As an addendum to my previous posts, I neglected to state the importance of my friends and family. I am not sure how I would have survived if it was not for them thinking about me and looking after me. I know this sounds sappy, blah, blah, blah. But, it is true. I did not leave the house except for medical appointments (and work in the early days) for about three months total.
It is, unfortunately, typical for cancer patients undergoing treatment to shun visitors. We are tired and fatigued and all we would want to do is sleep. Even the desire to watch TV...for a TV addict like myself...was gone.
My mom and dad were especially important. Mom, incessantly demanding and pleading that I eat, was a blessing. We have been through so much together over the years, I could not normally survive without her. Some would say I am a momma's boy, and they would be right! This is why I moved into "This Old Crack House" next door. More on this in a future blog entry.
My dad, the best dad in the entire universe, told me recently that he was so proud of me. He said that I took my disease in stride...that I took it like a man. That comment from him made me feel so good, I could not tell because I didn't have the words. He has told me similar things, like after graduating from high school and college and other events throughout my life, but this seemed to have special meaning.
It is helpful when you are going through a problem...any problem...that you have a kindred spirit to help guide you. My friend Beverly, a nurse at the nursing home where my mom works, was a cancer patient also. She guided me through some of the toughest times and made herself available to me whenever I needed it. I didn't call her, but a number of times I should have. Of more importance, she served as a counselor to my mother, helping her though this time and telling her what to expect. She, thankfully, is now cancer free.
I also have to mention my boss, Hank, who donated some of his ETO time to me so I could enter into EPI for the 6 weeks off. He actually recommended that I take time off, bless him!
And thanks to my friend Chris, with whom I work, for taking a lot of the load off of me during my illness. He bears the brunt of many of the issues people have at work, but he suffered doubly so during the time I was gone.
But I have to admit one thing...there is a certain truth that we have learned at my company. If one of us is gone, any of us, nothing happens. Nothing. There are no major problems whatsoever. My boss has gone on vacation, no problems. Chris takes off a day, no problems. I was off for 6 weeks, no problems. That is to say no MAJOR problems like servers dying, computers exploding, etc. It is a nice feeling, really!
And to the many people out there that were thinking of me and praying for me, thank you so much. It really helped.
It is, unfortunately, typical for cancer patients undergoing treatment to shun visitors. We are tired and fatigued and all we would want to do is sleep. Even the desire to watch TV...for a TV addict like myself...was gone.
My mom and dad were especially important. Mom, incessantly demanding and pleading that I eat, was a blessing. We have been through so much together over the years, I could not normally survive without her. Some would say I am a momma's boy, and they would be right! This is why I moved into "This Old Crack House" next door. More on this in a future blog entry.
My dad, the best dad in the entire universe, told me recently that he was so proud of me. He said that I took my disease in stride...that I took it like a man. That comment from him made me feel so good, I could not tell because I didn't have the words. He has told me similar things, like after graduating from high school and college and other events throughout my life, but this seemed to have special meaning.
It is helpful when you are going through a problem...any problem...that you have a kindred spirit to help guide you. My friend Beverly, a nurse at the nursing home where my mom works, was a cancer patient also. She guided me through some of the toughest times and made herself available to me whenever I needed it. I didn't call her, but a number of times I should have. Of more importance, she served as a counselor to my mother, helping her though this time and telling her what to expect. She, thankfully, is now cancer free.
I also have to mention my boss, Hank, who donated some of his ETO time to me so I could enter into EPI for the 6 weeks off. He actually recommended that I take time off, bless him!
And thanks to my friend Chris, with whom I work, for taking a lot of the load off of me during my illness. He bears the brunt of many of the issues people have at work, but he suffered doubly so during the time I was gone.
But I have to admit one thing...there is a certain truth that we have learned at my company. If one of us is gone, any of us, nothing happens. Nothing. There are no major problems whatsoever. My boss has gone on vacation, no problems. Chris takes off a day, no problems. I was off for 6 weeks, no problems. That is to say no MAJOR problems like servers dying, computers exploding, etc. It is a nice feeling, really!
And to the many people out there that were thinking of me and praying for me, thank you so much. It really helped.
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