Tomorrow, Mama begins chemo...

And, as much as I was hankering for her to start after all these damned medical snafus, I cannot begin to tell you how unhappy I am that I'll not be there for her first treatment. Luckily, Allison (my sister) will be there with her. Allison was such a great help with us when I was going through treatment. So, she knows the ins and outs, the side-effects, the nausea and pain that one goes through during chemotherapy. The family is blessed to have her there to help with Mama's process.
I remember chemo days. As much as you'd think that it was AWFUL ... it really wasn't too, too terribly bad. I mean, the process itself. You know that you're fighting and killing a beast. I quite liked going to Dr. Fer's office and settling into my lazy boy and chatting with all the other ladies while we got poisoned. Granted, I was about 30 years younger than most of them at the time. But, in that moment, in those lazy boys, age alluded us. Because we were all fighting the same enemy. And our nurses and doctor were (and still are) our saviors. My Tuesdays were the highlight of my treatment period.
I DO know what "Nam" was like. I know this because I fought a battle that I was fortunate enough to share with other cancer survivors. And, in the aftermath, have remained close to these women. As much love and support that we got (and get) from family and friends, no one will ever really know what it's like to go through that war and come out on the other side.
My wish for my Mama is a smooth ride on the chemo-train. I wish for her to maintain a high and healthy white blood-cell count, an appetite, a high red-cell count, an appetite, LITTLE pain ... or as little as possible, her positivity, her love for life, to know that we all love her so much and are with her during and after this battle, to remain cancer-free until she's WAYYYYYYYYYY too old to be here on earth, and to know that this shit is just a speed bump. That's it.
Cancer, you're the nastiest speed bump of them all.
And ... my sweet Mama is gonna beat your ass to a bloody pulp.
Nighty night!
xoxo
Anna