7. Chemotherapy

As Shane was walking with Jess, hand in hand, on the shore line all he could think about was the beautiful woman that he had come to love more than life itself. "How are you felling?" Shane asked her.

"Better," Jess said, smiling at him.

"When is your next check up scheduled for?"

"In two days, so on Thursday," she told him.

"I want to go with you," he said, watching for her reaction.

"Are you sure?" Jess asked, looking at him. "It might get pretty heavy."

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright," Jess smiled at him.

Thursday came faster than Shane could have ever imagined. As Shane was driving Jess the hospital all he could think about was the last time that he and Jess were at a hospital.

"Jess," Shane started. "Why don't you talk about your dad?"

Jess didn't answer. "Can you tell me? Please."

Jess sighed and looked at him. "My dad," she started. "He wasn't the best dad in the world. He left my mother for another woman, and then came back. Then he started to beat my mother, so she divorced him. The court still granted him joint custody, so I went to his house on weekends. He drank, a lot, so he started to beat me. After my mom died, I was sent to go live with him. The beatings got worse, so I ran away. Kimee found me at Lake Eola park, and we've been best friends ever since."

"Oh," was all Shane could say as a response. "I'm sorry, Jess."

"It's ok," she laughed. "It was a while ago."

At the hospital Jess was holding Shane's hand and watching the doctor go through her folder. "So, Jess, it seems that we have been doing better," the doctor said.

"Yeah, I've been feeling a whole lot better," Jess looked at Shane and smiled.

"Well, the cancer isn't completely gone, and there is a chance it might relapse, that is the bad news. The good news is that we can treat it with some chemotherapy treatments and medication after to kill the bad cells. It is simple enough and we want to do as soon as possible," the doctor explained.

"Well, when is as soon as possible?" Jess asked.

"We want to give you time to prepare for the treatment, that means drinking lots of fluids, exercising, eating more fibrous foods, things like that. We are going to give you the oral chemotherapy, because it is the easiest, and it is a lower dose."

"Well, I have a question, but it's kind of embarrassing," Jess said.

"Well, Jess, the more questions you ask the better it will be."

Jess took in a deep breath, "Will I lose my hair?"

"There could be side effects that include temporary loss of hair, but the lower the dose, the less likely that is," the doctor smiled.

"Well, the sooner the better, as you said," Jess smiled. "I want to start it, soon."

"Jess, give yourself time," Shane said. "You have time."

"I want to get rid of it Shane," Jess told him. "I'm tired of being sick."

"You are really brave you know," the doctor told Jess.

"Shane is the brave one," Jess looked at Shane. "He saved me."

"Well, it seems that there is enough courage in both of you that put together makes you one," the doctor smiled. He looked down to the chart and back up at Jess, "Well, if you are ready, we will start the oral chemo today."

"I'm ready," was all Jess could manage to say, her voice was shivering too bad.