So here I am, settled back in my bed with 1 mg of morphine in my body. I’m thinking that since I am fading fast, now would be a great time for me to take a nap and Joe to run a few errands. He reluctantly leaves and the parade of nurses and aids begin. We all know that there really is very little rest in a hospital. Despite my blood pressure and temperature being taken and hospital administrators coming in with papers that needed to be signed, I managed to doze for a few hours.
Joe returned just as I was waking, of course he returned just in time to join another one of my pity parties. He managed to cheer me up with all of the great prizes he brought me. You would think that the best prize would be the new phone charger, but the phone charger was actually trumped by the 12 pack of Charmin toilet paper, the Double Rolls! You know you are loved by the best guy in the world when he brings you Charmin! If you’ve ever wiped with hospital toilet paper before, I know you can relate. With all of the IV fluids that they run through your body the path to the bathroom is well blazed; I am hoping that the 12 rolls outlast my stay. He also brought Pepperidge Farm cookies, chocolate, trail mix and the greatest little bags for organizing all of my “stuff”, that of course I wanted within my reach. He brought Chap Stick, lotion, dental floss and a soft tooth brush. They warned us that I would probably get mouth sores from the chemo.
I had such a great time filling all of the little pockets in the bags and they hung perfectly on the rails of the bed. I know that I am easily amused, but just having everything I needed within my own reach made a huge difference. It is very difficult for me to be dependent on others for anything, let alone for every little thing. I have been a mother for 32 years and it is my nature to do everything, for everyone. I hate being helpless and dependent. Hmmmm, maybe that is part of my new lesson, I will have to ponder that thought.
Being stuck in a hospital bed when your plans were to be heading home and going dancing is just a bit frustrating. I found myself flitting back and forth between disbelief and irritation. Just as I was about to give in to my whiney side, a lady showed up carrying a stuffed white bear. I was totally confused and figured she must be in the wrong room. I apologized for being so cranky and she said that she was sure that the bear she was bringing would cheer me up. The bear was for me? Really? I took the soft white bear and read the card. It was a gift from a very new friend. She and I had just recently met at a dance event. I was quite surprised at the thoughtfulness and generosity of someone I hardly even knew.
In the coming days and weeks she became a great support as she really understood what I was going through. She has become a great friend and is a cancer survivor. The little white bear was a savior in many ways, one being comfort for the soul, the other comfort for my elbows! The sheets on the hospital beds are so very ruff that my elbows were being rubbed raw. I lived with the bear under one arm and then the other, the entire time I was there. She also kept me company when I was alone. A true life and elbow saver! Thank you, dear friend for your thoughtfulness.
A quick tip: the Hypo-allergenic sheets in the hospital are much softer than the regular ones; but you have to ask for them.
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