Tuesday I accompanied Sarah to chemotherapy for the first time. It's something I probably should have done from the start, but she insisted that I stick to my normal routine of work and since she's the boss I dare not argue.
I didn't know what to expect. What would it be like? Who would be there? What should I do during this? I had a ton of questions.
The first thing that struck me upon arrival was how vibrant everyone was. The people getting their treatments had such amazing attitudes. Everyone was smiling, joking and sharing stories. Not just about their treatments, but about their daily lives. They talked about their kids and grandkids. They talked about places to eat and what movies they last saw. Everyone knew each other and had a genuine concern for one another. It was refreshing to see such happy faces.
Since Sarah is the youngest one there, she's pretty much a celebrity. Everyone loves her; from the staff to the patients. And who wouldn't love her? The girl is amazing. I sat and listened to two women discuss my wife. "She's such a doll," one said to the other. "She's always smiling." I nodded at them in agreement. That's my wife, she's awesome. Others marveled at her fashion sense, Sarah strutted into chemo sporting white denim capris, proving that even during treatments my little Beany is as fabulous as ever. cancer be damned, nothing ever stifles Sarah's style.
Eight more weeks to go. That's all we keep telling ourselves. Eight more weeks of this. I'm sure that last treatment will be an emotional one. It'll mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. It's still hard to believe everything that's transpired over the past five months. It's been unreal.
The other day I ran the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in celebration of my little Beany. It was the first outdoor run I've done in over two years. With all that's been going on over the past few weeks I had little time to prepare for it, but I didn't let that stop me. I signed up to run in her honor and I'd be damned if something like a little physical discomfort got in the way of finishing my goal and making her proud.
By the second mile I felt completely gassed. My side was cramping up. My legs were tight because I didn't stretch. I just wanted to walk. And just as I began to slow down I feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn around and it's my wife. Suddenly, a burst of motivation hit me. I started taking bigger strides. As I looked back at her bright smile I thought "This is why I'm running."
And now with that run behind me I focus on bigger goals. Longer runs.
The Ride for Roswell is June 26th. If you haven't donated yet, I encourage you to click the link below and give what you can:
http://giving.roswellpark.org/beanzbrigade
Thank you and as always, Be Relentless.
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