Fatigue
is the best pillow. - Benjamin Franklin
One
more week to go! Five more days of radiation and one more day of
chemo. Next Friday, October 25th, I slide into home plate
with this course of my cancer treatment. Today was a good day. But,
it seemed very long and I was not feeling as much stamina and energy
as I did yesterday and the day before. I still had about 7 ½ hours
of sleep. But, it just wasn't the same.
I'm
thinking that thinking about going through the radiation and then the
chemo and then the hour and a half drive through the 7 mountains and
7 valleys played with my mind. But, the good thing is that I got
through it. Like I do every day, as soon as I approach the door of the
cancer center I straighten up, put on my positive happy face and
greet everyone with a big smile and positive comment. It works like a
charm every time.
I
missed seeing Karen today, one of the two women who greet me at the
radiation center reception desk. She must have had the day off. But,
Julia gave me a big smile and friendly welcome. Everything went as
routine, in at 10:15 and out at 10:30. Then I checked in 10 minutes
early at the reception desk across the lobby where I go for my chemo
treatments. And, received more smiles. And, as soon as Rebecca,
inside the chemo treatment received the message I was there and
ready, she came out looking for me. So, I went in a bit earlier than
my appointment.
All
the nurses who administer the treatments are terrific. They are
attractive, intelligent, well-groomed, competent and efficient. But,
I do have my favorite, Suzie. And, Suzie “got stuck with me”
again today. We laughed about it. She has a good, yet kind sense of
humor. She got me started and everything went by the numbers. My
entire treatment was completed by approximately 1:45 PM.
Carolyn
arrived a little after I was undergoing treatment. There was a baked
good contest going on in the lobby, so I had picked up several pieces
of pastry. Carolyn collected a few more pieces. Too much sweet stuff.
It was all very good, but we couldn't eat all we had. So, we had to
pass on some of it.
There
was an older gentleman, I later learned was 82, in the treatment
chair directly across from me. He slept most of the time we were both
there. Then two ladies joined him. One, was his sister and the other
was his wife, I believe. He woke up when they arrived and Carolyn and
I, in our outgoing way, welcomed the women and I made a humorous
remark about how the gentleman had been the big “disruptor” of
the chemo room. They all picked up on the humor and had some great
comebacks.
We
soon learned that they were from Keyser, West Virginia. That is where
Carolyn lives and where we would soon be heading back to, as would
they. The man's sister looked familiar to Carolyn and she commented
about it. Yes, indeed. The older woman actually attended the same
church Carolyn attended in Keyser. Carolyn sat upfront on the left
side of the church and the older woman sat upfront on the right
side. Needless to say Carolyn was occupied for the rest of they time
they were there. And, I made conversation with the man and his wife.
Believe me, this kind of interaction really makes a big difference in
controlling the fatigue factor.
I
had been reading the first of three indepth articles about Jeff
Besos, the founder of Amazon.com and learning a lot about the mind
and mission of this man who has become the wealthiest man on the
planet. None of the information was directly from Besos. It was from
people who had worked with/for him and others who had been analyzing
his for decades. They told about his school years, college years,
Wall Street years and the early Amazon start-up years. My son, Pete,
has worked at Amazon on contract and basically worked on a project
directly under Besos. I'm going to talk to him and see how accurate
the information is from his personal experience.
I
have two more articles to read on Besos and there's also an
interesting article on Thomas Edison I want to read in the same issue
of “The Atlantic” magazine. Carolyn went to Costco (where else)
when we left the cancer center. I went back to Judy's to gather my
stuff. Carolyn arrived shortly thereafter. We packed her car. I
secured the van. And, off we drove back to West Virginia. It was an
uneventful drive that just seemed too long. We arrived at about 5:35
PM, I went to my room and collapsed on the bed. The fatigue had
washed over me in the car nearly as soon as I got in the car. And,
now, I'm looking forward to a pleasant night of sleep.
Live
free and be happy. EH
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