The chapel at CTCA. We both cried as we sat and prayed and read a verse from the Bible.
Yesterday we arrived at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Goodyear, Arizona. We drove onto the 'campus' and found that the parking area for patients is in front of the hospital with the only shade in the entire parking lot. We walked past lovely trees and flowers along a winding path up to the grand front entrance and it was a long slow walk. We both were worried about the experience of staying at a hospital/treatment center. Then we entered the foyer. It was lovely and peaceful and I had to hold back tears. We met a friendly helpful guy at the front desk. He signed us in. It cost $150 for six nights. He showed my hubby where the cart was located so he could gather our bags and such.
I was so overwhelmed I had to sit down in a chair in the lobby. Of course there was a box of tissues next to the chair. I had tears pour out. A woman walked up to me and said she didn't want to bother me but asked which of us was the patient and then told me about how she's been battling cancer for six years. Then another woman in the lobby joined us and told me that we're all family. I got the most genuine hugs from two women -one from Oklahoma and the other from Tennessee and we were immediately connected because all three of us have breast cancer. This was a first since January 16th. I had yet to meet and get to know anyone who's had breast cancer -like this. Where I could cry and describe what's going on.
Meanwhile my hubby gathered our bags from the car and waited patiently near the husband of one of the women. He asked my hubby, "Do you think they are comparing battle scars?" and they laughed. My hubby said it felt good to laugh with another man who's going through the same thing as he is. Funny thing is we were talking about our surgeries and scars! Ha!
We said farewell to our new friends and proceeded to make our way to our room and to explore this amazing place.
The most interesting part so far has been that everyone we've seen here has cancer. It's not like any hotel I've ever been in where we don't get to know people without a lot of effort. We found that this is more like a grand home than a hospital. We had dinner in the cafeteria -where the tables have linen tablecloths. We discovered the rooftop garden where music was playing and we were alone so my hubby and I danced under the stars and watched the lights of Phoenix together. We laughed as he twirled me underneath God's sky.
This morning, I found a letter underneath the door. It wasn't a receipt. It was the details for today's appointments. We have several appointments and all are just down the hall or up the elevator from where we are staying. So far we can only feel blessed -because we are absolutely blessed. And we're blessed to be able to feel our feelings about this with our Lord and support from others who are going through the same experience. We shall see what the Lord has in store for us today.
A prayer wall in the chapel. The white between stones are written prayers. I sobbed when I saw this, thinking of all the people who've come through here praying for healing. And thinking of my own prayers for healing. It was quite a chapel.
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