tropical depression

Tuesday, the 3rd of September, near the peak of Hurricane Season. Mother has been in the hospital since August 15. Nineteen days shut in – not one spent outside in the sunshine and fresh air. Not one day with Lucy on her lap, and all the time wondering when she’ll go home, and for how long. The doctor came by today with some news of the results of her 3rd bone marrow biopsy. Will there be hope or more bad news from South Florida?

I set out Tuesday after Gustov with an extra bag packed, back on the road for a double dip trip to see Gloria & then off to a convention for us in the audio/video business. It’s a chance for us to see interesting gear, learn something new and visit old friends. A once-a-year dip in the pool of neat stuff. As if there isn’t interesting technology at a cancer hospital for this self proclaimed geek, I still wanted to make the trip to Denver. X-ray machines aside, I made my way up to her room that afternoon without incident, albeit we were both a little tired - me from the hot road, her from the hot chemicals. A brief reunion and our vibes were back in sync. Then the update – there’s been a setback.

The white blood cells have not died entirely. Nor has her hair fallen out. Her eyes are brighter, but she hasn’t been as sick as the docs thought she should be. On one hand that’s a good thing, but the point of chemo therapy is to destroy fast growing cells, of which white blast cells are the intended targets. Hair is collateral damage. She shows signs shedding, but like my cats, only a few strands at a time. Enough to know it’s falling out, but not handfuls to get upset over. Was the treatment effective? Why are her hands red? Who is Hanna, Ike and Josephine? Like leftovers dished out by Fay and Gustav, we are now served with less of this and more of that. Remnants of looming darkness and threats of destruction ahead. The forecast was correct but not as corrosive as anticipated.

Wednesday and after several discussions, she reassures Don & me that she’ll be okay during my trip to the Mile High City. The staff of Audio Video in Paradise arrives in the rented car from Key West to pick me up at the main entrance. One last sermon about keeping the faith and the threat of a drill sergeant’s yell about thinking positive and I’m on the way out the door, half smiling and half yearning to be by her side. “Let’s make sure there’s a bar by our gate,” I half joke as we pulled out of one parking lot and into another. The good news is yes there is a decent bar at the Fort Lauderdale airport where the beers are cold and no (thank God) they don’t know my name. My phone rings and its mom – maybe she’s just calling to reassure us to have a good trip. Instead, she has news of the results of her biopsy. Normally it’s very difficult to quiet an open bar. Someone has to yell something inappropriate or in this case, your mother has to pass along news that she’s just been advised by the doctor that her bone marrow is clear.

Nothing can be clearer than to learn that she’ll be coming home in a couple of weeks! We are so happy with the news that she’s on the CLEAR road to recovery! Yessssss… we’ve turned the corner, reached a goal and crossed an intersection. The storm is dissipating.