Highs and Lows

Thursday afternoon, August 1, 2013....My Grandson Ethan's 11th Birthday....aww how lucky I am

Whew.....what an emotional roller coaster today at Infusion.  I was packed up and left the house around 9:15....rain had ended, or so I thought.  As soon as I took my Harp out of the car, the skies opened up...it poured.  I was in the Garage, however I have to walk this outdoor walkway from the Parking Garage to the Infusion Building, which is NOT covered!  No way to hold and umbrella and my Harp so I just waited until the rain let up.

When I got off the elevator, the waiting room was packed.  It's always hard to tell if they are Patients or friends and family waiting for their loved one to finish up.  Everyone is always happy and lots of "good mornings".  From the waiting room you can go right to one side of the Infusion Building...a large open room with lots of little cubbies with a curtain you can pull for privacy.  The Nurses Station is in the Middle of the room.  To the left is another wing of the Infusion....small, private rooms down the hallways with a door you can close.  That's where I head to unpack my harp at the end of the Hallway.

Here is a Low.....As I was walking down the hall I heard a lady crying, throwing up and coughing like crazy.  She was completely spent.  Can I tell you, these brave souls humble me.  My heart broke for her.  In the next room was a middle-aged couple, he was receiving the Chemo and his wife was keeping him company.  She was thrilled to see the Harp and very excited to have some music.  Here is a High....Her husband smiled when she told him, but clearly she was more excited than he was, LOL

It's customary to ask if the Patient would like to have some Harp Music, especially when you are playing right outside their door.  So I asked the Patient that was having such difficulty if she wanted Harp Music.....she said "No"...."thank you anyway".  It was sheer exhaustion talking.  I could tell she thought she would have to interact with me somehow, and just didn't have the strength.  So I said ok and mentioned the Nurse could shut her door because I would be right down the hall.

I set up in front of the couple's room and the Nurse assigned to several patients on that wing, came to me and said, "I am so glad you are here, the lady you spoke with is having such a terrible time today, she really needs you". So I warmed up, relaxed as much as possible and started my Session with "Moon River"....ok...Here is a High....the Patient's wife starts singing at the top of her lungs!!!  She was LOVING the Music and her Husband told her to quiet down, she was disturbing the other Patients and distracting me from my Music....I was laughing so hard, which just encouraged her to sing louder.   We did get her to settle down a bit and slowly a peacefulness washed over the wing of Infusion.  The Nurse came around and turned out the lights in their rooms....the Wife is resting in her chair now with her head back and her eyes closed.  The BEST HIGH......the Nurse came to me and said, "thank you, the Patient that was so sick is resting now and is no longer crying"  Keep Playing!!!!!

I played for 1 1/2 hrs...by this time the Wife and I are good friends....she is standing behind me singing any song that had words. (softly)...every time the Nurse would come our way, she would just double over laughing at the sight...me Harping and the Wife singing....then we here this unbelievably LOUD Snoring.....Another High....it's the Husband, sound asleep and the Wife is so embarrassed over his snoring she runs and shuts the door....ok...I lost it, laughed till I cried.  I got up and hugged this lady and told her it was ok for him to snore, to open his door so he could hear the music and not to worry about it.

I was so grateful that the Harp vibrations reached the Patient who was sickest.  She was very peaceful, not asleep but eyes closed and only occasionally did she cough.  I felt it was ok for me to head home, as my fingers were on fire by this time!  So I am packing up and a Nurse from the other wing come to me and says, "oh good, we need you on our wing".....to which I said, I'm leaving now.   She said again, "we really need you on our wing, there is someone who is very sick and needs to relax"  Another Low....it was a man that is there 3 times a week....very sick from the Chemo, not tolerating it well at all.  His reaction to all this sickness was one of anger.  He was loud and cursing.  This is in the open area of the Infusion Center so everyone can hear him.  Very unsettling for the other Patients that are just trying to be brave and get through their treatment.

I decided to set up close to this man, but not directly in front of him.  I was kind of hoping he would WANT me to be closer to him after he listened for a bit.  It took about 15 minutes and 3 familiar songs played twice..."Moon River"....."And I Love Her (Beatles) and "You are the Wind Beneath my Wings".  Hahahahaha!  Another High.......he was hooked.  Not a peep out of this guy.  I left with a little skin still on my fingers and such a light heart.   More Highs than Lows......every little bit of a difference makes a more peaceful universe.