Who Needs Shampoo when you are Bald?

I wanted to stop by and see her this week, so I texted her that I would be, 'leaving the ship in about 10 minutes'...

Smart phones have a funny way of making things ridiculous sometimes.

To that she responded, "Star command, beam me out in 10! Will you take me with you when you return to your world?'

That caught a lump in my throat for some reason.  I know (I think) she was just being funny.  Ship should have been shop and we both knew that.  There was something there though.

I did just want to scoop her up and take her back to my world with me, in so many ways. Back to healthy, back to living, back to her own house and space and job and friends and eating whatever she wanted and on and on.

But for now, back to reality.

I did go by and she was in a great mood.  We laughed again about the text and other stupid texts that we have sent and received in this day and age of smart phone typing.  One I asked my 17 year old son if he wanted 'breast' with dinner.  Clearly, that should have been bread...good grief.

Recently she had to move her room around and came across her supply of extra shampoo...to that we all rolled around laughing...

...she is so bald at this point!

Retyping it doesn't sound half as funny.  Sometimes you have to laugh so you don't cry. 

Trying to psych herself up to go back to the hospital on Monday for another 3 day treatment...which means another girls night in the hospital.  She said the last one about did her in.  She said she felt like she was a cancer patient and that she didn't know how she was going to make it through.

To that I just listened.

To you - whoever you are that is reading this - just listen.  Laugh, cry and listen.   

Girls' Night in the Hospital

Girls' Nights have changed.

So, my friend is a fabulous cook.  AND, loves movies so we had a formula for a great night even in the midst of chemo treatments.  At least every couple of weeks we would make a plan.

I would go over to visit and she would cook for me.  I always felt like I should be cooking for her...but she insisted. I loved to sit at the kitchen counter and watch her prepare.  Things needed to be just so and it was always worth it, delicious.

We would eat our faces off and then watch a movie and catch up.  Always followed by dessert.

Now, I am NOT a movie watcher, I think I mentioned that before.  She is a BUFF!  Knows actors, dates, etc.  Good movie picker.  But one night it was my turn to pick.  We scanned through several and I randomly thought Quarantine would be a good choice.  No idea what I was thinking.  It was scary and horrid and grotesque and VERY low budget.  We laughed ourselves silly with the ridiculousness of it.  Needless to say, I don't pick now...fun memories though, we still laugh.

Right now she is in a series of chemo treatments where she goes for three days in the hospital and then has three weeks off at home.  During that time she is very vulnerable and can only have visitors that haven't been exposed to sickness, etc.  For the last month my son and husband had battled nasty coughs, so I couldn't visit while she was at home.

I did go each week she was in the hospital.  Last time, I asked what she needed, wanted or was craving....Subway cookies.  So I grabbed some of those and headed over.  Her taste buds are all whacked out due to the chemo.

The hospital bed is uncomfortable on that stay and the fan is broken.  Dumb girls' night.  Cookies were good though.  :)  She smiled.  

She had good nurses that time.

So this week she was back in.  Time for another girls' night.  This time her blood sugar is screwy and when I asked what she was needing she said she couldn't have anything.  We tried to joke.  I said that carrots were stupid and I wasn't going to bring them...

I try to be strong when it has been a few weeks since I have seen her.  She looked so tired.  I didn't want to let go when I hugged her.   Even now I am trying not to cry and I write.  Instead of a movie, we had Fox News on in the background and the beeping of the machine that kept saying she had air in the line.  Random nurses drawing blood and scurrying about.

I was having all of these random thoughts about what I could take her.  Flowers aren't ok during certain times due to what she is taking, and no sugar, she wasn't really hungry, and really she doesn't need anything.  Just a visit. Still.  I wanted to give her something.  This time just a big hug.

The nurses were good to her this time, paying attention to what she needed.  I was grateful.  The nurses can make or break a stay...that is a whole different post.

She was discharged while I was there and I got to walk her out while the nurse pushed her wheelchair.  As she loaded up we were talking about the next girls' night and what she is going to cook me...she remembers that I can't have coconut - but promised something delicious...