Monday, March 8, 2010

Groundhog Day

I haven't had that much to share lately. My life is like Groundhog Day. Here is a typical day: get up after a restless night's sleep.....shower and inevitably get my saran-wrap-covered catheter wet....lay down because I am exhausted from the shower....somehow get down 9 different meds, a couple of which are larger than Carrie Underwood's new engagement ring....drive to the Cancer Center with Dave (our car is on auto pilot from home to the hospital)....get to the Oncologist's office and give the receptionist my name and my doctor's name (even though she sees me every single day, she makes no effort to remember my name)......wait in the blood draw area until the next nurse is available.....fear the nurse is not focused on the blood-drawing task at hand because Dave has inevitably engaged her in an unrelated conversation....off to the waiting area with traditional blue pleather chairs that don't match the contemporary decor of the brand new Cancer Center....get excited if we score one of the two Chippendale loveseats.....wait for AT LEAST an hour during which time I.....play solitaire on my phone....listen to Dave rant about the purpose of appointments and comment on every patient that has already been called for another doctor....study the other people in the waiting room and wonder who is the cancer patient and who is the family member (sometimes, unfortunately, it's quite obvious).....watch the volunteer with the snack cart who sells crackers and unrefrigerated pudding (yummmmm).....give a sigh of relief when the young girl with no personality (she must have been trained by the receptionist) finally calls my name....go to exam room #2....no-personality girl takes my blood pressure and temperature.....robotically get up and take two steps to the right and get on the scale.....no-personality girl notes my weight and leaves......stare, once again, at the sun-faded moving sticker on the exam table and swear this will be the day I take it off....listen to Dave rant about the purpose of an appointment while we wait for the Nurse Practitioner....Nurse Practitioner comes in and I tell her how I feel, she gives me a cursory exam and leaves.....listen to Dave rant about the purpose of an appointment while we wait for the Dr.....the Dr. finally comes in and I repeat everything I just told the Nurse Practitioner.....he does a ever-so-slightly more complete exam.....discuss the Myeloma topic of the day and then he leaves......head to the treatment room and I sit in one of the non-matching brown vinyl lounge chairs.....pray I won't get assigned the annoying male nurse that still tells Tiger Woods jokes....wait for my meds and fluids to be dispensed from the pharmacy.....Dave leaves and will return in 2 hours and 15 minutes.....play solitaire on my phone....study the other people in the treatment room and wonder what kind of cancer they have (it's easy to distinguish the patient from the family member now).....possibly get a short nap.....get up at least 3 times with IV pole in tow to go to the bathroom because of the fluids.....obsess about all the germs in the bathroom....finally done and Dave picks me up at the previously agreed upon time.....return home.....It's mid-afternoon by now and I haven't had anything to eat so I rummage the kitchen for something to drink that won't taste like metal and something to eat that won't taste like cotton.....settle for apple juice and applesauce.....plop on the couch, exhausted from my action-packed day, and turn the TV on....watch back-to-back episodes of House Hunters International......amazed by how small the bathrooms and kitchens are in Europe but annoyed about how much money some people have to buy vacation homes in exotic places like Bali and Fiji........turn the TV off.....check email.....think about blogging, but just can't do it today.....possibly get a short nap.....rummage the kitchen again just to see if there's anything I missed the first time.....decide on apple juice and jello this time.....turn TV back on and watch a romantic comedy On Demand while Dave makes a three course meal for himself.....check email and think about blogging again.....play solitaire on my phone.....decide to go to bed....lay awake thinking about how I should have blogged today....finally get a restless night's sleep.....wake up the next day. Repeat.

15 comments:

  1. You just made my 9 hour meeting today almost seem like something to look forward to - a feat that I did not consider possible. A bunch of us check here on a daily basis; it's been a source of pleasure that you have continued to shine light on our lives through your observations.

    (Personally, I think HGTV should have to carry disclaimers. Their projects all work, the corners are all square, the drains are all clear, the circuit breakers don't trip. Come on. Just once, just once I want to see them do a show where a guy uses a hand-crank augur to clear a drain and then he spends an hour trying to get the thing back out of the drain, pulling and turning and sweating and swearing. That I would watch.)

    Keep on going. Maybe a book on CD would be a help?

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  2. You're killin' me here! Don't know whether to LOL or cry due to the tedium of it all!

    DD

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  3. I don't rant and rave about the purpose of the appointment once we get into them exam room dear, which is hours after the appointment time, while I am supposed to be working. But, what is the purpose of the appointment again?

    Dave

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  4. I have to agree, our kitchens and bathrooms over here are indeed tiny, my kitchen is so small there is only space for two people and getting past each other is an art form.
    Have you considered pulling faces at the staff? At least they would have to take notice of you then.

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  5. Good Plan Lorna!

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  6. Feel like I can't do much, but you have my word, as a Christiana Healthcare System volunteer, that I will speak up about refrigerating our pudding.

    You make me laugh....literally have people staring at my in cubicle-land because I'm chuckling out loud.....truth be told it was Dave's response to your blog that got me real trouble.

    Melissa

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  7. You are tooooo funny!!! I agree with Donna..dont know whether to laugh or cry..I chose laugh as I know you would!!
    I like Lorna's plan too.
    Love Ya
    Kathi

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  8. Write that book Sweetheart.Love Aunt M

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  9. Melissa C said....

    I agree with your Aunt. You really should work on a book. It would certainly be funny. You continue to inspire all of us at work. We miss you!! Keep your chin up and think about what a better summer you are going to have.

    Love,
    Melissa

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  10. carrb@einstein.eduMarch 11, 2010

    Susan,
    I agree, I don't know whethter to LOL or cry as well. You make a day most of us would be so down about seem interesting!
    Definitely write a book.
    Make faces at the no personality receptionist!
    Tell her "I know you know me and I'm not giving you my name today." Tell her the chemo made you forget and see what she says!
    Tell my brother to stop complaining. All he has to do is wait - you are the one going through all the pain.
    Love you!
    Barb

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  11. Aw Susan, you make it all sound so wonderful!!! lol
    Hugs and kisses:-0

    The Browns

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  12. I got tired just reading your daily routine.
    Had to take a power nap immediately!
    Robotic is definitely the descriptive word for those people out there. I'm glad you are describing your experiences. It's too bad you can't video your day; you may want to rethink the book and do a documentary! What a sell that would be.

    Keep the faith.
    Love,
    Cousin Anita

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  13. Anne T. GatterMarch 12, 2010

    Hey Susan! Kim sent me your bloglink and I've spent the last hour catching up on your progress. Have to admit some parts were a bit tough to read. But your personality and sense of humor in incredible. Good thing I'm reading this at home cause I actually laughed out loud, especially at this posting. Susan, you're an amazing woman! I truly believe you have a guardian angel watching over you. I'm saying my thank you prayers for your progress. You continue to be in my prayers and thoughts. Anne :)

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  14. Just an fyi - we now have 30 folks from S West St signed up to run all or part of the Delaware marathon on May 16 as an LLS fundraiser. :) !

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  15. Susan, We are saying our thank you prayers for your progress, too. Brighter days and fun are ahead for you - we all believe that - so spend some of your challenging days daydreaming about that boat.

    Love to you both, Jana and Farogh

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