Day 28 - Merry Christmas

Since I had to spend the 24th in the hospital, my family planned Christmas around that and we had Christmas Eve on the 23rd. A couple of friends came over, but it was essentially just our family: My brother Eduardo and his wife Andrezza, my mom Denise and my dad Roberto, my grandma Norma (who came all the way from Porto Alegre), Raquel and I.

Of course dinner was fantastic (thanks to grandma) and we had a very pleasant evening with the traditional gift exchange. I got some really nice presents, I must have behaved this year! But the best part of the evening was my gift to Raquel (although the gift was for both of us... ok, the gift was for me)...

After everyone left and my parents went to bed, I placed a big box with a Christmas card on top of it in front of the Christmas tree. The living room was lit by candles and the christmas lights from the tree. I made a trail of rose petals from my room to the Christmas tree and text messeged Raquel: "Do you want your present? Follow the roses"

As she left the room, I had David Gray's "This years love" playing on the stereo and she found her way to the big box. She picked it up and read the card. When she opened the box, she saw a smaller box surrounded by petals and Ferrero Rocher chocolate. There was another card with something romantic written on. She read it and opened the smaller box. She found more roses, more chocolate, another romantic card and another box. At that point, she knew what was going on I think. She opened the box to find the last box; it was small and was laying on a bed of roses. I was already on my knees when she opened it and I said "Raquel, will you marry me?". She gave me a tight hug and said yes! We haven't picked a date yet, but we're aiming for August 2009.

After all this excitement, nothing would make me sad, really. Not even chemo in the next morning, that hit me harder than the other two together. I vomited while I was doing it, I had a high fever and a sore throat when I got home, and I vomited some more. But I am 100% sure that I had a happier Christmas than most people. I am getting married! Screw you Cancer!

I will not bend. I will not break. And now I have an extra reason for that.