My Friend

I've seriously been a slacker with my blog, and I have a lot of things to say. We just returned from a lovely vacation with the family and I've got lots of funny stories that I'd better get written down before I forget them.

(In fact, excuse me while I write a few notes to myself. first real time out. nannies house. more bike ride please. pa-pa-chute. failure to sleep. climbing in and out of cribs.)

I've come out of my quiet spot, to write a few words about my friend. Our friend.

I've mentioned my obscure sport, kayak polo, well it's how I met my friend Albert. He was living here at the time and when Scott and I started playing the game, Albert was one of the first people to welcome in to the group of crazies that make up kayak polo in the US.

Albert's personality was bigger than he was. (and he was of above average height) He always had a smile on his face, a story on his tongue, and warmth in his heart. He was the guy, the guy who knew everyone. The guy who had more friends, and people to see, than anyone else I have ever known. His heart was so big I'm shocked it fit inside his chest.

Albert had many physical talents. In addition to kayaking, he played handball, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, and he taught himself to play the piano a few years ago. Everything he did, he did with a passion, an did it to a very high level.

Albert moved to San Francisco a few years ago, but he visited us often. Many times when he was in town, he stayed with us. Before we had kids, we had our piano in the "music room". This was also known as Albert's room. He was the only one that played our piano regularly. (I've mentioned that I'm a slacker) He'd sit down and plunk away. Sometimes we'd have a few people over and we'd be sitting around talking, and laughing, and the next thing you know, Albert would be playing the piano. He wasn't the greatest, but he worked hard at it, and he was passionate.

In 2004 I competed in the Canoe Polo World Championships in Japan as a member of the US Women's team. Albert was on the Men's team. I was in Japan for four weeks, three of them spent with Albert. The teams would share meals together, bus rides, sightseeing adventures, walks to practice, we basically lived together, the two teams. Some of my fondest memories of Albert come from this time. Albert was great helping me train. He'd sometimes call just to find out how training was going.

While in Japan, Albert was a bit of a celebrity. He resembled famous a sumo wrestler, named Waka-no-hana, and everywhere we'd go, people would giggle, point, and stare. Albert also loved to eat, and the Japanese appreciate a good eater. The people who ran the ryokans we stayed in loved that Albert would take third and fourth helpings.

One of the boys favorite songs is, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and it reminds me of Albert. One day we were making the walk from the pitch back to our ryokan, ans Albert started to sing. "I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again..." He got lost in the words, and the group of us tried to remember them, and then, we struggled to figure out who sang the song! Many times since his illness was revealed, as I've sat singing this to the boys, with John Denver's help, I've thought of Albert and this moment in Japan.

We were able to visit Albert in December. He was in good spirits, looking thin, but his personality was the same. He was up beat, and he was confident he was going to beat the cancer. He was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (many tumors, largest golf ball size) Brain Metastasis (about 2 dozen tumors larges golf ball size)Bone Metastasis and Spleen Metastasis. He was given, at best 4-7 months to live. A few months into treatment, he had doctors shaking their heads as the tumors in his lungs and brain had all but disappeared. It looked like this long shot might just come in.

In July things turned again, his cancers began progressing again, and on August 20, 2008, he finally succumbed to his cancer.

My heart is heavy for the loss of our dear friend. The world is a little less bright without Albert's smile to brighten things up, and a little quieter, with out his laugh.