The C Word – Day 365 (One Year later) The Year In Review

A bit melancholy today.  I was driving home from the grocery store this afternoon and realized that about this time one year ago I was receiving the news, “We couldn’t get it all.”  I remember my heart dropping to the floor as Dr. B gave me this news with a somber expression of his own.  He felt it as much as I did.  I can’t imagine being in his shoes and having to deliver such news to family members. 

At last writing things were going pretty well.  And June finished out as well as any time in the past.  Then, July hit.  July is a different story.  The day before George’s birthday, he started feeling cramping. He immediately stopped eating and also drinking.  Pain meds needed.  The timing was unfortunate as we had just begun our week with the granddaughters.  As is my “modus operandi”, I swung into action to line up back up for the kids in the event we needed to do an ER trip.  This time I was able to reach my son-in-laws mom and sister to help out.  After a relatively quiet evening, George awoke on his birthday, the 9^th of July, asking for more pain meds.  Not a good sign.  About an hour after the kids went to be with their Aunt Kim, George passed out at home.  I called 9-1-1 immediately when that happened.  BP was very low.  Exhibited signs of dehydration (after all, even though it was 100 degrees out, George felt “comfortable”).  The paramedics pumped nearly a full bag of fluid in before he even reached the ER.  Note: They took their time getting there so it’s not like they did it in just a few minutes.)  We never heard how the blood panel was but after the CT scan the doctor came in and said they didn’t see a blockage.  (Yet, the release paperwork said he had a partial blockage though the radiologist did not say anything about it.  Confused?  I am.)

George spent the next few days on the couch while I had to pick up and do some door painting in order to stay ahead of the contractor.  I did this early in the morning or right after dropping the girls off at vacation Bible school.  Needless to say, I was kept pretty busy keeping them occupied and painting and, oh yes, working on the Silent Auction in bits and pieces during the week.  About mid-week George started feeling better which was good.  Staying hydrated seemed to do the trick. 

This past week has had its ups and downs, though.  On several occasions George has said to me, “I don’t know, it’s cramping again.”  At one point he even said, “Something’s not right, I don’t know what it is, but something’s is not right.”  Yesterday he came in and asked me to call Dr. B and see if he could get right in for an appointment.  Of course, doctors’ hours are different so we couldn’t get in until tomorrow.  He wants to ask questions about what he can do when these things happen besides go to the ER.  Is there something that he can take or do that will help alleviate the cramping he is getting more frequently?  We will ask.  Some sort of answer will hopefully make us feel better.  We’ve got another CT scan cued up for September as that would mark the 6-month mark from our “official” last scan.  Not sure we can count the ER ones. 

This month I’ve been working heavily on the Hair Today – Gone Tomorrow fundraiser.  It took a twist last month when a friend said she would give more money if I did NOT shave my head bald.  Still cut to donate, just not shave.  Since I had said on my initial website that I would shave my head if I raised $10k, I didn’t feel right about changing that decision so I have asked my donors to vote what they want me to do.  I will reveal their results on August 12 when I hold the celebration party/silent auction. 

Our contractor finished up work yesterday.  Aside from a few little things, we will be ready to move furniture very soon and get us moved to the main floor of the house.  This will be an adjustment for us!  Smaller bathroom being the biggest adjustment (wink, wink).  Yet it will be a relief for George not to have to climb stairs, especially when he’s not feeling well.

I am touched not only by the response to my online fundraiser but also the requests for donations.  Some of the people I’ve talked to at some of the local stores are also touched by cancer.  They share their story and I share mine.  Very few people are untouched by cancer these days.  They are interested in hearing about the rare cancer for which we speak. 

A dear friend of ours introduced us to one of his friends recently.  All he said is, “he’s missing a lot of body parts, too”.  When George called to talk to Wayne, he discovered that Wayne was diagnosed in 1996 and went to have his surgery with Dr. Sugarbaker, the pioneer of the CRS/HIPEC standard of care.  Since then Wayne has had 5 more surgeries.  But 21 years survival – wow, that’s very cool. 

Yes, sure this year has been a lot of ups and a lot of downs.  A lot of changes physically (for George anyway), changes in income (with Dawn leaving her job), changes emotionally as we both take the toll for what the disease does in our lives.  Yet, there are a few constants amidst these changes…. Our family is always there.  Our friends are always stepping up to the plate to help where they can… and Our GOD is always in our midst. We give thanks for these constants in our ever-changing household.