Easter 2010

The Nissan Factor
Years ago I visited a Japanese auto plant in Tennessee. I was doing some project management work at the time. Upon entering the plant I saw a vast field of wood skids, stacked 20 feet tall easy, filling the area behind the plant. Turns out so much of the materials used by the company is shipped on wood skids that they produce more skids than can be disposed of. Their eloquent solution was to install a rotary kiln and incinerate the skids along with paint and other hazardous waste from the plant. Waste heat from the kiln was used with a recovery boiler that converted that heat to usable steam driving a turbine generator and hot water. The kiln was down, and the skids backed up. Since business was good, the problem was way out of hand. Production could cease if the waste line was not restored.
Precisely how I feel now 48 hours from my last major number two. While the pain meds do great for pain, they can shut down the kiln, and even a small amount of old skids backed up can cause great discomfort. It is Sunday, Easter 2010. Sun and cool this AM but in the 70’s this afternoon, it is a very nice day. Van is getting ready for Church, but I think I must pass this morning on the service. I expect a couple of hours of relative relief today, if I time my meds right, and plan to devote that to the event at Mart’s. First Easter I have missed in quite a while at Church. Vanessa looked so pretty and walked with such grace I cried spontaneously, and do again even as I write this. In retrospect why I would ever want to spend a moment away from this woman’s side is beyond me. That is not to say however painful it may be she must be given the same space afforded me as required. Trying a little coffee this morning to make the kiln work and burn some skids with little success. It looks like the dreaded nuclear option is in store later today.
The swelling is up in my left leg, going to try to ice the ankle later. Happy Easter year one of the cancer. My stomach plays a symphony of synthesized sounds that belie some hidden and secret process even now occurring in my GI track on the bran flakes, muffin, p butter, soup, cracker, fish sandwich, chips and cheese now line up somewhere for a thrill ride through the tunnel to the light followed by a dip in the water park and final rest with buddies feasting on Rid X. There is the roar of whoknowswhat followed by the burp and bubble of the digestive stream, undoubtedly thoroughly irritated by repeated applications of laxatives and softener and impulse eating. We pray today for the chemo to kill the cancer and not feed it.
But as evening sets in on Easter, no nuclear option will be required this time. We have some little things to be thankful for. This week will be worse than last, and the leg thing is leading the way forward. Tonight it is twice as large and now I can feel the ache and tingling that go along with the grotesque appearance.