It was our routine the last Friday in May
to make the trip back to the past
a road trip through time though the present was now
we wanted the present to last
the first one for me was in May ’85
and it came at me out of the blue
so many sick people around every corner
I really didn’t know what to do
our first stop was blood work, the lab techs were funny
then on down the hall to x-ray
they all were so cheerful, so upbeat and helpful
while I could find nothing to say
my love was dead calm, he’d been through this before,
please be okay was my thought
when the doctor came in and gave the all clear
I dissolved into tears on the spot
in May ’86, the day before we were wed,
the tests all were perfect, no need to be sad
so we married in peace and said what we said
that’s when the good started replacing the bad
in May ’87 it was more of the same
and by May ’88 it was no longer a maybe
by the good grace of God and a doctor named Venner
we were going to be blessed with a baby
it was a long road for my husband and the cancer he’d fought
so the victory was made even sweeter
the May we went back for the final checkup
and handed our daughter to Peter
our eyes filled with tears and our gratitude flowed
for this place of such love and great healing
this doctor with patience and knowledge and kindness
knew exactly how we were feeling
there aren’t many miracles but I know we were one
and this doctor had helped us to cope
he had given back life to the one I hold dear
more importantly, he’d given us hope.
Dedicated to Dr. Peter Venner, Cross Cancer Institute