Moffitt Mayhem

It has been a bit chaotic since my check in at 2pm. Lots of staff in and out asking questions taking vitals and educating Paul and I what we can expect during this rigorous course of chemotherapy.

The craziest part was that soon after being in my room it was obvious that there was a problem with the electrical wiring. There was a lot of whirring noises in the wall and the lights were randomly flashing on and off. Meanwhile after my nurse, Gail, got my "plug and play" port system in my chest up and running, the pump of my tower was discovered to be non functional....actually, three out of the four pumps did not work. The working one began administering my IV fluids in preparation for the actual chemo to begin. They still needed to switch my tower out in order to start the chemo because three pumps are required to administer chemo plus fluids.
All this drama forced us to pack up all of my stuff in order to change rooms. I hoofed it to a new room with my tower as my side kick following Paul who had my suitcase as his. We indeed looked like immigrants arriving in this foreign land called cancer. Once there we waited for replacement pumps on the tower so that my chemo could finally begin.

I found it ironic in the Oz scheme of things, that as everything was flashing and whirring, it was like the scene when Dorothy and friends face the projected wizard humbled and afraid. Turns out that he is just an ordinary man behind the hidden curtain creating the illusion. I think my chemo anxiety was a bit like cowering in front of the all and powerful wizard hoping for mercy.

It is now an hour and a half into my chemo infusion and I have found my courage, just like the dear cowardly lion... At the end of this big journey I will be strong, proud and victorious.

Can you hear me roar?