Greetings From The Care Team At Windsor Regional Cancer Centre Poem by Chris G. Vaillancourt

'Greetings from the Care Team
at Windsor Regional Cancer Centre.'
begins the letter sent to my home.
An information package, showing
me how wonderful it will all be!
Even a promotional information movie
I can watch online.
How shall I ever be able to stand the excitement?

Does the Care Team know how
anxious I feel about their facility?
I'd imagine not.

This new life I am to live
is unknown territory,
uncertain destination.

In the promo film, the faces
are alive and positive.
Everyone is apparently
enjoying their cancer.

Should I feel as content?
Shall I smile and nod my head
in happy abandonment?

Have I already failed
to access the party line?

Basements are underground.
That is where I believe
to be
the best place for me.
Hiding. Pretending.
It's all good!
It's all fine!
Nothing wrong.
Lock the door and
hibernate until
this pile of bad cells
disappears.

But that is fantasy, wishful thinking.
Besides, I've already received
the afore-mentioned
information package.

The Care Team is waiting,
seemingly with pleasure,
to introduce itself
to me.

I'm now a member of
a very select society.
Surgery, therapy,
these are the new boundaries.

Will I care for this 'Team'
as much as they care for me?

We shall see, we shall see.