Wednesday, November 18, 2009

It's OVER!!! (updated with PICS!)

Today she did it - her last chemo treatment. It went very easily, although lots of little events transpired to make it so.

We both slept in til about 8 (6am my time - yet it seemed late) and went on a very brisk walk along the Hudson (she is a fast walker - perhaps next time I'll wear my running shoes and jog alongside her - it might be easier to keep up!) We fed the squirrels and enjoyed the crisp morning air. On the way home we stopped for a croissant for me (I was feeling very "city-esque" - it's what happens when you take a soccer mom from the suburbs and plop her in NY for a week!) We got home and had breakfast and realized it was already 11, so we hurried out again - to the grocery store. She has requested Paul's favorite meal, Black Bean and Corn Tacos while she can still appreciate the taste, and I plan to roast some potatoes & garlic, make up a batch of Mel's Butternut Squash Soup, some miso soup and finally, the Broccoli with Beef recipe I bookmarked ages ago to prepare for her. The soups will come in handy this weekend when she can't taste as well or swallow as easily. Hopefully I'll make enough for leftovers.

After our quick grocery store jaunt, it was time to go - for the last time! We took a variety of books for me to read to her, as well as my knitting, and took the subway and bus to the Cancer Center. She was scolded rather severely for coming to the center with a cold (she's on the tail end of it, no fever, nothing, but the nurse really was mad at her). Her doctor checked her out and decided she would be fine, but that she should be in an isolation room. This translated into a private room! With a bed!

After her scolding and before the treatment, we had an hour to grab lunch and chose a new restaurant that looked interesting, Nanoosh. It was a perfect spot, chic and classy yet comforting and delicious. We both had their lunch special of lentil soup with hummus and pita. I had dessert too - a creamy rice pudding with cardamon and toasted almonds. It was a very lovely lunch.

Then we waited for a while before getting settled into her private room with a lovely nurse, Joy. Joy, from the moment she came in and worked to find a good vein, put us both at ease. She was kind and gentle and we just knew we were in very capable hands. Funnily enough, Joy was born in Chicago, went to school at the University of Iowa, lived in Denver and Boulder for a few years, and then moved to New York. Crazy! I read Tell Me Where It Hurts aloud. It's a sweet book about a vet and his animals. Either I read very slowly or the process went quickly, but we only got through three chapters. She was in and out, but mostly present for the reading, and we both are eager to find out what happens to the very first patient that is introduced in the first chapter.

After the treatment, we took a cab home. She took her meds, brushed her teeth, and went to bed. I plan to Skype with Paul and the kids, finish up some reading, and follow her shortly. It was a long day, but a pleasant one. And she is DONE! She even managed to dance a little two-step - hooray hooray!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

yay! for your blogs!! Glad you are there to take care of Nancy!!