Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

Perspective

Actually, the line I have in mind is from Spinal Tap: Too much fucking perspective.

I had an annoying afternoon. The file cabinet I ordered came in; it's too long for any of the space available in the building. I've done eight revision of our emergency action plan; every time I turn it in it gets kicked back with a request to add the procedures for yet another type of emergency. (But what if there is a hurricane during the invasion of aliens with sarin?) I have a headache and my eyes itch.

I did get a welcome distraction when a friend called. I bitched about work, she bitched about home. In the course of the conversation she told me about her sister's friend, a 22-year-old, who has been diagnosed with stage four cancer in her breasts, liver, and spine.

My headache's not so bad.

This kid, 22 years old, has a seven percent chance of surviving.

She is being treated at Hopkins. Baltimore isn't convenient for her parents, so they aren't showing up for oncologist appointments. Chemo takes a lot out of her; she can't drive home afterward, so she's crashing with friends in the city. Her parents are forwarding her bills to her at the friends' house. She's not really sure how she's going to pay them, since her job ended when school got out.

If I were in chemotherapy, my parents would be next to my bed. I'm sure of this because my mom will come over when I just have the flu. And my job may seem like a pain in the ass, but I have insurance and savings because of it.

My friend was baking her cookies and is having her over to relax and watch movies. I said "Let me know if there's anything I can do," though I'm not sure what that might be. The girl doesn't seem like the type to ask for help, from what my friend said (and given her parents' level of involvement, I can see how she'd get that way).

I'm definitely thinking of her.

And I'm definitely thinking of what a good life I have.

Posted by Nic at May 21, 2004 05:48 PM