A day marked by the start of my final cycle and nurses using my room as a zen oasis to flee the hospital stress.
After Tuesday’s hiccup we are finally underway: I have completed the first day of my final chemotherapy cycle.
Quite literally everyone on the floor is excited on my behalf. They are less excited by the fact that I’ll be spending most of my 30th birthday at the hospital as well. However, one nurse has already hinted that there might be cake and awkward group chanting of Happy Birthday to look forward to.
Around midday, two nurses burst into my room and took seats around the table where I typically spend the first halves of my days here reading. Both of them I knew quite well. One of them asked me whether I needed anything, but in a tone of voice that unequivocally meant “Well, we have to ask this to justify our presence here.”
Quickly though, they told me that they had had the most stressful morning and decided to take a quick breather in my room because it has sort of made the rounds among the staff that I am always open to chat and my room has subsequently become a sort of peaceful retreat centre for them.
We chatted and laughed for a minute before they threw themselves back into the daily battle. And I, for my part, returned to my books.
Happiness and health to you all – catch you soon!
just thoughts 