Dear Reader:

You might remember a few years ago I shared with you some interesting facts about songs, music and communication…Theologian Quinn Caldwell shared these findings…

“There are about 5,400 species that sing.  The majority live in the trees, a few live in the oceans, a very few live underground, but there is one—only one—singing species that lives on the ground: us.

Another thing: humans are the only singing species with a precise and shared sense of rhythm, which is what allows us to sing together.  Two birds might sing the same song, but they cannot sing it together.”

I am sharing all this information again because Emily Dickinson’s metaphor on hope and feathered creatures came to light for me yesterday at the North Charleston Oncology Center.

There wasn’t a nurse dressed up like a feathered bird singing…but there was CAT-Scan technician, Sheila, who gave voice to hope for me…a voice that plucked me from the waiting masses and gave me extra attention… saving me lots of waiting time.

Yesterday was one of the days I dread…my annual CAT-SCAN that covers just about every part of my body….looking to see if the tumors are still behaving themselves or if they have grown or decided to move around. Needless-to -say it is always somewhat nerve-wracking. (Will get the results later in the week)

This time I was even more concerned because they were trying to fit my lab blood work in on top of the scan…it first and then the scan. The lab work is done on the downstairs main floor, whereas, the specific scans and other tests are performed on the second floor.

My type of scan requires that the barium sulfate drink be consumed two hours before the scan….it’s not awful…but thick and grainy-tasting first thing in the morning…a little iffy on my fickle stomach due to the oral chemo’s I take daily. So I always worry about how my stomach is going to tolerate it.

When I got there Monday morning…I knew things were already backed up…there was a lengthening line to check in…never a good sign. Sure enough  I heard later they were short several workers while others were having to “double dip.” Never a fun way to start a Monday morning…I’m sure.

My prayers had been I would get called back quickly… so as to not give my stomach time to get queasy again….but my hope was diminishing as more and more patients packed in.

Suddenly…from this one lone chair in the back of this large waiting area…I heard a voice calling me….”Is there a Rebecca Dingle” in the room?” I jumped up while raising my hand…can’t take the student/teacher habits out of a retired educator.

It was Sheila (who I didn’t initially recognize with the mask) the Cat-Scan technician. She motioned for me to follow her. We walked outside and got in the elevator. Hesitantly I asked her if it mattered that I had not gotten my blood work done first…since it was the first item scheduled.

She assured me we were flipping procedures to save time…no worries there. Within ten minutes I was in and out of the machine. I didn’t even have to drink more barium sulfate which is usually the case.

I was silently thanking God and repeatedly thanking Sheila for “saving” me from the long wait line downstairs. She smiled and then said…”Wait a minute…let me check your blood work…I just might be able to do it myself up here while you are still lying down… outside the machine.” 

She smiled and said she could handle it…so as I came out of the scans…she took my blood and checked that item off too.

I felt like shouting “Hallelujah” and profusely continued thanking her…she said she had been trying to help out all morning with the delays from a shortage of workers…and hopefully taking care of as many procedures as she could… it would do the trick.

Isn’t it amazing how one voice can shatter our darkness and bring light into our lives…make our day. Sheila did and I know she continued to do it for others, long after I left, on this sunny/windy/ rainy (can’t make up its mind) Monday!

So until tomorrow…