A Friday in Spring

Is there anything better in the whole world than a Friday afternoon in the springtime? The neighborhood is really coming back to life. The forsythia is blooming -- along with daffodils, tulips, and crocuses -- and the trees that are not already in bloom are starting to bud. My rosebushes in the front yard are covered in new leaves; I can't get close enough to them to see if they are getting buds yet.

For some reason, the nurses (home health and at the chemo center) cannot access my port to flush it. It's supposed to be flushed once a month when it is not being used for chemo. I made an appointment to see Dr. Crawford, who installed my port, on April 2nd. Apparently, he can inject some sort of dye to see where the blockage or problem is located.

It's not swollen or tender, so I don't think there's any infection there. It sure did hurt when they had to keep trying to access it, though. Yow!

Zach, our youngest child, came into the room the other night to tell me that when he flexes his muscle (which he does often, as do most scrawny 8 year-old boys), his skin turns a "funny color".

"Oh, really?" I asked, distracted by whatever I was doing.

"Yeah," he replied, "I think I might have cancer."

I was totally unprepared for that answer! I explained to him that mottled skin is not a sign of cancer, and that he does not need to worry about getting it. Of course, it's difficult to make promises, because anyone can get it. It just really surprised me that he was thinking that way.

It just reiterates what I've known all along: cancer affects the whole family, not just the patient. I have to remember to tread gently around the children. They are dealing with a situation (sick parent) that no child should have to face, and it's not always easy for them.

Thankfully, spring brings new hope for the world, and hopefully for all of us, too.