aLive @ Stage 4!

We were all shocked to wake up this morning to the news that Chadwick Boseman had died of cancer. We didn't even know he had cancer. I am very vocal about my disease; not everyone is. It's a personal choice.   I've been reading that people are surprised that he worked through it. He worked while he was receiving cancer treatments. That surprises people. The fact that it surprises people surprises me. Look around you -- there are plenty of us going through cancer treatment and still working, even Stage 4 cancer. 🙋‍♀️ It can be incredibly difficult. We have good days, and we have bad days. We put our best face on at work, but ... we are exhausted. We break down more often than you know. We "need a moment"... a lot. For instance, most days during class changes (I work in a high school) instead of standing in the hallway like I'm supposed to, I turn my chair around and close my eyes for a minute or two. When I get home from work I collapse on th

If you give a patient a ride to the hospital, you'll have to give her a ride in a wheelchair from the car to the building. If you give a patient a ride in a wheelchair from the car to the building, you'll have to help her sign in at the front desk in the ER. If you help her sign in at the front desk in the ER, you'll have to go back with her to the cubicle and help her into bed. If you help her into bed, you'll have to stay with her while -- -- the doctor comes in and talks to her, asks her questions, does an exam, orders a CT scan, Zofran, and Morphine, -- the nurse accesses her port, -- the nurse draws blood, -- the nurse administers Zofran and then Morphine, -- the nurse brings her a blanket straight from the blanket warmer, -- the transporter wheels her bed to Radiology where she gets a CT scan, then back to the cubicle, -- the doctor comes back with the results, -- the nurse de-accesses her port and brings her discharge papers along with prescriptions. If you stay