Astrocytoma

I woke up Sunday morning feeling pretty good.  Sleep has been a little hit and miss lately, and I always wake up grateful to find that I slept for six hours straight.  Actually, I had eight hours straight that night, so all the better.  

I made my usual breakfast bowl, and sat down in front of my lap top to eat and check emails.  If it weren't for these travel trivia questions, a couple of Christian sites, and an endless stream of how to perfect my grammar websites, I'd have nothing in my in-bin.  Occasionally, I do actually get a real email from one of my brothers and sisters, or some good friends from Southern Illinois.  That is always a pleasant surprise.

I had determined to go to church this morning.  I admit that I haven't attended regularly since Covid.  There is something good that comes from attending in person that can never be replaced with virtual.  It was a good experience.

Some friends reached out and asked if I would join them at the Kane County Flee Market.  We met at noon and spent a couple hours walking around, looking at things that I had no intention of buying.  If any of you have seen our garage - at any one of our past five houses - you would see how much stuff we manage to move from house to house.  Boxes and boxes that haven't been opened in ten years.  We could have our own flee market!  Or, how about a big garage sale?  Or, a twenty yard dumpster?  Or, a match and a gallon of gas? (Oops, did I just say that out loud?)  One way or another, it can't be moved again.

It was great to get out, to see them again, and to get some fresh air.  By the time I was back at my room, I was exhausted.  The rest of the day was a blur.

Monday morning is the start of week five.

They scheduled me for a 9:50 a.m. treatment, rather than the usual 7:50 a.m. slot I'm used to.  They were doing maintenance on the Cyclotron first thing.  

I had put notes around the room to remind me not to go in at 7:50 a.m.  I am such a creature of habit.  Without the notes, I would have showed up early.  I kept myself busy for a couple of hours, then went to the treatment center.  

The waiting area was packed.  Lot's of new faces that I had never seen before.  

A couple walked in that caught my eye.  He was the patient, and looked like he was well into his treatment, but it was his wife's lime green shirt that grabbed our attention.  I saw the back first, that read, "Brain Tumor Support Group" with the name of their local hospital.  But, it was the front that got everyone talking and laughing.  It read, "You bet your ASStrocytoma, we support brain tumors".  She filled us all in on their journey.  All he could do was smile as she lifted his spirits with every word of encouragement, compassion, and love as she told their story to those who listened.  She is his greatest cheerleader.  The one that will be by his side no matter what.

It was 10:30 a.m. before I was called in.  The therapists were doing their best to make up for lost time.  We walked a little bit faster, got up on the table a little quicker, and nailed the alignment on the second try.  I was finished before you could even play three John Denver songs in a row, which was the soundtrack of the day.  But, not the usual tunes you might think of - the track was a lot of his newer songs that he recorded before his death.  Kathie was always a huge fan, and if it wasn't for that, I'd have never known it was John Denver either.  Does it make me a better person knowing this?  You be the judge, I will wait to hear your comments!

I made it back to my room, and sat down on the couch  This turned into laying on the couch, which turned into pulling the blanket up over me, which turned into the position that I spent the entire day.

Tomorrow is another day.