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Another late night where I'm trying to sleep but can't. I never thought my life could be completely flipped upside down so quickly but I received a phone call mid-May that sent me racing back home. My best friend was diagnosed out of the blue with stage 4 metastic melanoma and she was the last person anyone ever believed that this was a possibility. I stay strong and keep my spirits up around her and around people at the rink but for the most part I constantly feel like I'm about to fall apart. I've never dealt with anything like this in my life and the last person that past away that I was close to was when I was really young. I always thought it would be a parent that would get sick or pass away and I honestly don't know how to cope with seeing someone I love and am so close to going through something like this. Today is day 60 after they gave her two months in the hospital and I'm sure that's part of why I feel so heavy tonight. She's a hockey girl so she is such a fighter and I'm so proud of everything that she's endured and fought through. She's been through two brain surgeries, 3 weeks of radiation, home health, one round of an IV cancer drug, and now just found out she has a blood clot. Alone, I try to keep positive because I know she is going to fight with everything she has in her but I am still so emotionally overwhelmed and scared for the future. To see someone I love and am so close to go through this is heartbreaking and makes me realize I am nowhere near as strong as I once thought I was. Sorry to vent that I feel selfish with my own emotions but I don't feel like I should vent/confide with anyone I know.

You shouldn't feel selfish about having emotions that are difficult to deal with - it's really hard, and sad, to have someone you care about be sick and suffering. They're real, valid feelings. You might try talking to a therapist; you might try talking to a friend and finding out that hey, they feel the same way. Staying positive and hopeful is great, but come down to it, a loved one sick and hurt plain sucks, and getting wound up in the idea that one needs to stay positive does more harm than good for a lot of people. It's not like feeling angry, or overwhelmed, or scared, cancels out your concern for your friend, nor does it cancel out how she feels about her situation. I'm sorry you and your friend are going through such a tough thing.

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You've held it together this long, probably stronger than you think. If you aren't comfortable with anyone you know then perhaps you should try talking with a therapist.

Downer's isn't too far for me to drive if the sharpening was worth it. Wasn't expecting a big chain to let me jump on, but I thought I'd mention it in case a sympathetic manager of a LHS was reading. Truth be told, I've always valued the customer service of a true local shop anyway. Plus, we all know that once you start sharpening, you never want anyone else to touch your skates.

Read the text before the pictures. I know pictures are bright and shiny and all, but still...

It is to some people, usually the ones that think a scout is going to pluck them out of a beer league at 40.

Received my new customs franchises the other day. Got them on the ice a couple times now and they are so comfortable. Carbon Royal Carbon Black Tuffteck Kelly Green (Shows up as Carbon Lime in the customizer pic) 14" Narrow Kovalchuck Cuff Removed franchise from pinkie Propack foam Micro Nash palm