Coffeeshop Writers' Group - Kym Cohen returns - Winnie Bannigan Comes for Dinner

Kym Cohen is an amazing woman. Young, vibrant, positive, spiritual with a touch of the seer about her, she has struck a bargain with the cancer she's been fighting since it was discovered on July 27.

Although she isn't crazy about Mounds Bars, which you remember have coconut inside,

she eats small amounts to fight the originally coconut-sized tumor in her abdomen. If the tumor, part of her non-Hodgkins lymphoma, was that big, it meant it's been growing for quite some time.

But Kym was heavy, as in overweight, so she couldn't feel it inside. One day she felt a tremendous pain and her dad drove her from her Bensalem apartment to the ER.

She was immediately diagnosed with anemia and a swollen spleen. The spleen is responsible for red blood cells and the immune system.

But that didn't explain her swollen feet. Imaging techniques revealed two types of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The three types are based on the rate of tumor growth: fast, moderate and slow.

She has moderate and slow-growing.The latter can stay with you your whole life but doesn't necessarily kill you.

Her cancer is treatable.

Dyou know what this shark is doing? He's attacking Kym's cancer cells. That's her visualization.

"I'm so blessed," she says.

She'll receive a total of six chemo treatments at Aria Hospital. She's already had two treatments. Each one lasts six hours. They put her to sleep, tho it's not necessary.

I was so struck by Kym's glossy hair, I asked her if I could touch it.

It's a wig. The only side effect she has from the chemo is losing her hair. Remarkable! Let's cheer on those sharks!

Because Kym lost SIXTY-SIX pounds, she needs less chemo. Her secret of losing weight?

Walking.

 Her oncologists tell her to drink a gallon of water a day. Other than that, no dietary restrictions.

I spent 40 minutes this morning writing a cinquin for Kym. Contrary to what I wrote in my poem, her name is spelled "Kimberly" on her birth certificate. Kym discovered a celebrity who spelled it with a "Y" and followed suit.

KYM COHEN

A cinquin is written with the following syllables:

2 – 4 – 6 – 8 – 2

Why the
“Y?” Bathed in light
her mama knew she’d birthed
a blond-haired goddess. Victory
is hers.



Kym presented "The Gift of Stonehenge" about David who is alone amongst the ruins and makes an amazing discovery while a hawk soars overhead.

We told her to sew up the ending; in other words, tell us what happens, don't leave us in the lurch.

But I don't know what happens, she protested.

Of course not. You've gotta figure it out!

I arrived 20 minutes late b/c I was writing my new piece "Curlicues" and also cooking my lunch of scallops, mushrooms, green scallions sauteed in olive oil and lemon juice. I sprinked it with garden basil.

I buy new pans every few months b/c the bottoms burn on my horrible new electric stove I've complained about on Amazon.com. Scroll down on link to read the review.

I was in a minor panic this morning cuz I didn't know what to write about. Looking thru my "Idea Notes," I saw a good one. I had just reviewed a book on Amazon, in which the author talking about asphyxiating insects for a bug collection.

Aha! thinks I. I'll write about my experience in 11th grade biology at Shaker Heights High School.

I titled it Curlicues, which look like this



Linda Barrett was the third and last person to present once again "Mother of Society."

Linda finally finished her story, which ran to 20 single-spaced pages. I told her to clarify the ending. The futuristic story - dystopian - is quite interesting.

Kym said it reminded her of the writings of Philip K Dick. I've heard of Dick but get him confused with the late mystery writer Robert H Parker, who I don't care for.

Philip Dick had strange mental health issues.

Both Linda and Kym had seen a few movies made from Dick's sci-fi works.

*



Company for dinner. Bought a BBQ rotisserie chicken from The Giant. Oh no! I forgot there's leftovers in the fridge. I could've been noshing on it instead of eating these dry almonds which get stuck in my teeth.

Winnie Bannigan came for dinner. She met my Scottie.

I proudly showed Winnie my beautiful house. She liked my red couches from Gamburg's of Hatboro, which is where Winnie lives in the 8-story Moreland Towers.

Showed her photos of Grace, 4, and Max, 1, and she oohed and aahed. Let me see what they'd doing now. Hold on, I'm gonna visit them invisibly on FB.

 
 They're in Ocean City, NJ. Grace, 4, went on her first ferris wheel ride with Dan.

Here's Nicole who just went 'blond' like Ruthie, with Max, 1. 

Winnie and I say goodbye to Scott, who's going to bed. This is the start of his two-week vacation.

Then Win and I head out to my mom's, where we visit on the screened-in back porch with Mom, 92, and Ellen.

Winnie, I said, come over any tine you want!!!

You too, stranger!