May 3, 2006 - Day 1 - Week 5 - Round Two Begins Whoa!

7:30 AM: At the treatment room of the Angeles Clinic; I assumed last month’s posture in the reclining chair.  No good – feng shui is better if I sit in the opposite corner.  Since the suggestion came from two female Kreitler teammates, who am I to argue?  Dad always taught me to just agree.

7:34 AM: Blood pressure 138/80 – check.  Temperature 97.5 – check.  Weight 178 ½ – check.  Blood count, both red and white, good to excellent – check.  With everything in order, the needle is inserted into the shunt in my hand and 5 hours later at 12:33 PM I am done.

Lunch was the treat on the way home, but I was slowly fading and the invincibility factor could not be checked.  At the restaurant waiting for the salad I rested my head on the table. Dizzy and with both legs aching, similar to the effects of a long workout at the gym, but not quite, I got through the lunch and felt better.

Homeward bound to lie down and try to nap, I was greeted by the next door neighbor’s perpetual barking dog that has been an issue for three years.  Nothing seems to work; perhaps now guilt will be used because the nap factor is high on the agenda for the next six months.  I have never been good at using the guilt card, but there are times when it is effective.

I tried to sleep, but to no avail. When I got out of bed I was woozy and about ready to faint.  I did not, but I recognized very quickly that I am human, very human. 

*Warning:  This paragraph is PG 13.

But, let’s return to Nellie and the clinic.  My chemo chemical drip is blue.  I asked for yellow, and Nellie said no, that is for a different protocol.  Tongue-in-cheek I inquired, “Are there other colors?”  Nellie did not miss a beat.  “Yes, there is purple and lavender, red and green, but our favorite is blue.”  If I am obligated to have another blue chemo treatment next spring, I am going to request to have it on the day before St. Patrick’s Day, because of a lesson I learned in third grade.  If you mix blue with yellow, green results. Well guess what?  Blue chemical mixed with yellow waste results in a nice shade of green.  Oh what you learn about the human body!

Seated next to me today was Alan, a chemo finisher and a survivor of testicular cancer. He has been through hell and back and yet retains a very positive outlook.  Last month he was the fellow I referenced who had blotching hair; today he was bald and beautiful.  He is required to spend one week of three in the hospital.  This routine has been going on for four months. We struck up a conversation about the environment, sustainability, and health issues.  Building a home in Oregon that is designed to be off the grid – and in clean air – his professional life encompasses running a 10,000-person environmental engineering firm.

I asked if he enjoyed reading Lance Armstrong’s book, It’s Not About the Bike.  “It scared the hell out of me” was his candid response. “I am going to finish it when I am completely finished with this and have a clean bill of health.”  He continued forcefully, “The best that has happened to me is that I was introduced by Dr. Larry Piro to someone who has a two month head start on my same deal.  He has been terrific, and now I want to do the same for someone else.”

Once again, I am amazed that when we really listen we will encounter teachers in all types of places. Even on the dog days for me, there will be someone to find yellow in the rainbow and will share that openly.

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