Monday, November 15, 2010

A Day


So we went up to Thomasville this morning, Kathleen and Judy and I and checked into the cancer center. This was certainly not our first visit there but it was our first time for Kathleen to get chemo there.
We sat in the waiting room for a good long while but they finally called us and damn! only one person is allowed to go back to the "Infusion Suite" with each patient.
This totally fucked us up. We are used to being a team of three, not to mention the fact that Thomasville's cancer center has been just a delight in every way. No signs on the wall telling us not to use our cell phones and every one knows every one and there are muffins and Sarah Lee pastries for us to indulge in, not to mention coffee and oh yes, that adorable Dr. M.
So- we were like little children who had been given every thing they asked for and then suddenly denied a whim or wish - What?! Only one person can accompany the patient?
But that was the rule so we stuck to it and I stayed with Kathleen and Judy went outside and stretched out in the sun and I stayed with Kathleen while the nurse came and did her teaching and stuck a needle into Kathleen's new port and started the whole chemo process.
Here's what Kathleen looked like:
Ain't she cute?
And then I took my camera and walked around and took this picture of the walled garden outside:
I'm sensing a theme here. In Tallahassee, there was always that giant blown-up condom
across the way from where Kathleen got her chemo and now- well- is it just me- or is that trickling little terra-cotta pipe fountain just the least bit phallic?
Whatever. It was so much more pleasant in Thomasville. The nurses seemed far more sure of themselves, the whole process went smoother and much more professionally and there was plenty of real sunshine, coming in through the windows.

After Kathleen got settled in, Judy and I took off to run some errands in Thomasville. We went to the tractor store and the Goodwill. That was fun. And then we went downtown to find lunch. As I have mentioned, Thomasville is one of the prettiest old southern towns you can imagine. Her are two images I caught:
The Buster Brown Shoe Store is no longer there but the sign is. How many of you remember that sign? And the X-Ray machine? Oh my god. Well.
This is just a throw-away shot with the old brick road, the beautiful old buildings and a rather gorgeous cloud arrangement.

When we got back to the cancer center, I took a picture of the fountain out front with a crow who had been drinking deep of the fountain's waters in front.

While they were finishing up the last of the chemo, Kathleen asked me if I would make home-made pizza tonight.
Would I?
Oh hell yes.

Here it was before it went into the oven:
Onions, garlic, peppers, spinach, olives, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes.
Here it is after we ate our fill:
I am not even kidding you.
It was freaking good pizza.

And now Kathleen is in bed and I'm going to bed soon myself.
It's been a GOOD day because I got to spend it with women I love and finish it off by making something with my hands that pleased one of those women.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow. Storm maybe. We need rain so badly and we watched the clouds building up all afternoon and we are hoping for the best. It doesn't FEEL like it's going to rain but my joints ache like hell so maybe it will.

I'll tell you the truth- I feel at peace right now. I feel as if this day has been filled with what I was supposed to be doing.
And really- that's all I ask. That I feel that what I do is what it is that I've been put here for. To hold a hand, to drive the car, to feed the chickens, to make the pizza, to knit a few rows, to wash the dishes, to do some laundry.

Tomorrow I'll be taking care of Owen. I hope the rain pours down. I want to show that boy the rain from the porch, the lightening from the sky. I want to feed him pizza too.
And for right now, this feeling of being at peace is so sweet that I could weep.

But I don't feel like crying and that's good.
I've cried enough in the last few days.

Sleep well, y'all. Let's all sleep well and heal from whatever ails us.

Love...Ms. Moon

21 comments:

  1. it is a wonderful thing...to feel like a cloud in its rightful sky.
    i love you ms. moon.
    sweet dreams.
    xoxoxoxxo,
    rebecca

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  2. Okay, the whole only one guest with the cancer patient allowed rule is total b.s. What is wrong with these people? Cancer patients are the Queens (or Kings!)If Kathleen wanted two guests or a hundred guests then she should get what she wants!! That's my rant.

    That pizza looks delicious. I totally want you to come over for a visit and we can go to the supermarket and we can get some good stuff to make some good food.

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  3. I'm starving right now and that pizza looks DELISH!

    I'm glad your spirits are lifted today.

    xoxoxo

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  4. This sounds a lot like living life to the limit, Ms Moon, on so many levels. Thanks for reminding us how.

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  5. Wow, what a pizza. And what a day filled with friends and visiting and photos. It is supposed to rain here too. I need to spend a day just recuperating from retirement.

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  6. Mary dear, I have been in a very wacked out place at work lately (it sounds stupid, but involves several people from the creative team who sort of cut their teeth with me in the Citi Web Creative team space, who have become dear friends, leaving for new jobs - and this is REALLY stupid - so I feel a little left out). It's hampered my voice as a correspondent, but not because I don't LOVE you and take HUGE pleasure in your writing. I do, to both. Love, love.

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  7. A. Kathleen indeed is super cute.

    B. Thomasville? Is that the place you took us oh so many years ago and Austin had his first fried chicken? Remember? He held the drumstick like a microphone and attempted to gnaw on the top of it? I told you that he had never had fried chicken before and you laughed at me.

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  8. I'm happy you all had a good day...even if that day included chemo. That just shows that good friends can make almost any situation fun. Thanks for all the sunny photos of warm places. The snow and cold has returned...and now I'm constantly chilled again. Brrrr!

    Your pizza looks so much better than the pizza I had today. Hope you're getting lots of sleep so you will be ready for Owen tomorrow.

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  9. Good thingsto hear, Mary. I was going to tell you this, in case you needed a laugh, but well - when don't we need a laugh?

    http://demurelemur.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/the-time-my-mammy-explained-the-term-fisting-to-the-parish-priest/

    Your pizza looks wonderful. And my mother told me about playing in the X-ray machine in Neiman Marcus. Sigh. People...

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  10. You Ladies could make a fascinating and fun trip out of going to the dump! So glad you had a good day.

    Looks like you have the homemade pizza dough thing down, not to mention the superb toppings. LC's good with that, too. Just another way in which you are sisters.

    Hugs from Here.
    N2

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  11. that pizza is pure porno..(excuse me the language)..errrjm*..poem..poetry..that pizza is pure poetry i meant...:-)

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  12. rebecca- Exactly. A cloud in its rightful sky.

    Rebecca- Well, I agree but when weighed against how lovely and sweet everything else is there, we shall deal.

    Michelle- Thanks, girl. I sure do love you.

    Elisabeth- Well, some days just work themselves out.

    Syd- Yeah. You're going to need a vacation to rest up!

    Angela C- Well, honey. You do have a life. It's okay. I love you too.

    Omgrrrl- Yep! That's the place! I always remember BFG eating that chicken leg. It was a match made in heaven.

    Mel's Way- I slept very well. Every time I woke up, it was raining.

    Jo- I'll check that link out. Yes. We did x-ray our feet to make sure the shoe fit correctly.
    It was fun!

    N2- I use the food processor to make the dough. It is so easy.

    Danielle- Food poem/porn. Same-same in this case.

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  13. I am glad you are feeling sweet peace. We humans are fed by giving service and love, aren't we? Getting is good, but there is nothing to compare to giving. Hugs.

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  14. Rained all night at my house, which was so nice I overslept my alarm. But just by a half hour, so no real damage done - I'll just stay a little extra at the end of the day.

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  15. The picture of Kathleen is so cute.

    The pizza looks yummy.

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  16. Angella- You are so right. But there is a balance somewhere. Believe me- I am NOT Mother Theresa. Nor do I want to be.

    Ms. Bastard-Beloved- Right on both counts, my dear!

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  17. Thoughts (not necessarily in order of importance)

    1. I remember Buster Brown!

    2. Gorgeous pizza. I'm drooling.

    3. Kathleen looks darling.

    4. Dumb rule, but I'm glad that Thomasville is good to Kathleen in every other way.

    5. I'm glad you had a day filled with purpose and peace. Those days are gifts. May you have many more...

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  18. I'm so glad you found the peace. And yes, she's damn cute that woman.

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  19. DTG- Man. I did NOT want to get up either.

    Leslie- Thanks, honey.

    Mwa- You have no idea. She's like a thousand times cuter in real life.

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  20. That fountain is hilarious, and your pizza looks delicious!
    So glad Kathleen is feeling all right. You are so lucky to have one another.

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  21. And now I'm craving a slice of that pizza!

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