Progress Report 2-16

This Monday was a charged day. The waiting room looked like a train station or an air terminal with so many people coming in and out, loud chats and phone calls and even a 3 year old little girl running around (it was the first time I see a child here). Jill called me and as usual I raised my hand and answered “Present...” hoping that I get bonus points just for attending. I follow her to the vitals room and couldn’t help tell her that I was really tired of this routine as she asked how I was doing. I know she said nodding her head. I must not be the only one complaining. The nurses are always cheery and make jokes and laugh, they have to, to be able to survive their day attending to patients the way they do. So I told her they need to get us some new entertainment numbers, a new song or dance. I could do that she told me. Turns out Jill went to college on a gymnastics scholarship. Can you believe it; she can still do a cartwheel… only if she has to. Talking about sports we moved on to the Olympics and agreed that we both actually enjoyed watching them this year and did so more than we thought we would. I just found it very inspirational, the focus and perseverance of these athletes, some coming back from major injuries, and family tragedies, defying gravity and flying through the air like birds. The strength required all fuelled by the mind and spirit; Amazing. I watched the hockey game to. You know I am a Canadian citizen and though I was rooting for the US and jumped of joy when they tied, I was really happy to see Canada win. I was slightly disappointed in the long face the American team had, really guys you won Silver and frankly as a tweeter said to Karim; tomorrow we go back to “Nobody cares about hockey in the US”. That win would have been short lived here, but will be celebrated all year there. I digressed. So back to the clinic, my vitals look great; I feel great and have a short visit with Randy. I did have a bit of a heavy heart because this morning was Heather’s funeral and I think Randy did to. He looked a bit tired and not as cheerful; He was her doctor you know. I didn’t bring her up but really would have loved to ask him: “how do you do it?” how do you coop? Does anyone care how you feel? Well I did, I would have like to give him a hug and tell him it’s ok, you did what you could and I know he knows that but he probably would like to hear it. Instead I asked about his daughter’s skiing trip that he was chaperoning and we chuckled over the presence of a dad listening to the conversations of a bunch of 17 years old girls. All looks good on my end and I just have to keep this routine until the middle of April when I will get a follow-up scan and if I keep feeling the way I do I have no doubt I will pass with flying colors. Whatever comes my way though will be fine. I am learning to fight less and tame more. I just find it less exhausting. I still do all I can for my spirit, mind and body but I can’t worry about what will be. I just keep cementing my faith and the vision I want to see. It is hard work but it is worth it because it makes the journey so much more enjoyable.
Once inside the suite, the room was packed but I was lucky to find a seat right by that wing wall. It is a first class seat, I told Karen who was looking for me. “You have to pay double for that seat” she said to me. No I told her I got upgraded on my frequent flying miles. I have been here enough times and accumulated a bunch. All went pretty smoothly after that. Karim came in with lunch and a low fat UDF chocolate milkshake that I was craving. I had not had one of those in over a year. I know my homeopathic doctor will cringe if I told him what I had, but I have this untested and unscientific theory that if cancer loves feeding on stuff like that then consuming one while getting treatment will deliver the drug better to the nasty cells. I am using the milk shake as bate. So here you go a perfectly logical reason why I should have one every time.
Until the next time

PS. please check Tami Boehmer's web site (link on the left). There is a good article on her book in the Cincinnati inquirer.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100227/NEWS01/2280304/They-defied-cancer-death-sentence
She is scheduling a spring publication. Please feel free to forward to anyone who can benefit from an uplift

Much love