So, the eve of the eve of surgery. I've put the mailing lists on hold, and as usual I feel woefully unprepared. It's only for a few days that I'm going to be out of circulation, but it feels like a brick wall that I can't see around; despite that the surgery itself is not that much more involved than a hysterectomy. Been there, done that, gotta picture. Speaking of which, Dr. B said he'd take a picture for me, and let me post it on the internet—what a guy! I bet you were just dying to know what tumor-riddled innards look like, weren't you?

My first ex-mother in law called me on Sunday. L recounted to me in great detail her ordeal with ovarian cancer last year. They went with radiation treatments for some reason, and it was about 6 months of daily radiation. She's still taking oral chemo treatments, and it's been just under a year for her, but she is doing fine, regaining her strength and doing all her usual L things. I also had a young man knock on my door to sell me a home alarm system, and of course I answered the door sans hat—I don't wear them about the house. We chatted about the neighborhood and stuff, and then of course the bald head brought the conversation around to cancer. He said he'd been battling colon cancer for 3 years. He'd been through the gauntlet at not only Baptist and U.A.M.S. here, but he'd also spent about 6 months at M.D. Anderson in Houston. Major surgery several times, radiation, chemo the whole nine yards. He'd been fired from ADT (bastards) and his wife left him during all of this, and he was still taking up to 13 drugs a day, five of them for depression. He's out of the woods basically, but he still goes back to his support group whenever he's in town. ADT hired him back (said they approached him), and he was all over the tri-state area selling alarms. Loves little dachshunds, showed me a picture of them. It was odd, I guess. It seemed normal for a complete stranger to open up and tell me all of this stuff. I think my invisible sign that says "Tell me your story" was underneath the hair—the naked scalp makes people want to share. Not that I mind really. It's good to get some more perspectives.

Today was the last day for work for the next month and a half. I really feel rotten for disappearing after only 110 days on the job. K told me that it wasn't an issue, I had done a good job so far, and they were anxious for me to get well. They will get a temp to come in and handle a few things and help A with the stuff while I'm out. Still feels strange to just let it all go for now. They decided to NOT tell any one they hired that the last two people with that office died or got cancer. Probably a good thing, eh?

S arrived today with enough stuff to fill up the jeep so far that the bags had to go on the roof. I got a LOVELY summer frock (I need 10 of these) in black with pink blue and yellow flamingos—it's really quite fabulous. She made a matching bandana, so I'm like in hog heaven. Sadie came too—and she doesn't like the back stairs, and has exiled herself to the back yard. The cats are eternally grateful that the German Shepard is out there. I don't think the idiots have even realized what is out there—they just know that the back door is mysteriously closed now. I feel like Lovecraft—just knowing that the Cthulu dog is out there, and I can unleash the Terror on them at any moment. Hell, it would do them good, and keep them humble! Chester was glad to see S, but ignored Sadie. His little sister Laura has gained a ton of weight, and is now Fat Laura—apparently B didn't realize that the dog would eat all the cat food every time she put some down.

Boy Unit is supposed to come up tomorrow. He got a paycheck, the last one from Groupware, and he was going to wait for it to clear the bank. I didn't think to tell him that he shouldn't have to wait for an electronic deposit to clear. I had to tell him the other day that there is a phone # to call and find out what ha cleared the bank, and to chek and see what he had forgotten to write down in the check book. I don't think the suggestion made a very deep impression.

I'm getting a chance to make a nice present for S to take to her mother in law, E. E is so nice—she called me a week or two ago, and chatted some. She is one of those stellar human beings that is always wonderful to talk to. S wanted me to copy some stuff for her, and I'm making labels and covers for them. I think she'll be pleased. And I get to play with all the toys I've got, scanner, CD burner, labels and a smashing printer. I just have a ball doing stuff like this.
- posted by dossier @ 11:13:00 PM