Story 25March2022: Careful Friday

I was up about 7:30ish, having slept well. No nightmares on Thursday night and Friday morning. I got started reading emails and checking the news about the war. I write the blog for most of the morning. The dizziness is gone, and standing up does not cause stars. Much better.

I leave early and head out to Forest Grove. I stopped by Carl’s Jr. for their western burger with coffee and some fries (I don’t usually finish the fries). I then park in Fred Myers to get some items for Leta. It took me a while to find the distilled water and vinegar. I find myself tiring much faster than I expect. It is a workout to just cross the store with a cart. I am far weaker than I was at the end of cycle 2.

I need to spend these seven chemo-free days getting stronger. I will need to rest a bit more than I expected.

I drop off the supplies at the hotel. The front desk will get the supplies to Leta, Susie’s mom when they check in late at night. As their flight arrives in the evening in PDX, we will not see them until Saturday, so I drop off the stuff with the hotel staff.

Leta and Barb, Susie’s sister, have a hotel just a 1/2 mile from Susie’s facility. They have a rental car.

I reach the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center at 3900 Pacific Highway, Room 44A, and discover Susie is not in her room. Instead, she is at the tables near the nurses’ station. While Susie and I chat, her tray arrives, and the nurse aide helps Susie eat. Lunch is pureed and is best described as four pools on a plate. Susie loves the pureed cheesecake. Always best to do dessert first, I think.

Susie tires quickly of chicken, rice, spinach, and cheesecake one 1/4 spoonful at a time. So I just sit with Susie for a while. I call Leta, and she is just through security in Detroit Airport; no FaceTime calls on a flying day.

I forget to take a photo. Susie is yawning and sliding down in the wheelchair. Time for her to have a nap. I head out. The walk to the Air Volvo was more challenging than I expected.

I head home, and instead of sleeping, as that will mess me up more, I try to write some Dungeons and Dragons material. Just sitting and typing seems a good substitute for sleeping or trying to work on my models. I need to just sit and relax.

Mariah calls. Why yes, I could use a drink at the Golden Valley Brewery is my answer. So we’ll meet there in the early afternoon. They are already packed, and Mariah gets a table inside that are well separated, and the high ceiling helps the ventilation, I believe.

I let the waiter know that I need him to keep his distance still as I am undergoing chemo. Unfortunately, the food is delivered by other staff who seem to believe that food should be delivered close and personal without masks. I lean away.

I have almond liquor warmed by placing the snifter over a hot glass of water to sip. That and a coffee. Mariah is trying their house wines. Both Mariah and I have the steak salad, the first salad I have had that I can eat without microwaving it. I enjoy the local berry cobbler with ice cream for a dessert. It was a nice break, but the risks of unmasked staff being close and friendly makes me take pause.

I write some more for Dungeons and Dragons and then try to sleep. Sleep comes fast, and I wake screaming in my newest nightmare. It is only 12:30, and there is no sleep until the early Saturday morning. Every noise startles me and brings me back full awake. It is Spring Break, and folks are up late. Car doors are slammed all night.