I'm in Florida for business. Besides the requisite, "ooh, Florida" from New Yorkers because we usually associate the locale with vacations (Disney World, beaches, Spring Break) I have to tell you that it's nicer down here because I don't feel as stressed. As tired. As worn out. I'm doing the same amount of work--and here is where my boss is located! But it's the atmosphere that's different too. There are "Relay for Life" signs all over the building. Not a single thing in the New York office but here, they're everywhere. It's so comforting. For those who don't know, Relay for Life is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and is an all-night event that people camp out and do stuff with. You can go to cancer.org to learn more about it (omg, I sounded like an ad. Not good).

I personally have never done the event. I was seriously considering it this year. I'm not very into those types of things. Not that I don't donate the money, but sometimes it's harder for me to be surrounded by so many reminders. And then I remember that it's also a community that needs to be reminded that it's not always hopeless.

But, I'm also one of the luckiest people when it comes to friends who get involved. Last year, our Team Goonies raised $2000 for Light the Night. My best friend Nikki did a MARATHON in Arizona--and not only did she honor me, she honored my friend Lindsey, a person she had never met. And in a few months, my Aunt Chris will be running as well, and baked LOADS of biscotti to raise the dollars. I'm always amazed and the love and support I get.

Update on the crappy doctor.

Okay, so I go in to pick up a copy of my bloodwork (and I have something to say about that too. I won't forget) and she's there. Grr. Anyway, I'm waiting behind the door at the receptionist desk and here is the conversation I had the pleasure to witness:

Terri's Fave Doc: Let's get going! (claps hands) Hello Mary, happy Saturday!
Terri's Least Fave Doc: (groan)
Terri's Fave Doc: That doesn't sound like a very good Saturday response
Terri's Least Fave Doc: All I'm going to look at today are stupid canker sores, it's gorgeous out and my kids are home having fun without me and I have to be here, and I'm so done with work (noticing that I'm there and that the door is opened behind me leading out to the waiting room where a dozen patients are listening to what she's saying) But, um, not that I don't want to be here to help these lovely people (trails off)

Terri: You know, a lot of people work twelve hour days. Sometimes more.
Terri's Least Fave Doc: Yes, I know, I'm not saying that I work more than anyone else, it's just that.
Terri: Oh no, I'm not saying we can compare jobs. I mean, I put in about 65 hour work week--but no one's life is in my hands. (and I say Ciao! to the crew and head out leaving Least Fave Doc to try to come up with something to say).


Ha! And I couldn't have made up that exchange. Ahh, lovely. I hope the canker sores are contagious.

There are a lot of things I still don't know. But I really wish people would give me credit on the few areas that I would say I have A LOT of experience in.

For instance, one of my doctor's called the other day, left a message and said to call her about my test results. I call back, the doctor's gone and the nurse was like, "I guess you can talk to her on Tuesday." This was Friday morning.

Here's the deal--THE DOCTOR DOES NOT LEAVE PERSONAL MESSAGES JUST TO CALL HER IF IT'S GOOD NEWS. Never. They'd tell you everything was fine, not to worry and they'll see you at your next appointment. I told the nurse, "Look, I know something's up. I've been through enough, so please just tell me what's up." She was hesitating, and put me on hold for like five minutes. When she came back, she told me a test was abnormal. It's probably nothing, but I lost it a bit anyway, and then she's going, "Oh, my god, I never should have told you," to which I had to reply, "No, me getting upset for five minutes is way better than anticipating what could be wrong for five days. I know you can see my health history--the cancer and all, so I can take bad news. And this is just run of the mill bad news." I hang up and tell her to have a good weekend.

Then it occurs to me to call back and give my cell phone #--they only had my home phone # so I'll never be able to connect with the doctor since she'll mostly call when I'm at work. I leave a message and then I get a call back telling me that the nurse paged the doc and she'll call me in a bit. She does. And i now in a lovely game of telephone she says, "Why do you think you have cancer again? Why did you tell the nurse that?" She was being very kind, but at the same time, I couldn't help but be a little agitated at the nurse because I hadn't said that. But I often find that people goto the extremes of conversations. Do you know what I mean? I make a few statements about certain American policies, and all of the sudden I hate America outright. I apparently want to live in another country and well, can I come up with another country as good as America? I'm like, wah? I didn't say that. "Oh, no, but that's what you were thinking." And I'm like, no I wasn't. And then it goes on and on and I find myself defending a position I hadn't planned on even taking about Saudi Arabia and other random nations and I'm so confused because by the end of it I've been deamed a self-hating, pessimist, America-bashing liberal when all I was saying was gas prices seemed really high and it sucked and should I buy a hybrid instead of the car I got? I really wish I had a tape recorder so I can see the exact point that a conversation takes that terrible turn where it no longer looks like what you started out with.

Back on topic, I had told the woman that given my cancer history I'm used to doctor's dancing around the issue, and I'd be better off if she just told me. Ugh. So now the doctor is talking to me like I'm twelve, because she can't believe why I had immediately jumped to that conclusion and I ended all this with "No, I think we just have to do the test again." She was like, yeah, that's what I was going to say! Imagine what would happen if people just didn't always assume that they knew what the other person was thinking--the conversations that could take place! The arguments to be avoided! It would be revolutionary.

And for the record: I do not hate America. I do not hate Americans. I do not make blanket statements like that. So the next time you have a disagreement with someone on a certain issue, refrain from calling them names and questioning their loyalty to a country. Geezus.