it seems like just yesterday. me - in my hotel room overlooking pristine lake gisenyi, on the border with the democratic republic of congo, in rwanda. pondering the tranquility of the scene, juxtaposed with the humanitarian and political crisis just over the border post. jane - at home in wintry new york, learning that she has a chance to maximize her odds of not having any sort of cancer recurrence, and exploring chemotherapy as an option.
at the time, we agree that it's probably the best thing to do, and that if we cancel our trip to hong kong and tokyo, jane can start the first of four treatment straight away in january. "i'll be done by march 7th", i remember. surprising short and manageable, and yet excruciatingly far away.
well, here we are. tomorrow is march 7th, the last of four sessions. it's all quite pedestrian now - the netflix movies, the seltzer bottles, the colorful bag full of 'stuff' purchased in amsterdam over thanksgiving weekend, the headphones to drown out the loud tv played by one of the patients who's always there. then grand luxe for a salad, home for a latté, and winding down with a lovely shabbat dinner brought by friends (this week, the nassims - thanks!). a routine that, despite making the best of a bad situation, we will be happy to say 'good riddance' to!
of course, it's not like waving a magic wand. it will take a few weeks for jane to feel back to herself (this last 'recovery' was particularly arduous), and then the real recuperation takes place ... back to exercise, hair eventually growing back, chemo brain (chemo-nesia) lifting, shifted weight disappearing. a nip and tuck here and there, and it will be like a bad dream!
that day in rwanda, hearing the news, seems like a moment ago and a million miles away. the end of this part of the journey ushers in a new period ...
at the time, we agree that it's probably the best thing to do, and that if we cancel our trip to hong kong and tokyo, jane can start the first of four treatment straight away in january. "i'll be done by march 7th", i remember. surprising short and manageable, and yet excruciatingly far away.
well, here we are. tomorrow is march 7th, the last of four sessions. it's all quite pedestrian now - the netflix movies, the seltzer bottles, the colorful bag full of 'stuff' purchased in amsterdam over thanksgiving weekend, the headphones to drown out the loud tv played by one of the patients who's always there. then grand luxe for a salad, home for a latté, and winding down with a lovely shabbat dinner brought by friends (this week, the nassims - thanks!). a routine that, despite making the best of a bad situation, we will be happy to say 'good riddance' to!
of course, it's not like waving a magic wand. it will take a few weeks for jane to feel back to herself (this last 'recovery' was particularly arduous), and then the real recuperation takes place ... back to exercise, hair eventually growing back, chemo brain (chemo-nesia) lifting, shifted weight disappearing. a nip and tuck here and there, and it will be like a bad dream!
that day in rwanda, hearing the news, seems like a moment ago and a million miles away. the end of this part of the journey ushers in a new period ...
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