Waiting, waiting

A great deal of cancer treatment and caretaking is waiting. I wait with Paul before tests, I wait for Paul during tests, I wait for the results. That waiting isn't so hard believe it or not. There's an expectation with that kind of waiting - hopeful I guess or at least an action to it.

The waiting that is difficult is the kind right now. Today Paul will be discharged, but first he needs blood since his hemoglobin is low. We waited for the phlebotomist to come draw blood for type and cross-match. We're waiting on that result now. We'll wait on the blood to come from the blood bank (by the way, did you know cancer patients use 95% of the blood in a blood bank?) and then we'll wait another 6 hours while the blood is transfused. All before we can drive the almost five hours it takes before we get home.

This is my greatest frustration with everything cancer-related. I'm on hold while others take care of things. Having something so personal beyond my influence is difficult. While it is terrible the amount of fatigue Paul experiences, he does have the respite of sleep. I have a few things as well (one of the reasons I began this blog) but nothing fully and satisfactorily fills the time while we're away and waiting.

FYI - Blood banks run very low during the summer. Please donate blood during the summer if you are able! You will make a difference in someone's life and most likely it will be a cancer patient!