change of scene

We'll be hitting a different park today, Fort Ward Park, to celebrate the end of Mom's radio- and chemotherapy. I know Mom enjoys Fort Hunt Park, but we thought a change of scene would be nice.

We've also talked with my aunt in Texas (I'm talking about my Emo, Mom's older sister), and will be taking Mom down to Texas on September 1, barring any sudden emergencies here. We'll be spending three nights out in Conroe, leaving for Virginia on the 4th. My aunt apparently can't make it up to Virginia, which is why we're taking Mom down to see her.

We've asked Mom a couple times whether she wants to make the trip to Texas. Months ago, back when all this began, she was adamantly against it, refusing to consider the possibility of heading to MD Anderson for treatment. Since that time, we've opted to keep Mom in the DC-Metro area, which is why we're switching over to NCI's Dr. Fine (the National Cancer Institute is in Bethesda, Maryland; the drive there is about an hour, plus the time it takes to get through inspection).

So if Mom goes to Texas now, it'll be just to see her sister and her family. But when I asked Mom, a couple days ago, whether she was up for such a trip, she hesitated a long time, then said, "I'll have to think about it." When someone else posed the same question to Mom a day or so later, she simply shook her head "no."

Maybe Mom doesn't feel up to such a trip, or maybe she has other reasons for not wanting to go. I don't know. Maybe not all changes of scene are good. Or maybe she'll be fine with going to Texas once another week has passed. Mom's a bit lethargic right now; we were told that she might be this way at the tail-end of her radiotherapy. Maybe all she needs is a bit of time to recover from the near-daily bombardment of radiation she's received, for 33 sessions, at the hospital.

We'll see. In any event, Dad's getting the tickets.


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