6 YEARS AGO MY WIFE of 23 years ,CHERYL, FELT A LUMP ON HER BREAST AND THE JOURNEY BEGAN. WE JOURNEYED THROUGH A MASTECTOMY OF HER LEFT BREAST RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, METASTASIS TO THE BACK BONES OF HER LUMBAR AND THORACIC SPINE, RADIATION TREATMENTS TO THE THORACIC SPINE TO SHRINK THE TUMORS PUSHING ON HER SPINAL CORD CAUSING HER EXCRUCIATING PAIN, STEROIDS CAUSING HER TO PUFF OUT MUCH MORE NOTICEABLE TO HER THAN TO ME, HORMONE THERAPY, FINALLY THE FIRST DAY OF CHEMO. THAT WAS THE FIRST DAY I REALLY BROKE DOWN AND WHO DID I CALL BUT MY MOM AND SAID THROUGH A VERY CHOKED UP VOICE " I JUST WANTED TO KNOW SOMEONE CARES" THEN I COULDN'T HOLD IT IN ANY LONGER AND CRIED LIKE A BABY.SHE CRIED WITH ME AND OFFERED HER SUPPORT. WE'D BEEN THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER UP TO THIS POINT PUTTING ME THROUGH COLLEGE, STILL RAISING THREE TERRIFIC CHILDREN, LIVING PRETTY MUCH LIKE MOST AMERICAN FAMILIES TYRING TO PAY BILLS, GO ON A DECENT VACATION, UPKEEP THE HOUSE, HELP THE KIDS WITH HOMEWORK, HAVE FUN BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND CHRISTMAS'S. THEN THE SHOCK OF MALIGNANT BREAST CANCER WHICH BY THE TIME IT WAS FOUND IT HAD ALREADY METASTISIZED TO HER BACK AS MENTIONED ABOVE. AFTER ABOUT TWO YEARS CHERYL'S CANCER WENT INTO REMISSION. THIS WAS A GOOD IME IN HER LIFE AND SHE FELT READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. SO SHE WENT BACK TO SCHOOL FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS AND GOT TO FINALLY BE IN THE O.R. INSTEAD OF WATCHING THOSE NIP AND TUCK SHOWS ON TV. SHE GRADUATED IN SECOND HIGHEST HONORS AS A SURGICAL TECHNICIAN AND BEGAN WORKING IN A LOCAL HOSPITAL AND LOVES IT STILL. PART WAY THROUGH MY WIFE'S TREATMENT MY MOM HAD REVEALED THAT HER BREAST CANCER FORM 15 YEARS AGO FOR WHICH SHE REFUSED CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT HAD SREAD TO HER BONES AND LUNGS. I JOURNEYED THROUGH MORE DR'S APPOINTMENTS WITH MUCH HELP FROM MY BROTHER'S BUT WHEN SHE MORE FREQUENTLY VISITED ER'S FOR SHORTNESS OF BREATH I KNEW THAT THINGS WERE GETTING RAPIDLY WORSE. SHE PASSED ON ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LITERALLY BREAK. BUT THROUGH THE LORD'S STRENGTH WE GOT THROUGH IT AND WENT ON SENT TWO OF OUR CHILDREN OFF TO COLLEGE AND PLANNED SOME VACATIONS, CHRISTMAS'S, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, ANNIVERSERIES. LAST CHRISTMAS WE KNEW BY THE TALKS WITH THE ONCOLOGISTS WE WOULD BE PROBABLY HEADING INTO MORE CHEMO AS THE MARKERS WERE ELEVATING QUITE RAPIDLY. SO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE . AFTER CHERYL'S THIRD ROUND OF IXEMPRA SHE WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH CHEMO AGAIN. IT WAS PROBABLY MORE THE SYMPTOMS TALKING BUT BECAUSE THE MARKERS HAVE COME DOWN AND THE CAT SCANS WERE COMING BACK WITH NO NEW CANCER JUST INCREASED ACTIVITY IN THE LUMBAR AREA WHICH WAS ASYMPTOMATIC. SHE AGREED TO A LIGHTER DOSE AFTER A BREAK. WITH STILL ALOT OF WEAKNESS AND VERY FEW FOODS THAT ACTUALLY TASTE LIKE FOOD TO HER WE HAVE ANOTHER WEEK TO GO BEFORE WE SEE THE ONCOLOGIST AND SEE WHAT OTHER CHEMO OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. I WILL MAKE A NEW
ENTRY ASAP. GOT TO GO BACK TO WORK.
