So the second round of chemotherapy began even smoother than the first. The nurse and I had a good chat about how it really ought to be more of a “spa experience,” perhaps with at least a good foot massage thrown in. I would also like to see some umbrella drinks. Because the patient is essentiality stuck there, attached for several hours to a drip IV, making it as pleasant as possible is always a good idea.

Now, of course, the facility I visit is comfortable, clean, aesthetically pleasing and has nice amenities like satellite television and Wi-Fi in addition to the heated massage chair. There is nothing wrong with the set up. And the people are great. But watching some commercials for other “cancer centers” being advertised on television makes it clear that these places are still being viewed and portrayed as basically hospital extensions. They should look more like a pleasant vacation getaway. And, more importantly, they should live up to that expectation.

Going through chemo is no cakewalk for many people and, while I am certainly lucky to be avoiding some of the worst side effects, I can attest to it being less than an optimum way to spend my days. The week of the treatment is not the most jolly part of the month, but it is a reminder in many ways of how fortunate I am to be a patient NOW as opposed to years ago.

In my case, I did notice that some of the issues I had with the first round were lessened during the second. Most importantly, I think, was the condition of my mood during what I consider my two “down” days. During the first round, by day three I was feeling very unmotivated and somewhat dark. I knew it would pass, but that knowledge did not help me overcome my lack of inertia enough to even pick a television show to watch. The second time through, however, I realized that my mood was elevated by the simple process of having conversations, stemming from the desire to force myself to connect with others as a distraction from the generally gross feeling that I was dealing with physically.

The payoff was twofold: not only did I have better days, but the days went by more quickly. I still felt crappy for the brief duration, but crappiness continues to be something that can be dealt with and moved through. It’s tolerable. It passes. And with three weeks between treatments, I am getting more than 2/3rds of the time on a fully-positive note. That is a quality balance that I can appreciate. But finding that I can better manage the four or five days out of 21 that are less than optimal is a minor reward just in itself.