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 August 25, 2021 - 

And How Did My Week Go, You Ask?

You know how people liken their circumstances to a roller coaster ride? Well, let me describe the past 10 days as nothing short of Disney's Tower of Terror!


Ed was at the end of his first chemo treatment. First the infusion, followed by the oral dosage for 14 days. 2500 mg twice a day - a heavy dosage by anyone's standards. Apparently our cancer center likes to start high and then observe the side effects, and if the patient can't tolerate them, they re-adjust. Ed could not tolerate so much so that he could not take the last day of the last dose. His system rebelled and he had diarrhea so severely that he went into the center for fluids on August 18, back the next morning on the 19th, and then that night, I called an ambulance to bring him to the ER. There he stayed until the next morning getting fluids/potassium. He was sent home early Friday morning, the 20th. By Saturday evening, James and Emily took him back to ER. This time, my feisty little girl told them we would not take him home until they admitted him! After labs and stool sample, the doc on call informed us that his magnesium and potassium levels were critically low. At 8:00 on Sunday morning, August 22, a room was available.


Since Sunday, he has been given all sorts of fluids, meds for diarrhea, nausea, special dietary stuff, something for the clots that showed up in his arm, and other unknown pills and injections. He is on the mend, feeling much better and getting antsy to come home.


Now, to my story. As the reader may remember, I scheduled a colonoscopy for Monday, August 16. The doc comes in afterward and says, "I found something". Ed and I just looked at each other, me half expecting this bad news. So, I had to sit in limbo until Monday, August 23 to go over the results with the doctor. Of course, Ed could not go with me, so Emily went with me. Mind you, for eight days, we lived in fear. I, contemplating refusing treatment so that I could take care of Ed. I just could not fathom us both going through chemo, both suffering the side effects. At least I could be well enough long enough to assist him. I know. Not altogether logical, but an alternative in my mind.


On Monday morning, I saw my regular doctor over my diabetes, which had gotten out of control -- reading of 425 on the day of the colonoscopy! Went through the lecture, the harsh reality check that I simply must get this disease under control, and am now resolute in my attack. (My reading as of now is hovering around 163). At 3:30 that day, Emily and I went into the doctor's office ready for the news of how bad my cancer is. They called me in, and we waited. The doctor opened the door and sat at the computer screen. I braced myself. He described to me what he found. A group of cells (mass) in the same area as Ed's. This mass was an angry gang of cells wanting to become cancer....but had not yet reached its goal. So, let's remove the area of the colon where these bad boys reside. Bottom line is that I now meet with the surgeon to go over a CT Scan and schedule the surgery. I barely dodged this lethal bullet. For now.


God is good. He's a good listener. As I tell those taking my Soft Skills Training, communication is a two way street. I spoke first. God listened. Then God spoke. I'm grateful for the answer.

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