So round three has started, it could be viewed as entering the home stretch but live ‘a day at a time’ I have to except that the could be more to come in this battle.  A previous article that I wrote in entitled But wait there’s more goes into greater detail.

Yesterday was 5 hours of chemo (juice..) but it is a full day commitment filled with wait times and blood work and Chemo Consult.  Way back I mentioned that I am British and therefore I have that weird/dry/sarcastic. Be it the right or wrong way to approach life, in general, it certainly is helping me cope with my current situation.

Here’s how humor helped yesterday:

Chemo Consult:

There is a process each time I go for chemo the final step before you get the ‘juice’ is to see the Chemo Consultant (I call them the green light ladies) The one I got yesterday I’ve seen before, nice lady.  The questions are usually the same, things like:

How are your bowel movements (the poops)?

Any nausea?

How is your appetite

Are you sleeping well

As I answer the questions she is clicking away on the screen logging answers for decision making and future reference.  I pretty well knew what was coming and finally, she got to the question:

Greenlight lady “Do you have any ringing in the ears”

Me sorry? Sorry I didn’t get that….

Greenlight lady “I said DO YOU HAVE ANY RINGING IN THE YEARS?”

Me: I’m sorry I can’t hear you very well – I have ringing in my ears….

I thought it was funny – fortunately so did she, when I returned to the waiting area Divina said what were you both laughing at in the ‘everyone looked over to see what was going on’

Chemo Room 205 Bed 4

The Greenlight lady pressed the button and after a short wait I was of the chemo ward, I call it the juice bar.  Yesterday was Room 205 Bed # 4, one chemo nurse looks after one room at a time and the patients in the room. Yesterday’s nurse was Stephanie a bubbly and young nurse, before entering the room she announced the other three patients “Watch this one he’s a troublemaker’ personally I thought it was hilarious.

The Volunteers

They make you really comfortable in all of the rooms, free wi-fi throughout the hospital so Netflix, YouTube and live streaming are all ok.  Volunteers (bless them) are constantly offering cookies, soup, and soft drinks. My menu choices yesterday were Digestive Cookies, Cream of Broccoli Soup and Ginger Ale.  The volunteers (did I say Bless them?) keep an eye to see when you’re finished so they can clean up.

Volunteer:  “Can I get you anything else?”

Me: “Hmmm – well I’ve always wanted a Pony….”

Raised eyebrows from Divina who has heard me say that to many a waitress – however, it brought a wonderful smile from the volunteer, I’m sure I didn’t really make her day, but hopefully, it helped.

So that was my day, a little humor is thrown in helped me deal with this cancer.  If you feel it is inappropriate then I apologize.

Big shout out to Jo Aj Sa for the check-ins today I love you all and your support is invaluable.

Edited on the fly

Peter & T