Round 7 (By Kelly)

It’s another Thursday in the long summer countdown. But this is the seventh Thursday. After today only one more round of chemo remains, and the end that once seemed so far away is now in sight. This fact alone has my mom walking and talking with a bit of optimism this morning. For the first time, in maybe this entire process, she is 100% confident she will get through this. While we drive to the hospital, she’s laughing and joking. Bring it on.

As we walk into the the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute, I feel more like I’m walking into a spa. The building is brand new and from the exposed brick and hardwood floors to the green and gray color scheme, it feels comfortable and retreat-like. We are one of the first to arrive in what I’m told is a busy day here, so we stake out our chairs nearest one of the 6 big screens. Cozy lounger for mom, small chair for me. We laugh as it feels more like we’re getting situated for a flight than a day of chemo- bags, laptop, cooler, magazines under the chairs. Strap us in, we’re ready! Oh wait, she’s got blood to give, tests to pass and doctors to see. It’s all part of the very familiar routine I can tell. She even prompts the nurse to flip her chair on its head as she struggles to draw blood from her port.

2 hours later- the chemo finally starts...

I’m not sure what I expected to see today, but it felt oddly calm and easy. I’ve watched the past 14 weeks as my mom has battled every side effect these drugs could dish out. Times when it has been downright difficult to see her in such pain. The poison that has taken her energy, her appetite, her hair, and at times her will, is so easily administered as we sit around and chat. It feels like an oxymoron. Other than a slight drowsiness I can see in her eyes, its like any other hang-out time together. As I look around the now fully occupied room, some 15 people are going through the same thing. Most with smiles on their face. Between the comfort, technology, abundant snacks, and friendly nurses, I’m grateful these hours can be as relaxing as possible for the patients. The days ahead are sure to be quite the opposite.

I’m thankful for the experience I had today. I’m thankful to have been able to take a day off of work to spend with my mom, despite the circumstances. Most importantly though, I’m thankful she only has one more round left.