A Laughin Matter

         “In seventh grade I went to have a trial treatment in Iowa City for a weekend. It was what I would consider one of the worst weekends of my life.           They took a bone marrow sample from me. That’s basically where they stick a big, hollow needle into your hip bone.            I was so tense about it. When I get tense I tend to block off numbing medication and the laughing gas. So I felt the entire process.            I screamed and I kicked for an hour. Afterwards I started to relax enough to let it take affect.                 I believe this is also the weekend where I was isolated for a night. They put radioactive iodine into Kool-Aid and made me drink about four cups of it. Then they put me in a room that was covered in paper.             There was paper on the floor, the walls, over the TV. I was wearing a paper gown.             The bed was covered with disposable sheets. The nurses that treated me were in space suit...