Skip to main content

A song in my heart

My oncologist walked in for our Wednesday appointment and I broke out in song, "Doctor, doctor give me the news I got a bad case of loving you . . ."
She joined in for the subsequent verses! Got to love a doctor with a great sense of humor and a great singing voice.

In all likelihood, there aren't many patients that greet their oncologist in song! That's me, sharing a little bit of sunshine wherever I go.

It was a blustery day on Wednesday (I can hear Pooh saying Happy Winds-day!) and C-O-L-D after we had several warm and sunny days, the change did little to brighten anyone's mood. My headwrap nearly blew away when I got out of my car in the morning and that brief exposure for my nearly bald head chilled me for most of the rest of the morning. I have a greater appreciation for the warmth a full head of hair provides. One of my WW members changed my chilly disposition shortly after, however, when she gave me a hat she'd crocheted for me. It was the second gift I'd received (the first was a beautiful sketch of a robin) from a member at that Benton Harbor meeting and it warmed my heart.

As a WW Coach, I lead weekly discussions about topics related to health, habits and activity. And some of these can be fairly emotional for the members and I carry their stories in my heart, each and every one of the members I have had the good fortune to meet is now a part of me. Being 'in front of the room', though, I often forget that part of me sometimes becomes a part of the members too. And as I've been going through chemo, many of these members have reached out, outside of the Workshop time to share, to hug, to lift me up. What's not to love about my job?

So, no wonder on blustery Winds-day, when the weather was depressing most Michiganders, I came to my oncologist appointment after having led two WW Workshops with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. Life is good!

Comments

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

When you encounter a totally different reality

John and I arrived early for an appointment (for those of you that know my husband, you know that this is not infrequent! The story of arriving three hours early for a flight to Phoenix from Midway still gets repeated and laughed about when the 'kids' get together). We found a seat and the waiting room began to fill. We had chosen seats away from the TV where NBC's Today Show was playing, so we couldn't see what was on the screen. Another couple sat before the TV and provided commentary and as the time progressed provided a glimpse into a total different 'reality'. "Oh I can't even stand to look at him. He's so evil" "What is wrong with his hair?" "This administration will do down in history as the worst ever." "The federal government is taking over the states. There's going to be a civil war, just you wait." "They just let all those illegal aliens in and then they're going to give them weapons to take...

The world according to Gimp

  I understand that there are those who may believe my use of the term 'gimp' is derogatory or demeaning. I do not use it lightly or to belittle anyone, it's just a lot easier for me to than 'disabled' or 'handicapped' because it uses a little snark or humor to something that could use a little of that. Or in this case, I specifically want to make light of my situation so that it doesn't feel depressing. For you or me. Let me try to explain.  One of my pet peeves is the look of sympathy I get from well-meaning people. Like, "Aw, sweetie, I am so sorry that you are less abled, confined to a wheelchair and less able to live the full, active life that I lead."  I am in a wheelchair most of the time and my life is different because of that but in truth I never wanted to run a marathon of play pickleball or climb Mt. Baldhead (I've done the latter too many times usually bringing up the rear of the group I was with and/or being cheered on by the ...

Time

I have been reading through the blog entries for John's caringbridge site and am marveling that it was only a year ago we were on that awful cancer journey. In a way it seems like so much longer - especially when I look at the Patient Patient and see just how wonderfully handsome and healthy he looks! John still has periodic visits with the docs in A2 and prior to each we are both a little nervous that the docs might find something. He calls after each visit and we breathe a sigh of relief when the docs declare that all is clear! We know patients that went through treatment at the same time haven't received the same news; our concerns are grounded in reality and our sense of relief immense. In the past year, we have heard of far too many people that have received a diagnosis of cancer - prostrate, breast, throat, etc. While the type of cancer may be very different, the family's reaction and the ultimate course of treatment may vary greatly. The family and loved ones g...