Saturday, March 20, 2010
I got the call from the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge today! After a referral from my radiologist and some waiting, a room opened up for me. I moved my belongings over and began to settle in to my home for the next five weeks. It does feel quite homey, even if there are 60 guest rooms in the facility!
Each of us has a comfortable room and space in the kitchen to store our food supplies. Many people travel home on weekends, so it’s been a little quiet, but I started to get to know some of the other residents. One said that though everyone here is dealing with cancer, there’s a very positive attitude in this place with lots of caring and, of course, HOPE.
I’ve known Gail, my aunt’s sister, since I could walk, and she now lives near the hospital. Gail invited me over for a home-cooked meal and some long overdue catching up conversation. The best part was chatting with everyone over the kitchen counter while many hands went into preparing a delightful meal.
Food always tastes best when shared with people you care about.