A couple of weeks ago between zoom PPTs I received a call on my cell phone. The cell service at DHS is awful so I had to get up and walk into the conference room and practically smash my face against the window to be heard. It was my GP calling to give me the results of a biopsy. Even through the crackly line, I could hear her sweet cheerful voice and I knew that this was just a routine call back. I gave her my office number and awaited her call. I answered and once again was met with her pleasantness. My only thought was that I like this lady. 

Shock is putting it mildly when I try to explain how I felt when she told me that I had cancer. As she kept talking to me, all I heard was a muffled noise. I didn’t want to be rude, but I needed her to stop talking. After sitting and listening for a bit I apologized and told her I had to go. 

I immediately called Stephen. Of course, he answered in the charmingly stupid way he does pretending to be Portuguese with his minute-long greeting. I interrupted him. I told him that I had cancer. In that moment I passed the shock to him. I didn’t mean to, but that is what happened. I then hung up and called my principal. She didn’t answer. That was probably best as I am closer to my VP. She, being the gorgeously wonderful person she is, offered to come and give me a hug. I demanded that she not. Not only are we in a pandemic, but she is pregnant, VERY pregnant, and I did not want to risk getting her sick. I asked her simply to tell the other building admin as I needed them to know, but I didn’t want to talk about it. 

Then I washed my face and attended a 12:30 PPT. 

Do not ask me how I spent the rest of the day. That, I can not tell you. What I can tell you is that when I walked in the door Stephen met me and hugged me. AS he held me he assured me that this was simply another adventure that we were going to take together.