Views

When I visited Jenny last weekend I took pictures of the views out her hospital window, about at the level of her bed, to give you all an idea of what she sees everyday.

Of course then I had to ask her about her favorite views, the good views, the bad views, the funny views... here are her answers:

Not-so-pleasant views: the bottom of a barf bucket, the low numbers of my blood counts on the charts I keep every day, the one mean nurse missing a tooth, and sometimes the sight of that black room service tray...

Good Views: The favorite quilt from my childhood. We always fought over it--it was so soft, yellow with orange ties. Whoever was sick got first dibs. It's been patched up over the years. After her own health scare and legitimate "claim" to the yellow blanket this summer, my sister Annie just mailed it to me!

Whenever I get a prescription or new iv, the nurse has to scan my wristband. So I see a lot of red-green-blue barcode light. I had my first wristband for a week and a half before it started wearing off. Then the scanner took forever. Finally I got a new one that is good as new!

When I have the strength and courage to go for a walk, I like to see the views from the other side of the Robertb E. Lee oncology wing. From one window I can see the Masonic Temple and from another I can see the Washington monument and the capitol. Quite impressive! And of course I love to see the way the sun shines differently on the beautiful colored trees.

Views that are missed: I miss fresh air and mountains. I miss driving and seeing my neighborhood and the little girls playing dress-up next door. I miss my nieces and nephews. I miss seeing my bedroom and all my books.

But mostly I miss energy and talking without losing my breathe and running. One day... soon!

And you know Jenny, we all miss seeing you on a regular basis! Keep looking for the good views!