Monday, August 15, 2011

Probies at the Clinic (plus a few old timers)

Today was a day of firsts for many, (one is too many), folks. I watched from my chair as the nurses tried to explain the goods and bad of chemo. For me the ritual of I.V.s and the litany of meds is just second hand, but I could see the look of fear in their eyes. I noticed a couple that are about the same age as me with the wife receiving chemo for the first time and the husband for support. Maybe support is not the best word to use with this idiot. All he seemed interested in was.."How long do we need to be here?", "When can she go back to work?", "yada, yada , yada", this guy was on my short list of people that needed a swift kick in the ass..Ahh, sweet justice.."the nurse said "Uh, sir..you may want to listen and THEN you can help your wife". I believe he was not used to being talked to by a woman or maybe he was just in denial of this whole situation, but he got up and left. That really helped the poor woman as she sat and listened to the nurse go through page after page of instructions and warning signs.


The young lady sitting next to me is all of twenty one years old and is suffering from leukemia. Twenty one....so young and so timid, with the look of a total despair. She was surrounded by her family, her Dad, Grandfather and older sister. Sometimes I think that having family around is a great thing but there are days that as in her case they can be overwhelming. The dad and sister sat and were constantly texting and calling on their phones. The poor grandfather was working a Rosary so fast that I swear I smelled smoke from the well worn beads that looked as if numerous prayers had been recited over the years..I know that they were there to help support her, but it seems they were more of an issue...As she sat getting prepped for chemo, I felt bad for her..The folks that were there in support had their own "all too important " issues to be involved in, so in reality she was just as alone as I. Never once have I asked my family or friends to attend a treatment with me. What the hell are they going to do? What the hell are they going to say? Some battles I think are best fought alone and by doing this you get to be a better fighter in your daily battles. My family has been there for me when I have asked and never once has turned down a request for help when needed. This being said..if you are going to be with a loved one that is getting chemo or is just going to the Dr. , remember there is a reason they are there and don't add to an already stressful situation..

How many of you have ever been to a clinic or hospital and spent any time in an infusion room? I will try to give you a little perspective from where I sit and am able to see and what I hear..First off, if you want privacy about your condition, your meds and your daily bodily functions and what your insurance covers or doesn't...ain't gonna happen. Twenty five recliners made with the finest plastic that money can buy, twenty five IV trees with pumps.. all the available space is usually filled to capacity. Add in the seven or eight nurses and aids and it gets a wee bit crowded.. Personally I don't give a rat's butt, as I am very open about my lymphoma and not afraid to share. There is a very diverse group of patients and it changes on any given day that I've been here. The same questions cross my mind every single time I come to chemo...How did we become the chosen few? How many like myself will go into remission? How many will die? I can tell the folks that have given up and pretty much "checked out"..sad. One thing I hear from the conversations that is a constant is, with the older folks a lot are ex-military and/or ranchers and the younger are very wide ranged in their types of cancers and life experiences.

I am getting tired and i see a nap in my future. The Benadryl is kicking in..as i always ask...Please pass this blog on to anyone that you feel it would help and Thanks for taking the time to stop by. If you have any questions or comments please let me know. Take Care, Be Safe and Never Forget..

 
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