Why chemo patients are awesome

Look into the chemo room, if you dare.

Ok, it's a motley crew. People who are thin. People who don't have much hair. People with IVs. I agree, it doesn't have the appeal of an ice cream social. People ask, "how could you do that," meaning oncology and the whole chemotherapy bit.

But wait. You're missing the whole point.

These are the people who have decided to live. They have willingly rearranged schedules, delegated childcare, and enlisted friends and family to help.

Not everyone even has the guts to sit in the chemo room chair. Some people are afraid. I understand that. When there's a catastrophe, they say the way to survive is to never stop looking for the way out. Some people lock up, freeze. The people in the chemo room are motivated to action by a crisis. That's inspiring.

You have to understand that the chemo room is the place where the mortal struggle between human and cancer is conducted, and often won. What is a basketball court? Ok, it's got better lighting and sound, but isn't the contest played on a basketball court a little ridiculous compared to the one in the chemo room?

Little old ladies have shed their oxygen tanks there. I kid thee not.

Stage III breast cancers by the dozens become a thing of the past there. The list is longer than I can remember.

Ideally, nobody would have to sit in these chairs, enduring the wig discussions and the side effects. Someday, we will have a different treatment model. I personally prefer the Star Trek model, where the doc waves a machine over your body and you magically get better.

Until then, I'll be in the chemo room.