{"id":2608,"date":"2012-07-17T23:58:28","date_gmt":"2012-07-17T23:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/"},"modified":"2023-09-04T20:40:47","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T02:40:47","slug":"pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes there are posts that take a long time to write. \u00a0I get blocked and it could take me weeks to get a post the way I want it. \u00a0This one took me a year. \u00a0I would start, stop, erase, weep… start again. \u00a0But here it is – all done.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

——————<\/strong><\/p>\n

You ever had that person in your life that never judged you? \u00a0The person who said that whatever you did was fine with them as long as it was fine with you? \u00a0That person for me was always my Aunt Ev.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I remember bringing over a guy I was dating, and asking her what she thought. \u00a0She looked at me, and without sarcasm or judgement, she says, “You know Eva, sometimes things are good for what you need and who you are right now.” \u00a0Then she went back to her vanilla ice cream. \u00a0She was right, it was what it was, and… well… he’s not in the family photo you see at the top of your screen – let’s just say that.<\/p>\n

When I moved to DC, I immediately found her office, and she became my son’s pediatrician. <\/strong> When I walked into her office for the first time, it was like walking into my mom’s office. \u00a0Some of the pictures were even the same. \u00a0As her hands moved over my son checking him out from end to end, it was like watching my mom’s hands. \u00a0They had been trained by the same professors at Howard University Medical School, and as she chatted with me – no matter what was wrong, I knew it was going to be alright.<\/p>\n

I had known her – literally – my whole life. \u00a0I have pics of she and my mom in their mini-dresses and perfect afros pushing my brother and her daughter, Kim, in strollers, while my mom was very \u00a0pregnant with me.<\/p>\n

When I came to see her with kid number 2, and breastfeeding wasn’t working out, she says – “Well, Eva, do you WANT to breastfeed?” I told her I did. \u00a0She didn’t try to convince me to continue or to stop. \u00a0“If you plan to breastfeed, prepare yourself BEFORE you have a baby. Did you beat up those nipples?” I looked at her wide-eyed and confused. “You have to turn ’em, twist ’em, pull ’em! That is what HE is going to do.” \u00a0I admitted that I hadn’t done any of that. \u00a0“Okay then, so, if you don’t breastfeed, it won’t be the end of the world. So don’t worry. \u00a0They make all sorts of formulas, and millions of kids use it and turn out just fine. You do have options.” That made me feel pretty great. \u00a0The weeping slowed to a sniffle. \u00a0“So you want to do this?” I nodded. “If you really want to breastfeed, here’s what you do… get a glass of wine, relax, feed him, and eventually you both will be sleeping soundly.”<\/p>\n

She told me all of this in her trademark calm tone, calm face, and matter of fact style. \u00a0By the time I left her office, face dry, I was totally ready to breastfeed – or not – either way, no matter what magazines, books, or ads told me… Aunt Ev said it was my decision, and it was.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I woke up sweaty, crying, and in a panic one night when we were out of town. \u00a0I sat straight up, and continued weeping. \u00a0I hadn’t had a nightmare for years, but this one seemed so real. \u00a0My aunt had died, and I didn’t even know. \u00a0That was the nightmare. I started googling her name and “obituary” and nothing. \u00a0My husband assured me that she was okay, and that I could call her when we got home. \u00a0I didn’t.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The next week, I cut my hair, and couldn’t wait to tell my Aunt Ev. \u00a0So many people were giving me grief about it, but I just knew she’d love the idea. \u00a0I couldn’t wait to hear her say, “Look at you! You GO girl!” I meant to call her – but I didn’t.<\/p>\n

That week, my aunt died. \u00a0There was a funeral. \u00a0There was an email. \u00a0I had missed it.<\/p>\n

That awful nightmare – that awful awful nightmare. \u00a0She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – one of the deadliest cancers – 5 years earlier… right after seeing my third child as a newborn. \u00a0I just knew she had beaten it. \u00a0I used to call my mom and chew her out for not calling and talking to her best friend from med school. \u00a0I would preach to her about how little time she may have, and that she needed to talk to her. \u00a0For all of my preaching – I didn’t practice any of it.<\/p>\n

For days afterwards, I remember getting in the shower, running my hands through my short hair – and crying like a baby. \u00a0Then one day it stopped abruptly. \u00a0I could see her face looking at mine as if to say, what on earth are you crying for? \u00a0I am gone, but you are still here. \u00a0I did me – now you go do you. \u00a0I could see her vividly, with her blinks in rapid succession, and lovely laugh.<\/p>\n

My brother and his wife, my mom, her daughter with her husband, her sister, her nephew, her son in law, her close friend, and my husband and I attended the private memorial service a few months later. \u00a0Aunt Ev’s sister was there – she had her face. \u00a0I couldn’t stop looking at her. \u00a0Aunt Ev’s daughter was there – she had her laugh. \u00a0I knew I wouldn’t hear it much that day. \u00a0My mom broke down, and I didn’t know what to do about it. \u00a0All I could hear was Aunt Ev saying… “Maaaaahnica – what is all THAT about?” Thinking about what her reaction would be, made me smile inside. \u00a0I didn’t cry. \u00a0I swallowed hard, and thought about the sound of her voice. \u00a0How she looked over each of my kids in her office, told me they were perfect, and gave me her approving smile.<\/p>\n

I still go to her office, and we see her old partner in the practice, or the new doctor that has since joined in her place. \u00a0It was a long time before there was a new doctor in the office. I think we all had a lot of hope. \u00a0She had outlived the prognosis for the majority of diagnoses of pancreatic cancer of 6 to 10 months. \u00a0Only 6% live for 5 years. \u00a0My son’s tennis coach – saw him one day he was fine. \u00a0Summer camp started 6 months later and I remarked to my husband that he didn’t look well. \u00a0By the end of July, he was gone. \u00a0It seemed like one day Apple was announcing the new iPhone, and the next we were mourning Steve Jobs and the fact that he would never see the greatest accomplishments of the company he helped to rebuild.<\/p>\n

Cancer steals. \u00a0It steals nights of uninterrupted sleep from worried family and friends. \u00a0It takes from us the promise of more days, more celebrations, and more love. \u00a0In 2010, an estimated 43,000 people in the US were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and almost 37,000 died from the disease. Pancreatic cancer has one of the highest fatality rates of all cancers, and is the fourth-highest cancer killer among both men and women worldwide.\u00a0Although it accounts for only 2.5% of new cases, pancreatic cancer is responsible for 6% of cancer deaths each year.<\/p>\n

I have told you how amazing my Aunt Ev was – and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. \u00a0Her daughter, who got her “don’t talk about it – do it” attitude straight from her mom, has founded the Howard County Pancreatic Research Walk<\/a> along with Michelle Madison in honor of her mom, her aunt, and Michelle’s uncle and friend (who lost her battle just one week after diagnosis). \u00a0I will be there. \u00a0Please join me<\/a>. \u00a0If you haven’t lost a friend or family member to pancreatic cancer, you can walk to keep it that way. \u00a0If you have lost loved ones, or have a friend or family member still in the fight, walk with me to honor them.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to join the Socamom team:\u00a0http:\/\/2012HowardCounty.kintera.org\/socamom<\/a><\/p>\n

We will be walking on Sunday, August 12, 2012 at 9:00 am (Registration begins at 8:00 am).<\/p>\n

Event Details:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Participants will walk or run the 2.4-mile paved pathway that meanders around the lake.\u00a0The route is handicap and stroller accessible. \u00a0Dogs are permitted at the park on a leash. We ask that you please respect the property and clean up after your dog.<\/p>\n

Directions: From Route 29 (Maryland), take Route 108 west, towards Clarksville. The main entrance to the park is about one mile on your right.\u00a0Parking is available on site.<\/p>\n

Hotel: Homewood Suites by Hilton Columbia (mention Lustgarten for group rate)<\/p>\n

Event Location: \u00a0Centennial Park, 10000 Route 108 Main\/South Entrance, Ellicott City, MD 21042<\/p>\n

Registration Begins at 8:00 AM –\u00a0Walk Begins at 9:00 AM.<\/p>\n

Pledge Minimum of $50.00\u00a0includes your own personal donation, and\/or donations you collect in support of your participation in the Walk.\u00a0Checks should be made payable to The Lustgarten Foundation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes there are posts that take a long time to write. \u00a0I get blocked and it could take me weeks to get a post the way I want it. \u00a0This one took me a year. \u00a0I would start, stop, erase, weep… start again. \u00a0But here it is – all done.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

——————<\/strong><\/p>\n

You ever had that person in your life that never judged you? \u00a0The person who said that whatever you did was fine with them as long as it was fine with you? \u00a0That person for me was always my Aunt Ev.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I remember bringing over a guy I was dating, and asking her what she thought. \u00a0She looked at me, and without sarcasm or judgement, she says, “You know Eva, sometimes things are good for what you need and who you are right now.” \u00a0Then she went back to her vanilla ice cream. \u00a0She was right, it was what it was, and… well… he’s not in the family photo you see at the top of your screen – let’s just say that.<\/p>\n

When I moved to DC, I immediately found her office, and she became my son’s pediatrician. <\/strong> When I walked into her office for the first time, it was like walking into my mom’s office. \u00a0Some of the pictures were even the same. \u00a0As her hands moved over my son checking him out from end to end, it was like watching my mom’s hands. \u00a0They had been trained by the same professors at Howard University Medical School, and as she chatted with me – no matter what was wrong, I knew it was going to be alright.<\/p>\n

I had known her – literally – my whole life. \u00a0I have pics of she and my mom in their mini-dresses and perfect afros pushing my brother and her daughter, Kim, in strollers, while my mom was very \u00a0pregnant with me.<\/p>\n

When I came to see her with kid number 2, and breastfeeding wasn’t working out, she says – “Well, Eva, do you WANT to breastfeed?” I told her I did. \u00a0She didn’t try to convince me to continue or to stop. \u00a0“If you plan to breastfeed, prepare yourself BEFORE you have a baby. Did you beat up those nipples?” I looked at her wide-eyed and confused. “You have to turn ’em, twist ’em, pull ’em! That is what HE is going to do.” \u00a0I admitted that I hadn’t done any of that. \u00a0“Okay then, so, if you don’t breastfeed, it won’t be the end of the world. So don’t worry. \u00a0They make all sorts of formulas, and millions of kids use it and turn out just fine. You do have options.” That made me feel pretty great. \u00a0The weeping slowed to a sniffle. \u00a0“So you want to do this?” I nodded. “If you really want to breastfeed, here’s what you do… get a glass of wine, relax, feed him, and eventually you both will be sleeping soundly.”<\/p>\n

She told me all of this in her trademark calm tone, calm face, and matter of fact style. \u00a0By the time I left her office, face dry, I was totally ready to breastfeed – or not – either way, no matter what magazines, books, or ads told me… Aunt Ev said it was my decision, and it was.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I woke up sweaty, crying, and in a panic one night when we were out of town. \u00a0I sat straight up, and continued weeping. \u00a0I hadn’t had a nightmare for years, but this one seemed so real. \u00a0My aunt had died, and I didn’t even know. \u00a0That was the nightmare. I started googling her name and “obituary” and nothing. \u00a0My husband assured me that she was okay, and that I could call her when we got home. \u00a0I didn’t.<\/p>\n

Continue reading ➞ Sunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogging"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall - Socamom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall - Socamom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sometimes there are posts that take a long time to write. \u00a0I get blocked and it could take me weeks to get a post the way I want it. \u00a0This one took me a year. \u00a0I would start, stop, erase, weep... start again. \u00a0But here it is - all done. ------------------ You ever had that person in your life that never judged you? \u00a0The person who said that whatever you did was fine with them as long as it was fine with you? \u00a0That person for me was always my Aunt Ev. I remember bringing over a guy I was dating, and asking her what she thought. \u00a0She looked at me, and without sarcasm or judgement, she says, "You know Eva, sometimes things are good for what you need and who you are right now." \u00a0Then she went back to her vanilla ice cream. \u00a0She was right, it was what it was, and... well... he's not in the family photo you see at the top of your screen - let's just say that. When I moved to DC, I immediately found her office, and she became my son's pediatrician. When I walked into her office for the first time, it was like walking into my mom's office. \u00a0Some of the pictures were even the same. \u00a0As her hands moved over my son checking him out from end to end, it was like watching my mom's hands. \u00a0They had been trained by the same professors at Howard University Medical School, and as she chatted with me - no matter what was wrong, I knew it was going to be alright. I had known her - literally - my whole life. \u00a0I have pics of she and my mom in their mini-dresses and perfect afros pushing my brother and her daughter, Kim, in strollers, while my mom was very \u00a0pregnant with me. When I came to see her with kid number 2, and breastfeeding wasn't working out, she says - "Well, Eva, do you WANT to breastfeed?" I told her I did. \u00a0She didn't try to convince me to continue or to stop. \u00a0"If you plan to breastfeed, prepare yourself BEFORE you have a baby. Did you beat up those nipples?" I looked at her wide-eyed and confused. "You have to turn 'em, twist 'em, pull 'em! That is what HE is going to do." \u00a0I admitted that I hadn't done any of that. \u00a0"Okay then, so, if you don't breastfeed, it won't be the end of the world. So don't worry. \u00a0They make all sorts of formulas, and millions of kids use it and turn out just fine. You do have options." That made me feel pretty great. \u00a0The weeping slowed to a sniffle. \u00a0"So you want to do this?" I nodded. "If you really want to breastfeed, here's what you do... get a glass of wine, relax, feed him, and eventually you both will be sleeping soundly." She told me all of this in her trademark calm tone, calm face, and matter of fact style. \u00a0By the time I left her office, face dry, I was totally ready to breastfeed - or not - either way, no matter what magazines, books, or ads told me... Aunt Ev said it was my decision, and it was. I woke up sweaty, crying, and in a panic one night when we were out of town. \u00a0I sat straight up, and continued weeping. \u00a0I hadn't had a nightmare for years, but this one seemed so real. \u00a0My aunt had died, and I didn't even know. \u00a0That was the nightmare. I started googling her name and "obituary" and nothing. \u00a0My husband assured me that she was okay, and that I could call her when we got home. \u00a0I didn't.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Socamom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/socamomdotcom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-07-17T23:58:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-09-05T02:40:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Eva Wilson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@socamomdc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@socamomdc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Eva Wilson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Eva Wilson\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/#\/schema\/person\/ae448fb8a8731a8ff788972ac8b57980\"},\"headline\":\"Sunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-07-17T23:58:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-09-05T02:40:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/\"},\"wordCount\":1566,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Blogging\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/\",\"name\":\"Sunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall - 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I remember bringing over a guy I was dating, and asking her what she thought. \u00a0She looked at me, and without sarcasm or judgement, she says, \"You know Eva, sometimes things are good for what you need and who you are right now.\" \u00a0Then she went back to her vanilla ice cream. \u00a0She was right, it was what it was, and... well... he's not in the family photo you see at the top of your screen - let's just say that. When I moved to DC, I immediately found her office, and she became my son's pediatrician. When I walked into her office for the first time, it was like walking into my mom's office. \u00a0Some of the pictures were even the same. \u00a0As her hands moved over my son checking him out from end to end, it was like watching my mom's hands. \u00a0They had been trained by the same professors at Howard University Medical School, and as she chatted with me - no matter what was wrong, I knew it was going to be alright. I had known her - literally - my whole life. \u00a0I have pics of she and my mom in their mini-dresses and perfect afros pushing my brother and her daughter, Kim, in strollers, while my mom was very \u00a0pregnant with me. When I came to see her with kid number 2, and breastfeeding wasn't working out, she says - \"Well, Eva, do you WANT to breastfeed?\" I told her I did. \u00a0She didn't try to convince me to continue or to stop. \u00a0\"If you plan to breastfeed, prepare yourself BEFORE you have a baby. Did you beat up those nipples?\" I looked at her wide-eyed and confused. \"You have to turn 'em, twist 'em, pull 'em! That is what HE is going to do.\" \u00a0I admitted that I hadn't done any of that. \u00a0\"Okay then, so, if you don't breastfeed, it won't be the end of the world. So don't worry. \u00a0They make all sorts of formulas, and millions of kids use it and turn out just fine. You do have options.\" That made me feel pretty great. \u00a0The weeping slowed to a sniffle. \u00a0\"So you want to do this?\" I nodded. \"If you really want to breastfeed, here's what you do... get a glass of wine, relax, feed him, and eventually you both will be sleeping soundly.\" She told me all of this in her trademark calm tone, calm face, and matter of fact style. \u00a0By the time I left her office, face dry, I was totally ready to breastfeed - or not - either way, no matter what magazines, books, or ads told me... Aunt Ev said it was my decision, and it was. I woke up sweaty, crying, and in a panic one night when we were out of town. \u00a0I sat straight up, and continued weeping. \u00a0I hadn't had a nightmare for years, but this one seemed so real. \u00a0My aunt had died, and I didn't even know. \u00a0That was the nightmare. I started googling her name and \"obituary\" and nothing. \u00a0My husband assured me that she was okay, and that I could call her when we got home. \u00a0I didn't.","og_url":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/","og_site_name":"Socamom","article_publisher":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/socamomdotcom","article_published_time":"2012-07-17T23:58:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-09-05T02:40:47+00:00","author":"Eva Wilson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@socamomdc","twitter_site":"@socamomdc","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Eva Wilson","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/"},"author":{"name":"Eva Wilson","@id":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/#\/schema\/person\/ae448fb8a8731a8ff788972ac8b57980"},"headline":"Sunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall","datePublished":"2012-07-17T23:58:28+00:00","dateModified":"2023-09-05T02:40:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/"},"wordCount":1566,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Blogging"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/","url":"https:\/\/socamom.com\/w\/pancreatic-cancer-research-walk-in-honor-of-dr-evelyn-hall\/","name":"Sunday, August 12th: Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Honor of Dr. Evelyn Hall - 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