Return to Base (Cleveland 2e)

I'm grateful that my husband and my parents still love me after I was so miserable most of yesterday.

At 6:00 a. m., I take an inventory and determine I feel pretty good. I work the numbers: if I take one med now, prep the other then infuse it an hour from now, I can supplement the first one at 9:30 and we can be on the road for 10:00 a.m.

John works with the gracious staff to clear the room and load the car. Dad befriends the police officers directing traffic on West 89th. Mom chats up the family waiting by the door. I'm tempted to ask the producer what he and his crew are doing, but decline, only because it's pretty tough to get up from the chair.

Smooth sailing all the way. John wins the first car game. We still need the Commissioner to rule on a play in the second game. I'm pleased that the $12.60 we've paid in Interstate tolls this year is working: parts of I-90 have been recently resurfaced. It is a comfortable drive.

Nothing unusual at the border. No funny stories from the Duty Free Store. It's good to be home.

Michelle has stepped in and handled the household like a superhero. She has directed the day's power-work but her staff have to leave early- one to a football game and the other to work. John tries to take the dog for a walk, but Buddy refuses to go unless I go too. His feelings are still hurt because his Auntie can't walk him either. Eventually, we trick him into going.

Michelle cuts off the 4 allergy hospital i.d. bracelets. Other hospitals in which I've been a patient just use one bracelet and write on it 'Multiple - see chart'. The Cleveland Clinic staff wrote each allergy individually: one bracelet for drug allergies, one for latex, and 2 for food.

When Andrew gets home, he greets me by a warm and loving, "What are you doing home?" At least he let me kiss him in front of Calvin, his teammate who drove him home from the game. I could tell Jess missed me, "Hey! Hi!" she said when she got home from work.

We sit down to the meal that Michelle has slaved to prepare. Michelle decided to have Andrew and Jess select dinner each night by its picture. I don't think she'd ever do meal-planning that way again.

It's hard to choose a movie to watch that evening. We want something funny, but not too funny because it hurts to laugh. We're not up to a thoughtful documentary; our brains are too tired to try a mock-umentary; not looking for a whack-'em-sock-'em-blow 'em upper either. Jessica feeds us Fever Pitch. I see a movie critic promises this movie is "A Grand Slam Comedy", but I know it's tame enough for us tonight.

I can't measure if I feel better or different at all. We're all hopeful because I responded so well with this treatment before, but I have to heal from the surgery first. I'll take it all one day at a time.

Back toThe Beginning of this trip