A Perfect Day

A few days ago Alex, in the cancer-induced discomforts of dehydration, expressed that all he'd like to do is float around the Lazy River at Seven Peaks. Although the idea seemed refreshing, it was hard to believe it would ever happen. Seven Peaks doesn't open until Memorial Day weekend, and we all knew it was very possible we'd be holding his funeral, and not frolicking at a water park, during that time. Yet, my sister set out to Facebook to see what she could find. Luckily, our friend Raven knew someone who knew someone who put us in contact with the general manager who gave it all systems go.

Seven Peaks opened up just for us; a small group of siblings, friends, and Alex's hospice nurse Luke. They gave us tubes, had lifeguards on hand (one was even a photographer and took pictures for us with my camera), gave Alex a sweet party gift, and could not have been more accommodating the entire time.

For nearly two and a half hours we floated around and around the Lazy River. We even rode The Vortex (picture a ride much like a toilet bowl). I was worried a water slide might hurt Alex's already sore body, to which he replied "well, I'm dying in a couple days anyway, what's the worst that can happen?".

While we relaxed in the smooth water under a hot and cloudless sky, it was hard to believe there was anything wrong with Alex, the world, anything. Time felt as invincible as the endless summer days of our childhood, before terminal and cancer were commonplace in our vocabularies. Seeing Alex outside, clinging to a tube and cracking jokes, almost made me forget about the sleepless nights emptying puke buckets, the countless hours spent in the chemo ward, the horror of watching someone you love writhe in pain, and the inevitable death that is still coming despite over 2 years of heavy medical interventions.

When we eventually returned to my parent's house, we all went down into the entertainment room where Alex sleeps, turned off all the lights, and turned on Sigur Ros's new album Valtari. We looked at pictures from the day and just sat, soaking in the delicious sounds in the darkness.

It was perfect.

peace,
k.