“One of them was my chemistry teacher from the seventh grade. “I call them 'hellmates' in the chemotherapy room,” he said. Over the years, Marchand has gotten to know a lot of people at the hospital, including some from his life growing up in Franklin County. “I look at the nurse and say, ‘Listen, why don't you go out for breakfast? I'll take care of the rest of this, because I know where all the tubes connect and how to start the equipment and stuff,’” he said. But he hopes the bi-monthly treatments at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton will extend his life. That’s over the course of seven years, since a colonoscopy at age 60 found Stage 4 colon cancer.īy now, he’s had two major surgeries and doesn’t expect to be cured. “This is my 94th chemo treatment,” Marchand said, with a hint of pride. His hospital bracelet was still hanging on his wrist from his cancer treatment that morning. His hair went down to his shoulders his clothing hung loosely on his tall, thin frame. So the next time I called him - to figure out why my toilet tank was leaking - I asked if I could bring out my tape recorder.Īs he talked, he sat on the floor of my bathroom, tightening the bolts at the base of the water tank. In fact, aside from a few breaks for surgery, Marchand, of Whately, Massachusetts, hasn’t taken time off throughout his ongoing treatment. Clearly, Marchand understood instinctually what oncologists often advise their patients: stick to your usual routines when going through cancer treatment, because the familiarity might help you relax and not ruminate on what comes next.
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