#10  Aug 30

For some reason I just can’t bring myself to talk about this to a lot of people.  Our three kids know and a couple of close friends.  My sisters get the news and then I tell some ladies at work so they can help look after my clients while I’m otherwise occupied.  I have to let my clients know why I’ll be out of commission for a few days as well.  Otherwise, I'll keep it to myself.

Maybe I’m afraid that talking about it makes it more real.  If I don’t tell people, it can’t be real, right?  Mostly I don’t want anyone to treat me any differently.  That would really suck.  I can’t do the: “Poor thing, oh I’m so sorry.”  Don’t pat me on the back and give hugs that you don’t usually give.  I don’t want sympathy.  I just want to be normal and live my life.  Now if only this cancer will let me.  

I can’t tell the couple that’s going to Vegas with us.  How can I spoil our vacation with that news?  We’ve been friends for over 20 years.  I’ll tell them later and maybe they’ll understand why I held it back.  I hope so!  Oh, and by the way, they are the parents of those twin girls that graduated this spring.  

Life goes on and we prepare for our trip: sort, do laundry, pack, change your mind, re-pack.  How many outfits? How many days? Is there a dress code?  Do I take 3 swim suits? Buy some U.S. cash.  We paid for the trip long ago with American Express Gold so we have travel insurance, I think.  If I get hurt in Las Vegas I’ll have to call American Express and find out if the promised coverage is still in effect even though I’ve had this diagnosis after  we booked and paid for the trip. How does that work?

Aug 30^th we pick up our friends, drive to Toronto and check into our hotel.  We can leave our car in their underground parking garage for the week if we stay there the night before our flight.  They provide breakfast and shuttle us to the airport in the morning and pick us up when we get back next week.  It’s a win – win situation.