we went to St. Louis for Mona Vespa's wedding and on that trip we rented bikes and toured around Forest Park as well. (The top two photos are from October 2007. The bottom photos are from May 2011.)

This earlier trip to St. Louis is noteworthy because Mike actually met Dr. Haughey, four years before he would meet him in his doctor's office. The Vespa Wedding was on Saturday, October 6, 2007 - and the next day we went to church at Central Presbyterian, my old congregation. After the service I saw Helen & Bruce Haughey and introduced them to Mike. Mike and Bruce probably hardly remember the casual meeting, but the memory swirled back into my mind when all the cancer puzzle pieces were coming together. How amazing it still is to me that Randy Mayfield reminded me that Dr. Haughey was the chief surgeon of Otolaryngology at Washington University... and that his research & skills were our answer to avoiding radiation & chemotherapy treatments... and that Mike had actually met him at church on October 7, 2007...

Amazing.