Lynette Bushnell Hone AIS Class of 1974 lynette_hone2003@yahoo.com

Previous letters from Lynette: November 2007, July 2007, March - April 2007,
September 2005 - August 2006

April 8, 2008

Lynette Bushnell Hone

Hi my friends,

It's been nearly a year since I lost my husband to Colon Cancer.
Thirteen year old Ron and I have very much needed this time in Virginia.
My brother John and his family have supported us a great deal in our time here. It's been a year of sharing Halloween,Thanksgiving, and Christmas with my sweet sister-in-law Denise, her mother and father (both of whom are Cancer survivors!), their kids, and brother John.
Ron and I have been attending 8 year old nephew Brady's Cub Scout gatherings (they made Ron and myself honorary members!), I've been going with 5 year old nephew Reed and his kindergarden class on the occasional field trip,(such as to see our local fire department), and very gratefully cooking and eating many meals together with their lovely family.

Son Ron is doing well at his middle school, his grades are extremely good, and he now has friends who are alot like him...fellow book worms, kind, and thoughtful boys. Ron's very involved in our regional library and meets often there on weekends with a group of teens. 18 year old son Kent opted to stay on with his dad in Alabama for his final year of high school there. Ron and I will be there at his graduation. Kent is very content, and still the social butterfly! We had a wonderful Christmas holiday with Kent, Ron and myself all together again here.

Adult stepson Brian is now well ensconced in Ohio with his old girlfriend from their high school years. He is recuperating beautifully from the loss of his wife in 2005 and then his dad's passing in 2007. We stay in touch by phone and internet. He is still a big part of his half brother Ron's life (though they are 30 years apart!) He also continues to be a big part of his step brother Kent's life.
Brian stays in touch with his dad's family in Ohio.

Life here in Fairfax County, VA. has been fantastic, however, it's proving to be too expensive for us, so Ron and I will be moving when our lease is up on the townhouse this summer. We are still undecided as to exactly where we will move. We have a 70 pound mixed Shepard who makes it a little harder to move just anywhere.

Thanks to all of you who stood by me those early days of my grieving such a wonderful husband/lover/friend passing from my life. Your e-mails were so integral to my healing! That you took the time and made the effort to contact me in my time of sorrow when time moves so quickly and we have so often to just hold onto our hats in trying to get every thing done in time and on time, humbled me a great deal.
I will never forget those who supported me, the wisdom of your words, the kindness of your hearts. I received a huge amount of your e-mails from all over the world.
It was especially poignant to hear from those who were touched by the journey my husband and I took through colon cancer, and that you and/or your significant other then decided not to put off getting a colonoscopy yourselves! Bless you!

The many writings I have done over these last years on the AIS/AES website and in '74 Encore have been so cathartic for me. I truly appreciate the opportunity I have had to be able to reach so many of you through this forum. For those of you who have found my writings to have been much too intense and open...I do not apologize. It has been very healing to me to have opened my heart and my soul to so many of my friends whose kind responses have uplifted me.
I only hope that others of you will take the opportunity I have taken to reach out and open your soul to your friends as I have...and begin your healing process in the sharing. There are those who are out there who can learn from one's sharing...it's okay... The love one may get back is worth the opening up. If this sharing proves offensive to some, just "delete" and move on! :)

I'm enclosing a recent picture of myself. I believe you'll be able to see, through it, the new happiness I have found. My husband is no longer suffering and all is again well in this marvelous, though challenging, world!

Love, always and forever,

Lynette Bushnell Hone '74

Previous letters from Lynette: November 2007, July 2007, March - April 2007,
September 2005 - August 2006

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