Christmas Cancer?

December is normally filled with Christmas decorating, indulgent baking, wrapping paper flurries and the occasional snowflake. Not this past December.

Russell was complaining of chest pain. Not the usual, "OMG, we HAVE TO go to the hospital," kind of chest pain...a dull, nagging pain. So, the battle of wills began. On a Friday, I told him: You have until tomorrow to get out of the bed and do something around the house or you are going to the hospital."

So, what do you think happened? That's right. He did not get up. On Saturday, he said (again), "I don't feel good enough to do anything;" to which I replied, "Then get in the car so I can take you to the hospital."

"I don't need you to take me anywhere. I'm a big boy;" (Let that sink in for a second...it only took me 2.4 nanoseconds.)

"Then, get in the truck and go to the hospital. If you cannot take care of yourself, I have to do it."

Now that he was painted into a man-ego corner, you guessed it...He went to the hospital. It was December 11th.

Six hours, two chest x-rays and a thoracic CT later, he came home with a pending diagnosis of mesothelioma (He was admitted as COPD.)

I went to the doctor alone to get the CT results. We got the oncology referral and set a date for needle biospy for the apparent adenocarcinoma (of the lung). The tumor had broken one rib under his shoulder blade. The pain he thought was in his chest was actually the tumor pushing his lung forward. The broken rib was destroyed along with most of the nerves.

Four growths of mesothelioma were present on his right lung. His pleura was thickened in all four places. Some places as thick as 1/2 inch. There were 8 affected lymph nodes. This was the pain he felt under his arm.

It was December 21st. I made the decision NOT to schedule the oncology appointment before Christmas. I chose December 29th instead. Russell speculated the reason the appointment was so far away was this would be his last Christmas, and the doctor (a close personal friend of ours) did not want to spoil our holiday. To a large degree, his speculation was warranted. I had told the doctor I was going to have a good Christmas with my family. Cancer be damned.

If I had it to do again, I would not change my behavior.

With the speculation in his hypochondriac mind, he focused on the little ones and the presents under the tree. He watched with childlike wonder as the piles of paper stacked up. He was busy extricating toys from adult-proof wrappers. He was in charge of battery placement. He learned to operate my new digital camera. He even enjoyed the dogs fascination with the whole affair. Russell enjoyed Christmas.

All I asked the prayer chain to pray for...peace in our house. The Lord listened. It was a joyous holiday like no other we have had.

Next time, we are going to discuss the whirlwind which can happen in thirty days.

Carrying on,
Ann Marie

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