I have a habit of waking up late and then head out searching for breakfast. Every once in awhile I end up at McDonalds for an egg mcmuffin. It became a watershed moment when the server automatically announced that she was giving me the senior coffee. Wait a minute, did I ask for the senior discount? Then I looked around me and noticed that everyone there were on the grey side. Apparently weekday mornings at Mc Donald's are a key time to find seniors. I humbly accepted my senior coffee.
Humility tends to come in bunches. I was confident about starting round 3 of chemo. I had my routine down. Schedule in the late afternoon, request a ride to get there, dress warmly with long pants, bring my backpack with all the essentials (iPod, headphones, iPad, books). I get called in to get my blood tested, then stroll in to select and settle into my recliner. Methodically positioning myself near an outlet and a view out the window. Then comes the news that my white blood count was too low and that my treatment will be postponed for another week. I pack up my stuff and shuffle out the room.
It was like being called to pinch hit in a baseball game. Getting your name called By the manager, selecting your bat, warming up in the batters circle taking practice swings in sync with the pitcher. Strolling up to the plate, settling in and ready to take that first pitch when you are called back to the dugout. You can tell I watched a Dodger game tonight.
I was told that this was not unusual. Apparently chemo does reduce the white blood count, and they did not want it going lower, increasing the risk for infection and the ability to fight back. But this pushes back my chemo schedule another week to end in late Jan. This pushes chemo into Thanksgiving and Christmas. It never occurred to me that there would be setbacks like this. Other than altering my calendars. It pushes back the goal or light at the end of the tunnel. Or as Gayle puts it, someone is trying to teach me something but i just don't quite get it.
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