First of Last. or Last of First?

Friday July 7 -Day Negative 5- The day has finally come. The beginning of the end! My first day of my last round of Chemo. Well hopefully! We set our alarms for 7a and wake easily. It’s time. It’s finally the day. My tummy is rumbling from the massive burrito and oreo brookie Blizzard. Megs puts two waffles on for me while I use the resty. It’s time to poop and its time to get high. Today my ailment is pain in my stomach, anxiety from treatment looming and the fact that I just want to get high.

We take the elevator down to the lobby of the Residence Inn so that I can take my last stroll outside for a few days. It’s a magnificent day out; 70 degrees, low humidity, light breeze, truly an incredible day to be alive. Great to breathe the air and hear the liveliness of Rochester on a Friday morning. I’m ready. We approach the Charlton building and see that it is busy. We wind through a seemingly endless flow of foot traffic to get to the main lobby desk to check-in. After answering a few general questions I am presented with a Welcome packet and my patient wristband and given directions to a place I am overly familiar with. It’s hard but I am gracious. I am calm. I am ready.

Nurse Sadia is waiting for me up at Station 9-3. She will be nurse with the assistance of Kyle until 3p. Fucking Kyle. He has a face you want to punch. I don’t know why but I just want to punch it. Stands about 6’2” broad shouldered white with blonde hair. He’s a real Kyle. But the nicest and honestly most knowledgeable nurse that we have met. He administered my actual stem cell transplant the first round. Watched some playoff basketball with me. He's a real one. Every nurse at Mayo is a real one. Best care in the World. I'm a Healthcare VIP.