Lisa's notes on visit with me during 6th cycle

Here's what I remember: I visited you on Wednesday, for about 2 hours. Your friend Dina was already there when I arrived. I brought you 2 gardening magazines and a Family Circle. You were doing work on your laptop when I got there, so Dina and I chatted a little. I was surprised to see how good your appetite was - you ate a bagel, then you ate the hospital lunch when it came. I mentioned that I never brought you food during hospital visits, because I assumed you might not find it appetizing and I didn't want to chance it. But you proved me wrong!

I listened to you and Dina discuss your experiences, and compare treatment methods and hospitals. I asked her about the trial that she is in, and how the type of chemo she gets is so different from yours. You both compared ports, and discussed the different kinds. We also discussed laminate flooring. I told you about my job interview which I had earlier that day (I'm not taking the job). I was there when 2 nurses came in to change your IV (one nurse was in training). They were very nice. One nurse told you that you needed to drink more water, which you started to do immediately.

You told us about Tom's birthday party (with Yertle the Turtle). You also said that you went tag sale-ing in Tom's mom's neighborhood and you got baby clothes and other great things. You talked about how climbing stairs was difficult since most stairways are too narrow for you to put your whole foot down. Dina mentioned that the stairs at Columbia (college) were wide and low - good for exercising.

Your toilet broke (not Dina's fault, but it broke during her use of it), but she got someone to fix it right away. Some time after that, you went to use the bathroom and you said that it was not yet fixed. When I left, Dina stayed with you.

Copyright © 2003 The Shriver Family: Last modified: 12/14/03.