My appointment yesterday went fine. It was just a 3 month check up and he said everything looked fine. My blood counts were perfect and he didnt see anything else. So, we truck along for 3 more months. Next I have PET scan in July to check staging and see that everything is moving forward. Yeah for good reports!

The saying of the day was… “What a difference a year can make!”

I did have a moment when I was in line to leave. There was a couple at the window in front of me and becasue you know I’m nosy (I like to call it interested and observant, but my sister told me after Italy that I’m just nosy..oh well..tell me something I dont know) I just observed their behavior. Several things happened that began to indicate to me that this was their first visit.

My heart began to break. I wanted to just stop everything and sit the woman down and just chat. She had on the cutest glasses and the prettiest silky black hair cut into a cute bob. I could tell she was struggling with all the news she had just received. Then, when her husband walked away to go to the restroom. I saw the one thing that indacted beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was about to start chemo.

In her hand was a white box with maroon colored writing. While I could not see the images on the box or fully make out the word, I knew they were of a bald male and female and the word that I could see was “Anzemet”. That confirmed everything I was thinking.

The look in her eyes was that of my own exaclty one year ago. Is this really happening? Am I really scheduling my first chemo appointment? Did she really just give me directions about where to park across the street? What exactly did they tell me to do with the medicine in this box? I hope they wrote it on there, because I will not remember. Exactly what I am I supposed to do with all these papers? And wait a minute. What am I doing seeing an oncologist. They treat cancer. Wait, did that doctor just say I have cancer? And, why does everyone around me seem so comfortable here. So, ok with what is going on. My life just stopped and you people are just going on about life. None of this makes sense. Am I being punked? Who is playing this dirty joke on me? Why again did I have to take off today? Ok, I need to sit down. Someone pinch me so that I at least know I’m alive.

All of it replayed to me. It was such a small corridor, but the noise around it just stopped and I felt like it was just me and that woman standing there.

She finished at the window and it was my turn, but I couldnt let her stand there alone. I handed the lady at the counter my form and called out “Ma’am”.

She turned and looked at me startled. Wondering why I had called to her and I’m sure trying to figure out why when she had looked at me moments ago, I had a smile on my face.

I just looked at her and told her that I did not know the news she had found out today, but I could see that she had a lot on her mind and that she was dealing with alot. I told her that she could fight this. That there would be days that it is hard, and on those days, you just fight harder. I told her that a year ago that I was standing in her exact position. I told her that she could do this and that she just had to fight through it.

As I spoke her eyes welled up and she gave me a hug. Oh how I love supporting people through this. I hate that new people have to have a day like that lady was experiencing, but maybe just maybe I went through this to be able to help others.

It was a very special moment. As I walked away, I knew I had done the right thing. I had no choice. Awkward or not, she needed someone to fight for her at that moment.