In Other Words with Dave

Years ago when I wrote my very clever online dating profile, there was no mention of future caregiving. No mention of my weekly chemotherapy treatments, or a schedule of medications that make me grouchy, amped-up, forgetful, or nauseous. My profile didn’t close the deal with “and if you like to self-quarantine, away from germs, I’m the ‘low immunity’ guy for you.” Nope. But somehow, whatever I wrote back then worked. I met a lovely lady named Alison.

The diagnosis came later, after years of trips, concerts, fancy meals – and a beautiful wedding on a beach in Maui. What I didn’t know then, as we smiled and curled our toes in the sand, was what a wonderful, loving and patient caretaker Alison would be.

She’s amazing at organizing my doctor appointments, keeping track of my medications – scheduling them into their little daily plastic pods. She analyzes my bloodwork results every week. She understands Myeloma better than I do. She patiently puts up with my medication moods, and has an unshakable faith that we’ll get through this. We have another year of this routine, then we’re told I’m off weekly treatments and free to live my life again.

My Valentine is sitting beside me here at chemo central – holding my hand. We hear a patient a few chairs away say, “If you have your health you have everything.” I’m gonna doubledown on that and say, if you have your health and someone who loves you – you have more than everything.