After Cancer

The phone rings. Mom answers it.

"Hello." Pause. "Oh hi, how're you? . . . " She listens for a moment. Dad looks up from his paper and nudges the glasses down his nose. Though it may be so he can focus on mom, who is across the room in her high backed beige swivel chair, rather than the print of the paper which was close to his face. But it may also be for effect. You know, the look that says 'well?' or 'so who is it?' But he says nothing, just watches as she intently leans forward and begins to scribble something on a pad of paper on her little lamp table.

"Sure, no problem. Tonight?" Another pause. "Okay, in the morning then. . . okay. . . bye."

She hangs up and readjusts her own glasses to make sure she can read what she wrote. Finally dad does speak up.

"Sandy?"

"Mm hmm." Mom answers him, still looking at the paper. She puts it down and places the pen on top. "There's a woman on twelve that she wants me to go talk with."

"What time?"

"In the morning. She'll meet me at about nine in the cafeteria for coffee."

"Want me to come?"

A smile comes on her face. "Sandy said not to let you come. Says you leer at the lunch ladies." Before dad has a chance to retort, she breaks in. "She was just kidding. Yea, she said she would see us both in the morning."

"Colon?" he asks.

"Both," she replies simply.

Nodding, dad goes back to his paper. Mom sits back in her chair and folds her hands on her crossed legs. She looks thoughtful. Taking a deep sigh, she then resumes reading the tabloid paper that gives her such a chuckle.

She thinks dad does not notice her sigh or pensive look. But what she doesn't see is his sidelong glance from behind his own paper. He also sighs and shakes his head a little.

After her surgery for colo-rectal cancer, the cancer floor nurse, Sandy Wynne had become not only a good friend to them but a constant source for mom to help her adjust to the life the cancer had left her with.

"Can you talk with some patients from time to time, who are going through treatment or surgery?" Sandy had asked. "It can also help you as you help them, you know."