It’s an envelope, torn, worn and scribbled on.  It’s probably six years old, but it’s held-up well, considering.

I remember the time and place where I used it, just like it was yesterday.  It was a very serious spinal surgery Leroy was facing and for some reason, I didn’t have my journal with me, so I used what I had to record the day.

A day in the life of cancer…

6:15 a.m.  Waiting room…full of family members.

7:27 a.m. Wheel in OR

8:53 Operation begins

11:25 a.m. Nurse calls..stable..working in bone..long way to go

1:30 p.m. Nurse calls..stable..lots of fluids

3 p.m. Nurse calls, stable…fusing spine. “probably 3 or 4 more hours” “he’s strong”

5:45 p.m. Dr. G “went very well”

had candy corn

7 p.m. nurse comes to get me…Leroy awake..”he’s strong”..in ICU..”wants Starbucks”..NO WAY..collapsed lung..tube in

one man tells me about his mother in law…brain tumor and a lot of mets..she’s decided to take out the brain tumor, but will go home to die.  They’ve never been through anything like this before.

9:45 p.m. Call into ICU…Leroy sleeps.