The continued heat makes everything harder to do. There is a certain inertia, when you step outside and a hot slap assaults your face. No rain since May. I am going walking early in the morning while it’s cooler.

Last Tuesday, was chemo day and a friend drove me to Grand Junction, so Cameron can have some days ‘off’. I was so sure, that the scheduling nurse had made a mistake, I called her over to ask what happened to July 9th? I didn’t want to get it all confused and somehow miss having a chemo. She and another nurse checked and it was my ‘chemo brain’ that had lost an entire visit there.

While I was waiting in the lobby of the cancer center to sign in, a woman spoke to me. ‘Excuse me,’ she said, ‘where did you get that shirt?’ At first, I was bit puzzled because this is an old shirt, white with two colorful parrots painted onto the right front. ‘Oh, my niece painted them a long time ago. She’s very talented’, I said smiling. 

She really liked that shirt. A man was sitting across from her and a younger one opposite. She asked me, what I was doing there? Waiting on someone? I told her, no, I’m waiting on chemo. She said, you are too cheerful to have chemo. Ohhh, I said, ‘not always.’ But, I can decide, each time with which degree of fear, dislike, etc. I approach this treatment. I then told her of the lifestyle changes I had made. I told them about walking the Camino de Santiago. I really had their attention then. She told me, that her husband also was just diagnosed with colon cancer.They were there to find out all the hard stuff. Stage, treatment, possible surgery, etc. They looked like they been hit. Which, of course they were.

Before too long, they were called to their oncologist’s appointment. I quickly tore a bank deposit slip (had my adress, phone number on it) and told them, that if I could help in any way, to call.

Meanwhile, it was the 4th of July celebration, which I was invited, first by the neighbors and then later that afternoon, at a friend’s house. Ate hot dogs, a burger, beans, and 6 salad leaves (because of the Vitamin K thing.) Then, they talked me into a slice of home made apple pie. At first, I was steadfast and said, ‘no thanks, I think I quit while I’m ahead.’ Well, that didn’t last long when I heard all these happy sighs. So, I did eat a slice… with whipped cream and a dollop of ice cream. My Goodness. Nausea hit like a well aimed arrow and I ran for the bathroom. Luckily, I had my hash oil pen and immmediately took some deep puffs. After a few, I coud feel the nausea receding. Just like someone threw a soft blanket over it. A little shaky but otherwise restored, I went back to the kitchen. I tell you for sure… Pure Magic’. I was upset with myself for eating like that. I had not had a hot dog in over three years. I had not eaten as much in long time.’ If you dance, you got to pay the Piper’.

Yesteray, I was invited to a concert, given by a very talented Bob Milner. Plays some ‘mean’ piano tunes. From Blues, to rag time to Boogie-Woogie. Had us snap fingers and tap toes. Nice break in an otherwise boring Sunday.

Came home and sat back with a good movie, when the phone rang it was the son of the people I’d met at the cancer center. He told me, that theye were now ready to change lifestyle and would I consider coming to Grand Junction and show them how to do this. Of course, I said, I would be delighted. (Of course, they will pay me.) He told me, that his parents (as well as he) really liked my positive outlook inspite of the C world. His father could really benefit to be around me, especially since this was my 2nd time around, dancing with the ’emperor of all maladies’. I told him that having cancer was not automatically a death sentence. It is a definite change in ones life but we have a choice how to react.

We decided on Saturday. Sure hope my car will not be expensive to fix as I first, drive to Telluride to visit and bring (frozen) dinners to Cameron and hopefully go up into the mountains and see those awesome wild flowers. ( I really want to see Cameron singing Karaoke.)

I am thrilled to be able to ‘cook’ and teach about healthier lifestyle, so at least bump up the Immune system to have a fighting chance.

I am still struggling on finding something to eat which does not throw off the ‘Cumadin’ blood thinning med. Can’t eat too many greens. Can’t eat too much fruit which contains K. I never even thought about ‘K’ and now it absolutely controls my life.

I am excited to design menus for my new friends. I love having a ‘purpose’. And, just in time, my leg feels much better to where I can stand, walk for more than 30 min. Life is good.

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