Two weeks in Worcester

I keep looking for ways to return this blog to the topic of travel, but with cancer looming over our heads and having no RV to live in, that is nearly impossible. So I will have to just record our lives and strive to make it less than totally depressing.

Our first residence in Worcester MA was with Jett’s brother and sister-in-law, Ray and Kim. We took up residence in their lovely guest room for two weeks. We didn’t suffer, for sure: private bath and cable TV with Netflix and Prime Video, among others. I got to binge watch Monk which was a treat. An added feature of the accommodations were many truly exquisite meals prepared by Kim. As we told her several times, she should open a restaurant. Yes, she is that good. Among the meals were the best seafood chowder that I have ever tasted and a huevos rancheros breakfast in a bowl that was just superb. I believe I gained 5 pounds in those two weeks. Even Jett ate! I don’t think she gained 5 pounds, but I don’t think she lost any, which is remarkable under the circumstances.

Ray tried very hard to get us to stay longer, dangling an empty house in front of us (they would be spending the entire month of July at their lovely cabin in New Salem MA). But we needed more privacy, particularly with Jett’s chemotherapy about to begin. We had no idea how she would react to chemo and wanted to deal with it in private.

So, after two weeks in the guest bedroom, we moved to a studio apartment at Extended Stay America in Westborough MA. We took a handicapped room, which gave us a larger shower with grab bars and more floor space to maneuver the wheelchair. The downside is that it has a smaller refrigerator than the regular units, but the manager said she could get us a larger fridge. It hasn’t appeared yet but we haven’t given up hope.

One thing we have learned in the past 2 months is that you can’t give up hope.

The hotel had an “introductory rate” that was very attractive – cheaper than the rent we would have paid if we had brought the RV north – and accepts pets, so Rusty will be joining us in a few days. The family will be back together again.

It is a good thing that we vacated the guest room because Kim and Ray were taking in two new guests on the day we departed: the pet dog of one son and the pet tortoise of another. It would have gotten crowded.

Seriously, we are deeply grateful to Ray and Kim. Getting north and getting set up with life in Worcester would have been very difficult, if not impossible, without their assistance. With their assistance a very difficult two weeks were transformed into a near-vacation. Thank you, Ray and Kim!

The first week was pretty crazy with medical appointments. We got to see Dr William Walsh, the preeminent oncologist at UMASS Memorial Medical Center – a man with 30 years of experience dealing with cancer and a guy who was described to me as “THE lung cancer expert at UMASS.” Seems like we are in good hands. And to get in to see him on the Monday after we arrived in Massachusetts is nothing short of miraculous.

Two days later Jett went back to the hospital for more tests: another CT scan (with contrast) and an echo cardiogram.

The first week ended with my quick trip to Florida (see the previous post) – another thing that would not have been possible without Ray and Kim’s assistance as they watched over Jett while I was away. The second week had no medical appointments but had a lot of shopping trips to prepare for our move to the hotel. Jett also took the opportunity to get her hair trimmed (which struck me as a waste as it was all falling out anyway, but, hey, if it makes her feel better, great) and a pedicure. She also had two visits from her sisters. On one of the visits I got a great photo of the four siblings together, on Ray’s deck.

It was great seeing them all together again.

I tried to repay a bit of their kindness by helping them open their New Salem cottage. The yard was completely overgrown and well beyond my capabilities, so I worked on assembling two new recliners. I managed to complete the task with the reclining mechanism operational and no extra parts, so I count it as a success.