Another Day: Where Am I?

Day Two of Cycle Three of Chemo, that’s where! 

Today was “Let’s Bitch About the Summer Traffic” day. And man, did they ever bitch. It was inevitable; it’s August. There were plenty a damning story - or a harrowing tale of the stoopid - to tell.  I listened and chuckled to myself feeling grateful. I simply do my little centering exercise before hitting the road then tune out the madness. No stress for me.

One older gentleman (using the term loosely) bellowed for a half hour about having to drive to the Center in heavy traffic no matter the time of his appointments. He’s just moved here from the DC area and hasn’t figured out the back roads yet.

Granted, everyone has to spend some time on the Coastal Highway, but using back roads can cut that time considerably, if you know how to do it.

If you are unfortunate enough to live in one of the newer developments with outlets only to the highway, your ass is grass, as we say. Whether you need to travel north or south, you’re going to pay the price.

Most of today’s complainers lived south and/or west, so the patients who also live in those areas shared the secrets of avoiding the worst of highway travel. The routes may take them out of their way, but they’ll still get to the Center in less time and stress-free. Those living north and west already know the shortcuts allowing them to simply cross the highway and not get stuck on it.

As I wrote a while back, this is the first summer I’ve had to face highway traffic - and on a daily basis - so it was either find a good quiet place for my head or sit up and wait for it to explode.  I chose the former and it works well for me.  It’s also how I found my fab silver queen farmer’s parking place, so the cloud had a silver (queen) lining.  Oooh, sorry!

Following my treatment, and as suggested by Roger (the dear) over at 3rdnlong, I hung around and visited with a new patient who seemed overwhelmed. He was about my age, I suppose. When he was ushered in alone, his eyes were the size of dinner plates; they were much smaller when I left him. He wasn’t sure what to make of the chatting, carrying on, or the humor between patients and staff. I hope our time together helped to relax him a little.  

I just received this: one of the daytime cooks at DL was riding his scooter home on Coastal highway in heavy rain on Saturday clinging to the shoulder of the road using the bicycle lane, when he was hit by an SUV trying to dodge slow traffic in the turn lane. He’s in hospital with broken pelvis, broken leg, and shattered right arm.  Doctors are hopeful, but he’ll probably never be a professional cook again. 

You couldn’t get me on the highway on a scooter on a clear afternoon, but in a heavy downpour??? He was crazy to even try it. He was warned and made his choice. He’ll be in hospital for months, then rehab a few more months. I’ll visit in a few weeks, after all the painkillers and surgeries, when he’s on the mend.

Sometimes smart people do stupid things. As I raise my hand in total agreement.

And so it goes.

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