Rhonda Reese Purtee

When I married Bill, I told him I was game to move anywhere except California or Cleveland; I didn’t like either of those places.  Fast forward to 2002; I received my first brain tumor diagnosis and started researching where the best doctors and facilities working with my diagnosis were located.  I would have gone anywhere in the US, but I ended up only needing to travel a couple of hours north – to Cleveland.  I don’t know how many trips I’ve made up there over the years (it’s a lot) and in the gaps between appointments, tests, and procedures I’ve come to love Cleveland.  There are wonderful museums, world-famous performance venues, Cultural Gardens, waterfront, amazing architecture (especially the old churches,) West Side Market, and Little Italy with one of my very favorite restaraunts; Guarino’s.  

If I’d been given a vote, I’d never pick a brain tumor.  But, since I don’t get to choose, I’ve discovered that if I’m willing to look, there really are silver linings hidden within the storm clouds, balancing the familiar unpleasantness with little nuggets of unexpected beauty.