MIA

I've sort of been out of the loop these past few days, especially compared to the regularity with which I'd been posting.

Yesterday was one of those days where the demands of people far outweighed the demands of the workplace. I usually try to keep myself focused at the job, especially with the vanquishing of AE growing larger on the horizon, but yesterday didn't allow for much vanquish-planning.

It started with oversleeping - though that was rewarded by the many puns and jokes on the radio about the meat truck fiasco on the Mass Turnpike.

I make it to the 8am train and I check twitter and facebook while I have my phone out to pay for parking. I get a message from my sister saying that my cousin's gf's status has change to "single." Panic ensues - we LOVE his girlfriend a TON. Actually, I told him if they ever broke up, I'd be on her side. He laughed...perhaps because he didn't realize I wasn't joking! So I added that to my to do list for today "figure out what's going on with K and A and get the status" because honestly if it's for good, I really need to mentally prepare. I know it sounds dramatic and all, but my family is small and pretty tight, and we had easily incorporated K into our circle, sooo, yeah, if they break up it's akin to losing a family member at this point, especially since they've been together four years.

So there was that. Then there was a message from my fabulous eyebrow/skin lady basically saying 'my mother has cancer, help, I need links to websites where I can learn everything there is to know about cancer.'

THEN a text from a family friend "My dad is at BIDMC and we would really like for you to visit if you can."

PHEW.

Now I don't begrudge anyone in these situations my time whatsoever. I would be offended (ok that's not quite the right word, but you get it) if someone was at one of the Longwood Medical Area hospitals and didn't call/email me (if they wanted company that is). Likewise, I'd be offended if someone's family member was diagnosed with cancer and they didn't call in a favor to get information or a consult at the hospital. I may have little power or pull, unless you happen to have lymphoma, but I can at least get a person in touch with the new patient coordinators as well as hook them up with some clinical information that is password protected and inaccessible to the general public. (Note: my powers end there LOL)

So anyways, that was my morning. Extensive email to cousin's gf to get the story, then extensive reply with words of support.

Next, sorted out my eyebrow lady with about a million articles on endometrial cancer, how to choose a treatment that's right for her mom, how to access clinical trials, etc.

Then many texts to family friend, who I met for lunch...followed by an hour + visit with her dad, who looked uncomfortable as HELL but was in good spirits. We even coaxed some laughter out of him, though I will say that it wasn't too hard as the conversation revolved around his weird brother who had come out of the woodwork all the way from New Mexico to make sure his brother's issue wasn't hereditary. Me, my friend, the patient and his sister all plotted to pay the surgeon off to tell the weirdo brother that the condition was hereditary and in older siblings, terminal. And that the only cure was the hot dry air of NM, so he'd best get the heck out of Boston asap and get home.

I love evil plotting.

Needless to say, very little was accomplished yesterday, but I somehow squished in a meeting with this lovely med school resident who liked my socks. Then I dragged myself to the train, tried not to fall asleep, and then drove home while trying not to fall asleep. I panicked at the realization that tonight is my last weeknight home before my sister and I depart for NYC and instead of doing laundry or packing, I collapsed into bed with my homemade afghan so I could watch Gossip Girl and crochet the edges. Totally fantastic coping solution.

Today must be more organized. But it's 11:30 and I fear that time is slipping out the door.