Everyone is becoming all too familiar….

Since going to the cafeteria once to purchase morning coffee last week, I have not been able to switch back to the kitchenette coffee. So, every morning, I take 5 minutes and head down to the cafeteria to purchase my large cup of Green Mountain Coffee. It’s a luxury, that I thoroughly enjoy, and need. However, every trip there, I see at least one person I recognize, often times multiple people. This surprises me…and then reality hits…we’ve been here over 2 months now.

He’s been to the OR in those two months 3 times, the Department of Dentistry twice, Opthalmology twice, Radiology at least 5 times, we already know many in Otolaryngology and Audiology, and a few other departments too…these are the people that I see, that look familiar. Along with our daily doctors in our lives…

And while we don’t leave our room today, the amount of people that come to us is overwhelming at times…one team after another…this is why so many people are familiar. At 10am his oncology team comes in, one attending, one fellow, 2 residents. At 10:30am the Nutrition team comes in, one attending, one fellow, one nutritionist and someone else. Three additional people wait in the hall from that team. Then the Pain team follows closely behind. They come in to monitor the use and effectiveness of Ethan’s PCA (pain controlled analgesia) which administers his morphine to him. Then the nurse practioner from Interventional Radiology comes in to flush his chest tube and monitor his output from it. Then the Infectious Disease fellow comes in for her daily visit. She’ll be back in the afternoon with her attending. Ethan’s second day of physical therapy was today, so his physical therapist came in and worked with him for a half hour. Then his Primary Oncology Fellow stops in, who I welcome, as she has so much kinowledge. I love to discuss Ethan’s current condition with her and ask any questions that are on my mind. Then the chaplin stops by, and at this time, I have to say I’m all talked out for today…It was only 3pm. A few hours later, Ethan’s psychosocial clinician stops by, observes him in a great state, as he draws for an hour or so. He tells her all about the Ugly Dolls, and draws a great picture of one, from his new “How to Draw an Ugly Doll” book. Our nurse comes in continuously throughout the day, along with a resident occasionally, to help solve the problem of the hour.

The day flies by. Grandma makes our day, coming in to visit for a bit in the late evening. Ethan stays up until 11:00 pm, practicing writing his lowercase alphabet.

A busy, tiring, but good day…