The Long Takeout by Elijah Douresseau

Author:Elijah Douresseau
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2023-04-05T16:49:26+00:00

Cancer Antigen 125

“You okay, Mom?”

“I’m alive. Best I’ve got right now.”

“Hope you aren’t too discouraged by the news. The doctor says there are still some strong options left. And they’re pulling out of this drug early to give you a head start on the next one.”

“You said this place has a secret menu? What the heck is that? Why won’t they just put it on the real menu?”

Here we are again. Back at the beginning, it feels like. I’m sure Mom is a sea of despair right now. We were really hoping for some good news.

Mom got her CAT scans done. Computed axial tomography. Honestly, it’s scarier than the cancer.

Scans are medical report cards that tell you what kind of progress you’re making, trying to beat whatever life-threatening disease is kicking your ass.

You get one at the start of your diagnosis. The CAT is the very test that contains the vital information. So in the modern medical world, it’s one of the biggest advancements to let sick people know their lives are changed forever.

A more than helpful tool. But you hate it for existing.

In many ways, Mom would consider herself cancer-free, if she never looked at the scan results. If the doctor never told her what it all meant. But the initial scan saved her life. Stopped the suffering of the unknown, so the bodily healing wasn’t so far behind.

It would be nice to go down an established course of treatment, and just keep doing it until she is well again.

Year one, the chemo had Mom mostly to her old self. She wasn’t lying in a hospital bed, unable to do anything she never thought about not doing a couple of years ago.

The periodic scan, after the first, can affirm all the good signs that tumors are shrinking. But they can also show you the long road that remains.

Destinations generally had twists and turns to get to them. But very rarely did the journey include the words, ‘progressive’ and ‘advanced stages.’

“It’s a fun way to get some buzz going for the restaurant.”

“But once you’re here, how do you know what to order?”

“People tell you how to before you come in. Feels like a cool speak-easy thing that way.”

“Those were illegal, dear son.”

“The only crime here is never having tried the vegan Mac Daddy.”

“Vegan?”

“Vegan. Trust me. You won’t miss anything from the original Big Mac.”

“I think I will if I’m eating a salad instead. This place isn’t even McDonald’s.”

“No, vegan. It does include some roughage, but they rebuild the dish from the uh – table up, using plant-based products.”

“So…a salad. With some shape to it.”

“You’re still going to have the bun, the patty, the cheese. It just won’t be coming from any animals.”

“And you’re sure it’s good?”

“I think you’ll appreciate trying it at least, Mom. Though yes, I do love it.”

“But you like meat.”

“My salads don’t have to have meat on them.”

“Ah! It is a salad!”

“Mom. Please.”

“Well…we’re here. Might as well give it a shot. I don’t know what all this other stuff on the regular menu is anyway.

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