Go team go

People ask what they can do to help.

And though this ain’t our first rodeo on either side of this thing, we still can’t answer that question.

Helping is  a bit like triage - or like fighting a fire.  You parachute in, look around and decide who is going down in flames the fastest, and you put out one blaze, one person at a time. 

Who hasn’t eaten? 

Who hasn’t slept?

Who hasn’t showered?

Who needs to be left alone?

Who needs to go out?

Who’s crying?

Who needs to?

Everybody is a damn mess, and we just keep moving ahead because it’s all we can do. 

Tiny and Kooka have been working with me nonstop since Tuesday cleaning, sterilizing, folding laundry, filling prescriptions, grocery shopping, driving back and forth to Rochester, making sure things are as clean and easy as possible, when we do get to go home. They’ve run for snacks in the subways of Mayo and are currently curled up together on the mini fold out bed for another hospital overnight. Tiny is doing  her summer reading by flashlight in the dark oncology ward while Kooka studies her flash cards for AP chem. They are warriors.

Punk sends us notes and pictures to keep us going.

Rico takes his hits like a champ, but the doxorubicin is brutal. He’ll drink, but only if I’m here to help. He can eat just a bite or two of cracker each hour, but only if I give it to him. His face and hands and feel are swollen, he’s nauseous and coughing all of the time.

As for me -  I’m curled up in a hospital chair next to his bed waiting for the early morning doctors rounds.

None of its easy, but the team is strong.

Yeah we have a team. If you’re reading this you’re on it. We feel you - and we’re grateful.

Kooka’s boyfriend who took her to get paper towels when I couldn’t leave the house - he’s on the team.

Friend who fixed my business website when it (of course) went down the same day we were starting chemo and the same day everybody wanted to register for fall classes - she’s on the team.

Amazing guy who also happens to be an incredible photographer who set up our dream family photo shoot with one day’s notice before Punk left for college and Rico lost his hair - toooooooootally on the team.

Movie theater that let us in for free, gave us popcorn and even ran a movie while we took our pictures - hell yeah you’re on the team.

Friend that asked if she could set up meals for us that I keep politely declining because I can’t freaking figure out when or if we’ll be home - damn straight she’s on the team.

School Principal and Superintendent who texted me within FIVE minutes to help with Kooka’s fall schedule - team MVP’s!

Neighbors who watch our dog, pick up our mail, give us reassuring medical advice - teeeeeaaaaam.

Everybody leaving notes and comments on the blog and FB and IG  - teammates for life.

Doctors, nurses, radiologists, phlebotomists, PA’s, food service, custodians - team!

We are not people who tend to reach out for help, but we are so grateful for the people who surround us, the people who love us, the people who make times like this livable. We know this ride will be tougher than last time. Last time there was a surgery and good news. This time the plan is twelve weeks of very difficult chemotherapy and all of the side effects that come with it, followed by radiation, followed by an eight hour surgery, followed by more chemo, followed by rehab - but that is a good plan. It is a hard road, but a good plan. Go team go.