Just Getting The Hang of It

Part III

Now there are days in between events that I remember clearly that involve funny moments. I can't name them all because they're a lot. It wouldn't be fair if I left any of them out if different nurses were involved. Therefore I will just leave names out, but know that my heart has a huge piece attached to the staff at Millers. Shout out to all you guys. My time with you guys will never be enough.

Understand that I was at Millers for my first treatment and about half of my first relapse. That was from August 2012-December 2015. Every event I tell you will be from this time. It could be from my first treatment or my second. Again, I will try to keep it chronological as much as possible, but if not, well "chemo brain". Continuing with my first outpatient visit. This one I know for sure was from my first treatment. I went to the infusion center and the nurse I got was nice. She went to grab all the equipment and when was ready, with needle in hand she felt around for my port. She was having a hard time and I don't blame her. Back then I was close to 200 pounds. She's not with pediatrics anymore and I wish her the best where she's at in adults. Going back, she was having a difficult time trying to feel for such a small device underneath the skin. She then said, "I think this is it". She attempted to access me, pushing the needle into my right chest by the shoulder while whispering "I'm sorry" into my ear. Yeah that was my shoulder.

She apologized profusely and eventually accessed my port, but after that day she didn't feel comfortable accessing me. I don't blame her. I think the incident was quite funny. I hope she knows that she had nothing to apologize for and that I have nothing, but mad love for the infusion center crew at Millers. You all do a great job.

Other things that happened at Millers was one of my first nurses snuck me a Mcdonalds cheeseburger. She also gave me a cow keychain that moos while the nostrils light up. She gave me a stuffed penguin teddy bear who became one of my companions those weeks in the hospital. She left Millers as well, but moved out of state. If you read this, I hope you're well and I'm sorry about Jake. Dogs are beautiful creatures who don't get enough time.

There was this time when because I was allergic to Peg I had to get Erwinia shots. 3 shot to the thigh. I had a tummy ache, feeling nauseous and so they gave me some Ativan because it wasn't time time for another dose of Kytril. Well it was my first time having Ativan and when it kicked in a started laughing and when my nurses tried to get me to come on the bed so they can give me my shots I jumped on the bed and proceeded to laugh the entire time they gave me the injections and left.

There are small and precious moments with all the staff and nurses. I remember when one of my nurses came to my room just to escape the bustle of the hospital for a bit. She would talk to me about her two boys and how when they were younger they were in a music video. She's also not at Millers anymore, but she definitely made my time there fun. If you read this know you mean a bunch to me! Another time is when I was having constant muscle spasms and cramps. My fingers would lock up in weird positions. The nurses witnessed this and we had a good laugh about me having Pterodactyl claws.

Another one I'll never forget is when because of a certain chemo I had to take some eye drops with steroids in them. A nurse of mine liked the way it smelled. This became an ongoing gag with her because when she sniffed the eye drops and told me they smelled nice, she tripped shortly after when she was walking out of the room. She then blamed the floor because the flooring was coming off. She was nowhere near the area the flooring was coming up. She had me moved rooms because she tripped and it was a safety hazard. So for a good while I told her "Well if you'd stop sniffing those eye drops". Yeah good times. In case you were wondering she doesn't go around sniffing eye drops. It was just that one time because she was applying it to my eyes and caught the smell.

One time I was in the clinic and I had to have 3 nurses come and try to figure out why my port wasn't flushing when it was fine earlier. Finally they called a nurse who was real good with my port. She tried flushing my port with saline. It wouldn't flush so she gave my port a look and unclamped the line. The look on everyone's face was priceless. Shout out to all the clinic staff. You guys are all so wonderful as well and I constantly miss everyone of you guys.

There was a day in infusion that I will never forget. I laughed so hard this day. My best friend Lily came with me to my chemo appointment. My nurse, in her distraction, by talking to my friend began to walk away without realizing she was holding on to the little line attached to the needle in my port and pulled it right out of my chest. She had just got done accessing my port and flushed it when she upped and walked away still in conversation with my friend. I thought it was funny as all hell and started laughing. She kept apologizing, but she didn't have to. If this reaches you, don't feel bad. It was a good laugh.

I like to talk about the funny moments because it's important I think. Like the great Bo Burnham said laughter is the best kind of medicine, you know, besides medicine. That comedian always puts a smile on my face. Good solid advice that one. He also said if you can't laugh at yourself what can you laugh at, besides tiny midget clowns. Yeah maybe not that last part.

It's important to laugh. As I said before my dad used to always tell me, "Smile at the world before it laughs at you". To that I say, "What most people don't know is that the world is already laughing, but jokes on the world because I'm laughing right along with it".