Blue Sky Day
/Doctor appointments, scans, injections, labs, work, family, daily grind, and worrying over your illness or your loved one’s illness can take our nervous systems into outer space. We cannot really rest or sleep well--though we are exhausted--because our minds stay sharp and diligent 24 hours a day while neuroendocrine cancer lives in our homes. For a very long time this was normal for me. I didn’t stop worrying, driving, and running around while taking care of my husband Jimmy, our sons, our dogs, and our home. I did my best to keep track of everyone’s everything.
On a particularly beautiful day in downtown Los Angeles, Jim had two separate medical appointments. We drove an hour and a half to get to the first appointment. Traffic was terrible, but the sky… the sky was what I call Toy Story blue. A few white clouds would drift by, like peace calling, just out of reach.
We knew Jim’s health was not improving, and there were a lot of unspoken words in the car that day. As we finagled our way into the smallest parking spot ever, we barely felt like getting out of the car. Being the responsible people that we were, we didn’t want to keep our doctor waiting. After going in and hearing stressful evaluations of where things were going, we left even more hunched over than how we walked in.
I drove down La Cienega Blvd. to the second appointment nearby. As my GPS told me to turn left onto Beverly Blvd., my brain decided in that very moment that we would indeed NOT be turning left. We passed the parking lot and kept going straight. Jimmy didn’t say a word about my abandoned turn as I kept going in this new direction. Without warning, I quickly turned the car into a tiny shopping center. There was a Winchell’s donut shop! I parked, and Jimmy looked at me and smiled. A real smile. I hadn’t seen that one in a long time.
I grabbed Jimmy’s hand, and we went into Winchell’s for two donuts and coffee. We sat at this little table and looked outside at the gorgeous day and made plans. We thought about going to the Dodger’s opening game! We discussed a trip to Mammoth Lakes with the kids. We made plans that sounded great. I called the doctor’s office and explained we just didn’t have it in us to make the appointment that day. They understood. After 14 years, they seemed to agree, we needed a break. To this day, I can taste that strawberry donut. I can tell you how happy I was to be in a random donut shop with my husband, letting concern, worry, and big decisions wait for another day.
This day is one of my most favorite days with Jimmy. I treasure it more than I can explain.
We didn’t make it to Dodger Stadium or on another trip to Mammoth, but the hope was there, and our joy in pausing, even if it was just for one afternoon in sunny California, felt so great for our souls. We felt empowered and reminded that we can and should make some space to find our peace.
If you, too, feel overwhelmed or feel that you are expected to hold so much together that it is stealing your joy, it is okay and almost necessary to play hooky. It is okay to find a blue-sky day and find your dreams again. Finding yourself holding hands in Winchell’s Donuts at 1:00 pm on a Wednesday is pretty darn great.
If you need a break from something, please talk to your medical team. Sometimes, they may agree with you. You can heal and rest and come back ready to face treatments, decisions, and concerns with less of the feeling of being weighed down by the urgency of healthcare decisions. We make hard decisions about living with cancer daily. We also must remember to put some effort into our joy.
I know this NET community pretty well. We are smart and wise, and we know our bodies. If you feel it is time to reset your clock, to rest your mind and body, please consider it. One day of light and peace can strengthen you and put you in a better frame of mind for tomorrow. Whether you are the one with neuroendocrine cancer or a caregiver, you are important. Look for blue sky and puffy white clouds for inspiration. I hope you find time for daydreaming and filling your cup with hope.