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I Met a Phlebotomist
I arrive at the lab. Sign in. My name is called. I walk to the phlebotomist. She’s older, moving slowly. Been here for decades. She gently inserts the needle, drawing blood— careful, experienced, steady.
Awkward Conversations
Some rare people know how to navigate these moments with grace. They say the right thing at the right time, and conversation flows naturally. The rest of us are apprentices. We stumble, we say clumsy things, and it gets awkward.
Emotional Whiplash
My first-and last-roller coaster ride was the original Texas Giant at Six Flags. It was painful and bone-jarring. The train whipped back and forth so violently it felt like I was being slammed against concrete walls. My neck and back stayed sore for weeks. Decades later, I still get emotional whiplash just thinking about it.
That’s how the last month has felt.
That’s how the last month has felt.
The Parking Garage
It was a perfectly normal Texas day. A Tuesday. I woke up and made coffee. Had a couple of meetings. Took a friend to the airport.
Letting Go Of Survivor’s Guilt
"Do you struggle with survivor’s guilt"? The question caught me off guard. It was the first time anyone had asked, and the answer is complicated.
The short answer? Yes.
The long answer? No.
The short answer? Yes.
The long answer? No.
Breathe
It’s the night before another set of scans. A new rhythm. Every few months I make a Sunday drive to Houston. I have scans and labs on Monday before getting results from my oncologist on Tuesday. Cancer disrupts old rhythms and replaces them with harder ones.