Birthday Parade

29 Dec 2010 1 Comment

by Carolyn in breast cancer, coping, encouragement, family, hats, treatment, update Tags: encouragement, family, friendship, hats, holy cross, treatment

If you’re from the Raleigh area (and well over 30 years old), you probably remember Time for Uncle Paul. Donning a black top hat, a black tuxedo jacket, a colorful shirt, and a polka-dot bow tie, Uncle Paul hosted this live children’s television show. Each episode featured cartoons, puppets, and music, including a band of Happy-Birthday-singing fleas housed in Uncle Paul’s top hat.  The best part of the show was the daily Birthday March that honored the children in the live audience who were celebrating their birthdays. I distinctly remember proudly marching in at least one of these televised Birthday Marches which was, in reality, a group of reluctant, uncomfortable children meandering in a circle behind the precious (but, mind you, visually impaired) Uncle Paul, circling the television studio set.

My 47th birthday reminded me of Uncle Paul’s Birthday March, other than the fact that I was sitting, so I suppose it was more parade-like. On December 20, 2010, I not only celebrated my birthday, but the date also marked the occurrence of my final chemo treatment.

Uncharacteristically early, I arrived at the Cancer Centers of NC for my appointment. As usual, a nurse began by drawing blood. I couldn’t receive the treatment if my lab work indicated that my white blood cell count was too low or revealed any other indicator that I wasn’t healthy or strong enough to proceed with my final treatment. I had been doing my best to ward off what felt like a winter cough-sinus-cold thing, so Paul and I were apprehensive about what my lab results might present. When I saw Dr. Singh, my lab results weren’t even complete, but because my numbers have been so good all along, my temperature and blood pressure were both normal, and I appeared relatively healthy, he sent me on to chemo anyway.

More than an hour after arriving at the office, I was finally hooked up to “the candy,” as Dr. Singh calls it. And the parade began. First in line was Janet. She presented a lovely Christmas arrangement with a big red bow and homemade sugar cookies. A bit later, Tracy and Laura came bearing a gift, balloons, and cinnamon buns. Next, Mom, Lily, and Silas appeared. I’m not sure if they came to see me or the beautiful aquariums. Or maybe they came for the snacks. Silas hardly said hello to me before he was popping open a Dr. Pepper. Donna was the Santa, the end of the line. Donna and Janet both kept me company until I was finished, generously addressing our Christmas cards which always become a gigantic project, much more burdensome than necessary.

I’m not sure how my fellow patients may have felt about my enthusiastic fans. Many of the people receiving chemo are much more sick than I have been. Many have significantly more serious types of cancer than I have. Some receive treatments in solitude every time. Others have a spouse or friend who sits quietly with them for the duration of their treatment. Did it bring them joy to see my sweet friends and family bustling in and out, trying to be unobtrusive (with relatively little success)? Did we break the monotony of a routine chemo treatment? Or was our spectacle annoying? Were we too noisy? Did we simply remind people of their loneliness? I can only pray that God will bless my fellow cancer patients, that He would give them His joy in the midst of their pain, that He would surround them with friends and family as precious as mine, and that He would heal them, that the chemo drugs would kill the sinister disease while sparing as many of the healthy cells as possible.

Hat #9, a gift from my friend Cheryl

The display of affection did not end at the Cancer Center. I arrived home to find balloons strung across my front porch, large cardboard signs declaring birthday greetings, flowers, sparkling grape juice, a chocolate cake, and other treats. While I have only clues to confirm my suspicions, I assume my church family is responsible for this array. That evening, we enjoyed a delicious chili Kristen prepared and the fabulous birthday cake, baked by one of the Klassa girls, I’m guessing.

The intended goal of Uncle Paul’s Birthday March was to help children feel special on their birthdays. Every child deserves to feel special everyday, but particularly on his or her birthday. While no one would intentionally choose to have a chemo treatment on her birthday, I felt exceedingly special on December 20, 2010.

This is what the Lord says:  
“You are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you.”
Isaiah 43:1, 4 (RCV—Revised Carolyn Version)

I see my radiology oncologist, Dr. Kennedy, on January 7 and will begin a four-week, five-times-a-week course of radiation soon thereafter. I have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Singh on January 10.