Ted and I were trying to visit our dear friend Chet yesterday at University Hospital. When it turned out that we didn't happen to find him in bed (which is a good thing), we decided to do something we've wanted to do for a long time...we went back to say Hi to the nursing staff on 2North as we had promised we would back in April. These folks were the crew who cared for me when my white blood cell count dropped so low and I had pneumonia after my final chemo round. So they saw me at probably the low point in terms of my response to treatment. Even though I was only there for 4 days, we really had a great time together. Since I was in reverse isolation, they were my primary source of conversation and fun during the days and nights and we talked about all kinds of stuff.
So you can imagine their joy when I showed up...glowing with health, lots of hair, good energy and back to my life. They shared that it really helps them KNOW that they do good, that they really make a difference in people's lives, that all their schooling and hard work really does pay off.
So once again, I salute all caregivers....nurses, doc's, nursing assistants, and all those who provide the food, do the laundry, clean the floors, order the supplies and manage all of that. Never forget the importance of your healing role in the lives of so many people!
I tried to find Dr. Phyllis Schmidt last Friday, who was the person who diagnosed my cancer, but she was gone for the day...so that's still a to-do on my list!
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