Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Waiting For The Weight Of The World

Bo's scans came back clear today, so he is good to go. One year cancer free for him! If you have a moment, read the post from today. Some good information in there about banking umbilical cord stem cells.

Skippy is home from Iraq and on Commonwealth of Virginia soil. Thanks to Skippy and all like him that represent our country well in a tough environment.

Got the final stamp of OK from the MCV folks yesterday. Actually met with the head of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Great guy. We had a good discussion about my health and about what I've been up to. Funny story, in his follow up questioning, he went through a check list of symptoms and actually blindsided me with a question I hadn't heard before in the course of this process. I was proud that I had a snappy reply. I won't share any of it here. May not share it in polite company...ever. But, I thought it was funny and I'm sure he told the story of it to his colleagues. If he didn't, I'm disappointed in him. He shared some what he called "dark cancer humor" with me. I was flattered he was comfortable enough to do that.

Told him about my speaking gigs coming up and asked for his thoughts. I told him the direction I wanted to head with it and he thought it was a good concept. Told him I have a new take on the use of the word "survivor" in relation to being diagnosed with cancer.

He shared these thoughts with me, and I paraphrase...."Cancer patients do like to tell war stories and we recognize that. That's why the waiting room can be an anxious place for new patients. They sit there and hear other patients sharing some of the tougher things they went through and the new patient gets concerned as a result. We have to figure out a way to keep that minimized or to keep it from happening at all."

As I started to type this paragraph, I just came up with an idea in relation to the previous paragraph. I'll get back to you on it. I want to ask some folks what they think.

Maybe what we are looking and waiting for is already here, and it is us.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay for Bo! And yay for having Skippy back too!
- Judith

Valerie Bosselman said...

Good news all the way around! Wish you would share your snappy comment, and a bit of that dark cancer humor. I try to tell my friends that Megan and I laughed a lot at the cancer center (certainly not on the first few visits) but after a month or two it was old home day with all our medical pals.

I do have an opinion on waiting room conversation...I may just feel a blog coming on....and can't wait to hear your thoughts!