A poem by Norman Teinowitz for all of yeh
I start my visit
The day before
I’m sure you wonder why
And I’ll tell you more
I start my cycle of Dexamethasone
I call it my talking drug
As I can not stop
When it’ in my bones
And body everywhere
Sleep is a thing
I hold very dear
But with Dexamethasone
In my body
It does not come near
I wake early on chemo day
Or did I not sleep the night away
Between Dexamethasone
And the world of
Hot flushes and sweats
Make me
Appreciate women
Even more
Of we go to OHSU
For chemo time three
Of course I worry
Will my blood test be
Will my blood pressure
Be to low
But everything is OK
And off I go
To see DR Sokolova
Everyone is running late
And I understand that happens
As that is life
And patients like me
Ask questions and take time
I thank you all
For being who you are
For taking that time
Is wonderful
Even if
Late I am
The caring is there
And I do feel it
I made two stuffed soft felt like fabric blocks
About 5 inches by five inches
One Purple
The other bright red
For DR Sokolova’s child
And I see the DR’s face lite up
As she opens them
Makes me smile
And feel that Pisces energy
As I am one
After talking
Getting questions answered
Off I go
The the 11 floor
A place I know
Off to chemo
Welcomed in by a nurse
With a wonderful
Matching green
Nurses suit
And and green headband
To complete
The job
How wonderful
To have fun
With your clothes
Off to a corner room
With a bed
And a window
A place to be
But first all the other meds
Must come
I know
The nausea stuff
And and an injection of Dexamethasone
On the way
And don’t forget the flush
I with that machine
Made a woosh noise
For the flush
It would make me laugh
And feel the joy
I have been flushed
Oh boy
Now on to chemo
Just the number one
And hour to pass
And I am still having fun
This nurse
I forgot her name
I will just say
It’s my chemo brain
But I remember her colors
Purple Nurses suit
Cool socks
And shoes to boot
We talk and wait
I yodel for her
Quietly
Just to show her
I can yodel
It’s a skill I have
That I use at times
And joke
I don’t need a call button
I can just yodel
For all the chemo stuff
I watch the wall clock
And realize
It does not move
I think
Maybe I’m in
A time warp
But then I look at my watch
And I am out
Of my time warp
And back to chemo
Chemo one is over
Then the flush
Woosh it’s done
And on to chemo two
One half hour to go
Chemo two
Clicks clicks and clicks.
Not sure if that is the machine
Or just my brain
But then chemo two is done
The my last dose of degarelix
Then on to Eligard
For my next time dose
Now get my Neulasta
The on body injector
WIth the blinking green lite
Every ten seconds
Throughout the night
For those that kayak
It make me fee
I fell in the water
At night
And my life jacket
Started blinking
WIth a bright
Green light
I find it funny
In the Neulasta book
They don’t tell
You how to take it off
Not even a quick look
Oh well so much for the book
I know YouTube
There is vid
That another user did
I also learned
And please pass on
The Neulasta patch
Can be an hour late
For your injection
Date
From when it says
Here’s your shot
The alert
And the light goes red
I wish to thank you
One and all
You work so hard
You are cheerful
And bright
Even when short staffed
But here you are
And I feel that
How wonderful
You treat patients
And how you are there
I would love to bring
You all a beer
But coffee might be a better thing
Or some hard candies
With Xylitol
And color made from
Real color
And no fake stuff
Yummy good
I will try to remember to
Bring some for chemo four
So I can give you some
As I come in the door
Again I thank you
One and all
For being there
And your caring
And disposition
Y