It's just a blip. The tiniest of tiny blips on the chart, but there is a number, now, where for weeks there had been none. I'm all a million questions suddenly, wide awake, reaching for the controls at the side of my bed, fumbling for the little button that's like a triangle pointing up. I'd like to say that I'm sitting up in bed, like a bolt, but I'm still too tired for that. The bed adjusts. It's motorized, adjustable, and it helps me get kind of vertical without having to expend any energy.
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Positive," Cindy says. "Absolutely positive."
"How many?"
"Twelve."
"That's it? That doesn't sound like much."
Cindy laughs. "It's better than zero."
"Are you sure?"
"Very sure."
"Could it be a mistake?"
"Doubt it. We'll do some extra draws today. We'll make sure."
It's so completely unexpected, this rough early morning wake up call, these new counts coming back so late in the game. It's the best news we've had in a very long time. It's the single best piece of news we've probably received since I've been in the hospital. But that still doesn't prevent me from asking the obvious question. Maybe I just want to hear Cindy say it out loud.
"This is good, right?"
"Yes, Robert," she says, smiling, laughing. "This is very, very good."
Hi Robert - I'm a mentor for The Northern NJ Chapter of Team in Training for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I'm mentoring a team of runners who will be running the San Diego Rock & Roll marathon on June 6th.
I found your site today and sent your link to my team and to the other teams who are training and raising money for the Leukemia Society. In fact, I've been reading your site and am still here at the office at 7:00 pm on a Friday (like a dork) but I had to get to the end. It sounds like you are starting your recovery process, and that is wonderful. My dad had colon cancer and lymphoma last year and got a clean bill of health right around the holidays.
I wish you well in your journey toward wellness and I'm looking forward to more entries on our site! Let me know if you want some pics of the team or anything! We're all rooting for you!
-Laine