Patient.... or is it Patient ? ? ?

The last few weeks have been rough, there is no denying that. Weeks 1 and 2 of my treatments were a study in dehydration and nausea. Week 2 ended in an overnight stay at the hospital for IV fluids and medications to get all of the side effects under control. Week three brought with it the dreaded, yet anticipated port placement. If you don't know what a port is, I'll give a brief explanation. They insert a semi-permanent 'port' into your vein. The apparatus is inserted under your skin on your chest and the tubing runs directly into a large vein. This makes it easier to give the chemotherapy agents as well as to draw blood. It's like having beer on tap, but different! To access the port they simply poke the needle through your skin into the port, no searching for veins... its a sure shot. So this will make my life easier and the nurses lives a bit more pleasant as well. It seems my veins leave something to be desired.


On Thursday my lovely sister Kiki agreed to bring me to the doctor and stay with me while I had my fluids in the morning and then on to surgery in the afternoon to have my port placed. This is a surgical procedure so they don't let you drive-- go figure. We showed up at Yale at 9:00am for the IV fluids and I spent the morning getting rehydrated while Kiki and I picked on the nurses and talked. We walked over to the main hospital and arrived in the waiting room promptly at 1:30pm for my appointment for the port surgery. At 2:30pm they finally brought us back into the surgery recovery room. At 5:40pm I finally went in for the surgery and when all was said and done it was around 9:40pm when Kiki finally dropped me off at home. Long day doesn't even begin to cover it.


Today, Friday, they decided they needed to see me at the clinic again to give me an injection to prevent blood clots and start me on another medication. My appointment was for 1:30pm. I arrived on time and checked in at the desk. Two hours later I was still in the waiting room. At this point the nurses took pity on me-- thank you Sunshine-- and brought me back in the treatment area to see if this might move things along. While I sat there waiting the hospital's Chaplin stopped and said hi to me. He sat with me and we chatted which helped pass next hour of waiting. During our conversation he mentioned that he was always fascinated by the name given to the people waiting for care... "Patients". He remarked at how appropriate that name really is. Gets you thinking doesn't it???

Dictionary.com gives this definition for the use of the word as a noun:


1. a person who is under medical care or treatment.


And this definition for the word used as an adjective:


1. enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance; "a patient smile"; "was patient with the children"; "an exact and patient scientist"; "please be patient"

So it certainly does make you think. On the whole I am a patient patient. But this week the hospital and my doctors at Yale have been trying my patience. I will continue being a patient at Yale, and I will try and continue to be a patient person. And with your continued support, love and prayers I will continue to fight the fight and beat this thing. Thank you to everyone for all you have done to make our lives just a little bit easier in this difficult time.

Kiki, keep it up with being so nice to me and I might have to let you win at Scrabble :)