For a girl who got round two of chemo, it was a beautiful day.

We went to the deli so I could get an egg sandwich and a turkey sandwich. My gym teacher was there and I got a great hug. The women who work there saw me through my pregnancy with Quinn, so I’ve got a great track record with them. They also write and draw messages on my sandwich like moms do.

I ran across the street to my school again and hugged my secretary and my security guard. I’ve decided to do that every time I go. Hugs actually increase endorphins and heal you faster.

We got to the hospital and all the women loved the hair and the “Team Jesus” shirt. I was given the same chair I had before right in front of the nurse station. They ran my labs and my nurse was so excited about how great they were. She sat down and explained all the numbers. My white blood cell count was a 5.1. It was a 2.7 within a week or two of Ibrance. My creatinine level was a little low and she asked me what I was drinking. Apparently you can drink too much water, so she said to just cut back a little. I told her about the”KFS” strawberry, watermelon, lemon, ginger and Manuka honey smoothie the Giving Room made for me.

She said it actually made a lot of sense, with the melon for digestion and ginger for nauseau, and said it wouldn’t be a bad idea to drink one tomorrow morning to help keep nausea at bay. They started the anti nausea meds and then the chemo. Rob got right to work, placing the big white socks on my hands and feet with the frozen blueberrries and peas, while spoon feeding me ice chips to help prevent neuropathy and mouth sores. The nurses asked how long we were married and fell in love with him.

He is my HOTY.

Husband Of The Year.

They also asked why he was doing that and said it made sense. If women wear these new cold caps on their head with dry ice, and it saves their hair from falling out… why not try it on hands and feet and mouth?

We talked about my faith, and how you can go on a vacation to Israel and walk the path of Jesus. I had my cross, my selenite wand, and my tiger eye crystal all in my table. I keep Jesus first, but He also made the crystals and I take comfort from the spirit of love of which they were given. I had my blanket Joann made me and it kept me warm and happy. It’s a great gift to put pictures on a blanket of family, so you look down and feel the love.

My friends at the The Giving Room sent me videos and pictures that made me laugh out loud. We’ve been talking with the owner of Lucharitos next to my school about plastic straws. People are losing their minds when given paper straws or no straw at all. Talk about entitled problems to have. They made vegetable art for me, and I made up a old fashioned “Keri joke” to go with it. Rob looked at me like I lost my mind when I couldn’t stop laughing, but I think by now he gets me.

My dear summer sister grabbed Morgan and had her daughter play with mine. Morgan loves her summer friend and said she is just like her. I love that history is repeating on the beach I grew up on.

We finished and left at 3:15.

The kids came home and we decided since our summer son had off, we would go on our first family night out with him. We went to the First Friday in Mattituck on Love Lane and I’m so glad we did.

The funny thing was I told Joe it was a good thing he didn’t come to Alive on 25 the night before because there were so many people I knew there, and I’m not really known in Mattituck.

I think I was stopped more last night than on Thursday. I saw Darla and her friend from Kait’s Angels, and was hugged and had the most beautiful moment in the middle of the street. I saw my sorority sister Kariann and her husband will, who are now my brother and sister in Christ as well and pray for me every day.

Paula and Alli Katz showed up and surprised me and we laughed and laughed over the beet joke.

I saw kids from Riverhead who sang in Seussical. The song? It was about… an elephant. I kid you not. On the day I write about chemo being like an elephant and you eat it bite by bite… chomp chomp… I hear kids singing on a street about an elephant named Horton.

I also saw Johanna and Eileen. It’s like God put all these people on this street for extra hug and love fortification. I held Johanna’s hand and as I said goodbye, she held it a little longer. I feel like I’m in the presence of true grace when I am with her and her mom.

Robs parents met us, and my kids also played cornhole with their cousins. Joe enjoyed getting to meet my nephew, as he now has a face to the player on fortnite. We went to dinner at the Love Lane Kitchen, and the owner was my cousin-in-laws roommate in college. My waitress used to be my dad and brothers waitress at Parabell. They looooooved her, and they eat there every week. One time I found her and took a selfie with her and told them she loved me more. We recognized each other last night, even though we only met twice, and took a selfie to send my dad and brothers. I told then I found”their Emily” and said the funny thing is… she doesn’t remember them, but remembers me, and they should send me pictures of themselves to remind her.

We laughed and laughed, and instead of Blake Shelton and Carey Grant, I showed her the three amigos. Turns out she is going to school to be a nurse. I told her I already know she is going to be a great one.

I know things.

We left and showed Joe Magic Fountain. He couldn’t believe the line. We got everyone ice cream, even me.

The kids said now Joe knows what it’s like going out with their mom and she talks to everyone. Rob was excited when he saw a friend from Rotary as we left and was like, “See Joe! I know people!”

My nurse said as I finished chemo that I should go to Magic Fountain, and since I may lose my taste buds, I decided I’m going to live life. (We also got fancy cheese from the cheese shop. This weekend we will have grapes, apples, bread and cheese and I ‘ll have my water in a wine glass.)

Nurses are Angels on Earth, and Stony Brook has the best. I even showed one of them the superhero stance. My head nurse was great, and they already feel like family.

Quinn grabbed a pillow and went to sleep on Joe. They all watched Sherlock Holmes and I felt so blessed and lucky.

I texted Joe’s mom about Joe’s day, and how I met her daughter’s boyfriends mom. Apparently, she is the nurse educator at the hospital. She sat with me for a half hour and we talked about how much we love this family. God puts people on your lives for reasons. I know it was totally crazy to take in a college baseball player while undergoing treatment, and then even keeping him when finding out I have to have aggressive chemo.

But God whispers.

I listen and follow.

I checked my email before bed and my oncologist answered me. She highlighted some of the bloodwork she has actually already given me. She said insurance won’t cover some of those from a breast doctor, but my general practitioner may be able to order them for me. She said she is also very well versed in the specific biopsy and would like to discuss it with me Thursday. I replied how I was doing, told her how I am telling every social worker and patient advocate about the PETMRI sailboat painting, (everyone said I am the first one to bring it up and it makes sense.) I told her I feel she came back home and I met her for a reason, that we will make history. I also sent her pictures of my hands and feet in socks and one nurse said I looked like a bunny. I think I looked like a badass bunny.

I slept well, am up now and in a detox bath. I’m headed to the Giving Room around 10:30 with Joe to meet a friend from High School. We were never close back then, but now?

I love her, and I love all of my VSC classmates. How I wish everyone would put aside egos and ranking and color and realize early on in life that everyone around you has the ability to raise you up with love. Teens are the worst. No one teaches kindness to their kids, and the social media has warped what “friend” means. Friends are not people who “like” pictures or write how “hot” you are. Friends are people who show up, hold your hand, sit in silence with you when you need, meet you when your lonely, and send you pictures of vegetables with straws.

We should add a class to the curriculum… “How to be a true friend in the technological society”. Give them some beets and take away their straws.

Suck it up.

I felt peace yesterday again as I sat in the chair. The peace that left me when I spoke to Donnie has come back. This is the right path.

I know it.

He whispers.

I listen.

In Jesus’s name, amen.

Xoxo

Keri