The C Word – Sept 30 2017 Three Year “Survivorsary”

I just re-read the last posting – and it was soon after writing it that George’s mom passed peacefully in her sleep.  September 16, 2017. 

Today marks three years from the first surgery for PMP.  Facebook popped up with memories from that day.  Early morning check-in for 7:30 surgery.  9:30 the “thumbs up” that surgery would continue and HIPEC be performed.  Surgery ending after just 7 hours rather than the expected 10.  George being taken to ICU overnight (and ended up being three or four nights).  We didn’t know how much they struggled during surgery as George had gone into shock. 

That surgery extended George’s life.  Had they not discovered the cancer during the scan for a kidney stone, it is likely that he would have already died.  As it was, the disease had progressed along pretty far.  We are lucky to have found a great surgeon – someone who gave us hope. 

Here we sit, three years later.  Our lives had changed a lot, more so after the second surgery than the first.  After the first we were able to put back some semblance of our former life.  Not so after the second. 

I have to admit there are times it is difficult.  There’s unspoken fear.  There’s physical discomfort and constant fatigue (for George).  These affect our lives in that we are bound to stay close to home nearly all the time.  Our ventures out are generally short. 

About this time of year is when we normally would be taking a week-long vacation as we waited until kids had gone back to school.  We had some great trips – Alaska, Canada, Missouri, Arizona.  I am sad that we can no longer do those kinds of trips. 

Next week we have a PMP conference and the topic is the mental and physical health “after diagnosis, after surgery, etc”.  I hope they have some good information.  I think we can both use this.  Of course, the best part is seeing people we rarely get to see and having fun forging new friendships with others ‘just like us’.