It’s National “Bagels and Lox” Day

I’m all for bagels but not so much on the lox. Thinly sliced pieces of cured salmon will do nothing but ruin my perfectly delicious breakfast treat. I just never got into fish so adorning my bagel with anything that used to swim is not my idea of “yum”. Instead, I’ll celebrate bagels and lox day with an “everything” bagel with schmear, hold the lox.

Actually, it’s too bad that I’m not in NYC for this special day. Manhattan is the hot spot for delicious bagels. It’s probably one of the only things that I get from the hospital cafeteria with any regularity. Plus, Ben likes them. That, in itself, is a miracle because that kid likes NOTHING. Interestingly enough, I never see any of the Jewish population at the hospital eating bagels from the cafeteria. Then again, I’m doubtful that the hospital cafeteria is kosher.

We just returned from NYC on Sunday and I immediately came down with a sinus infection. Ben, thankfully, has escaped getting sick from all the travel we’ve been doing lately. My head was so bad that I ended up going to the doctor instead of letting it run its course. If there were meds to be had, I needed to have them stat. I don’t have time to be sick. I”m grateful that my sinus infection had the decency to wait until I was through a week of 3F8 and scans, but I still have stuff to do. No time to be sick. No time to be sick. NO TIME TO BE SICK. If I say it enough perhaps it will feel unloved and just leave?

No. It is refusing to leave quietly. Blowing my nose sounds like a foghorn. I’m a lot better – two days later – and am finally catching up a bit. I still have a fair amount of congestion but at least I can stand up without feeling like my head is going to explode. So, for now, I’m waiting. Waiting for news from the hospital. It’s always something, right?

Ooops. I got sidetracked. It’s a couple of days later and even though I’m still a teeny-tiny bit congested, I feel mucho better-o.

The news from the hospital was outstanding: Ben continues to show no evidence of disease. Hoo-flipping-ray! We’ll go for blood work tomorrow afternoon to see if more doses of antibody therapy are needed. Fortunately, we’ll have several weeks off before needing to go back to NYC, so I can focus on other stuff: like how my mother is doing and getting ready for Madeline’s birthday. I can’t believe Madzilla is going to be seven. I can’t believe we’ve been dealing with this stupid neuroblastoma for seven years. Of course, some years were easier than others, but it’s been wreaking havoc on us and wearing us down for seven flipping years.

I don’t know what I’d do without my Madeline. She has been such a bright light in my life over the past seven years. I didn’t know how I was going to bring an infant into Ben’s world of neuroblastoma, but she made the transition beautifully. She saved me from falling off the cliff. I had to take care of her. I had to take care of Ben. All I could do was focus on them and take each day as it came. Fortunately, we all survived. And Madeline offered such sweetness through her amazing spirit. She was such a wonderful, good natured baby and has grown into a very bright little girl with a tremendous sense of humor. I simply do not know what I’d do without her.

I know, this post was disjointed and random. Going from bagels to sickness to No Evidence of Disease to how wonderful Madeline is… I bet your head is spinning.

Now you know how I feel all the time. 🙂