The little things

 I had my fifth radiation treatment today. It's going ok so far.

I'm really, really tired most of the time. I'm working full time and going to treatments every day. I don't think that in itself is causing the exhaustion. But add in trying to work my schedule around the treatments and still get everything done, and I'm not sleeping well, and worrying too much, and trying to keep my spirits up for Griffin, and, yeah, I'm tired.

But I keep coming across little things that help make it all better.

To save as much time at my appointments as I can, I've been using the free valet service. Finding a parking spot and walking up to the building would add another 10 or 15 minutes onto my time away from work.

The valets are all very friendly, but there's this one guy who wears crazy socks.

All the valets wear black shorts and blue polo shirts with the hospital's logo. Most of them wear tennis shoes because they spend a lot of time going back and forth between the front of the hospital and the valet parking lot.

But this one guy wears ankle-high black work boots with bright, colorful socks. Yesterday, he had on black socks with doughnuts. Today, he had flamingoes.

There wasn't a way I could take a sneaky photo, so this will give you an idea.

I'll admit one thing, though. A lady made me feel kinda guilty today. We rode the elevator up from the radiation treatment area to the first floor to leave. As she was walking out, she asked if it was still raining, and I told her yes. I saw it out the window. So she started getting her umbrella ready. 

"I'll need my umbrella for my walk," she said. "I'm tired, but I'm not ready for valet parking yet."

I was right behind her, and I was about to hand my valet ticket over so they could get my car. Every ounce of me wanted to call to her and explain that I was ABLE to walk to the parking lot, but I was using the valets as a time-saver. It's funny how one innocent comment from someone can hit a nerve.

One other little thing is that while I'm waiting on the valets to bring my car around, this is my view.

It's a pretty fountain that makes a nice sound. The cancer center also has 2 acres of gardens with walkways, meditation areas and a labyrinth. It's cool for them to offer that kind of thing. I would love to take advantage of some of it, but I have to get in and get out so I can get back to work. Maybe I'll take a few days off during treatment and check it all out.

Another little thing today was that while I was lying on the table for treatment, I heard Stevie Wonder's song "Superstition" over the speakers in the treatment room. It made me smile because Griffin is learning to play bass guitar, and he has learned the bass line for that song. And thinking about that kid makes me smile. 

He's a good boy. And he's been worried about me. He even offered to not have a party for his birthday in November because he thought I might not be up for it. I assured him that Jeff and I could throw something together, and that although it won't be as elaborate as his usual parties, he and his friends will have a good time.

So overall, treatments are going well. The people there are very friendly and outgoing. And they are doing a great job of getting me in and out of there in a timely manner.

Only 28 more treatments to go!