Rox & Me - Fall 2007
It was February 2007 and I was so glad to be done with chemo. I know I told you already about the victory bell but I want to reiterate how amazing that felt to ring that bell! For my friend Roxanne to understand the significance of this victory, completing the chemo, she must really have seen something in the way I described the ringing of the bell to her. She really must have “got it” to go out and find this beautiful bell for me and for my family to have in our home for all of our future victories. I mean how often do you see bells at the mall? I don’t know where she went to shop for it in the first place and I’ve never asked. I simply was just so touched by this offering.
Family Pic - Fall 2012
There were little victories that did happen during this chemo experience. I remember going for Sunday brunch with my family once when my Dad was visiting. We met my brother, Trevor, and his family at the restaurant. When we arrived the staff at the restaurant told us it was very busy and there was no way they could seat us all together and we were going to have to split up. Well that kind of defeated the purpose of a family brunch right? There were 10 of us. Trevor was kind of arguing with the host and then he whispered to me to take my hat off. So I did. I guess when the host saw my bald head it shocked him maybe or maybe he felt sorry for me or whatever he felt it doesn’t really matter to me. We were given a table together right away. Little victory.
Tasza & Me - February 2007
Another time, the week after I got out of isolation from my time in the hospital, Tasza got some weird rash thing and her skin was peeling off from her hands and feet so badly that we thought she had flesh-eating disease. It was getting bad and she had a fever so I had to take her to emergency at the hospital. Alex was at school. Mike was at work. I had no choice. When we arrived at emergency there was a huge line-up, we waited for a bit until we were able to see the admitting staff. As soon as she saw me she asked me if I was in treatment and when I said yes she said that we had to come with her right away. She gave us our own private waiting room complete with a TV, a couple of chairs and an examination bed. I was not allowed to be around anyone else that was in the main waiting room due to the germs and other things that could seriously affect me due to my low ability to fight infections. Since I had just started to build up my blood counts again this was a huge consideration that I hadn’t thought of since my concern was for my daughter. They ended up checking her for Kawasaki disease but it turned out that she had a strep virus of some kind. Thank goodness. And thank goodness for the private room. Little victory.The next little victory was in process, my hair was growing back! I was starting to look like a Chia pet (some of you will know what those are but if not then Google it!) but I was quite pleased to realize that I was not going to stay bald forever. Now I was just waiting for the next big step on this journey. Next stop....bilateral mastectomy. Sign of a Victory - R.Kelly
