When we were visiting family for the holidays in December, I had the good fortune to see a friend, someone who is very much a part of our family.  He was undergoing chemotherapy at the same time I was.  He told me that he had a story to tell me.  I received a card from him recently with the story written out.  The card was a congratulations card with a sound chip in it.  These goofy creatures called hoops & yoyo are on the front of the card and when I opened the card they said “congratulations!” in chipmunk like voices: “go do more of what you did, more good stuff, more good stuff, more good stuff, more good stuff…we don’t know what it is, but it was good stuff…congratulations!”  and it made me smile and laugh.  His inscription said “Have a smile today.  Keep getting your “things” back!!”  He signed it from he, his wife and 2 children.

Here is a portion of the letter:

“I have to keep reminding myself that the physical changes I’m going through right now are just temporary, thus the story of the card.  When I first started my treatments back in September/October, I was told of all the side effects that I might encounter along the way.  The constipation, diarrhea, mouth sores, hair loss, weight loss, loss of appetite, ability to swallow, voice change, etc…the list goes on and on as you well know.  I said to myself bring it on, let’s get rid of this crap that found it’s way into my body.  The side effects came, but always whe I was home, never while I was in the hospital.  I can’t say that I didn’t struggle with my side effects, but as the holidays approached they subsided and eventually became a part of the past.

As weeks went on, I started to return to my more normal self.  (My wife) and the girls can attest to that.  And that is the reason for the card.

It was just around Thanksgiving, the girls were home from school, I was doing a puzzle at the dining room table.  (My daughters) just got back from the store, needed school supplies, and disappeared to their upstairs bedrooms, only to reappear moments later with big smiles on their faces and a card in hand.  I opened the card and almost cried for 5 minutes with them.  They had heard of all my side effects, the troubles in the bathroom, my eating habits among other things, and in the card they assured me that what I was experiencing would be temporary, that I would soon be my normal self, and when I was able to eat a hamburger and french fry meal, or more than one meatball at a sitting, I should open the card and listen.”

He went on to share a bit about a celebration in the bathroom (I think I’ve written about my experience of this before), and the fact that he “expressed this joyous moment to (his wife)”…”I find myself opening the card when I achieve something, or is it getting something back?  And I smile…when you get something back, open the card.”

Yesterday on the way home from treatment, I stopped at a convenience store close to home to get milk and eggs.  The woman at the register has been working there for years and years.  I had one of my baseball caps on, my curly fuzz peeking out, and she said:  “You got your hair cut!  It really looks cute!”  I smiled a great big smile and thanked her as I walked out with my loot.  As I was pulling into my driveway, I ran accross this sight:

As soon as I got in the house I went to the card and played it over and over.  My first complement on my hair since before September.  That’s getting something back.  Thanks M, for the card, the inspiration to celebrate, the support.  Thanks whoever you are for the beautiful surprise daffodillies and forsythia in my driveway.  Thanks, Mom, for the call tonight.  We celebrated that today was day 13 of 33 for me.  She told me she is one of 4 selected to be in a spelling bee for people ages 21 and up…is that cute or what?  There’s a lot to celebrate.  I love getting things back.