It's spring. The azaleas are blooming with bright pink flowers. The grass is growing greener (well, at least in other people's yards). The sun is setting later in the evening and warmer weather is near. But this year, spring awakening also brings a rude awakening.
And so it begins....the "journey," that is. That's survivor-speak (or so I've learned) for people living with cancer. It is not a journey we planned to take. In fact, we don't even know where we're going. It may be a long journey and it won't be fun. But funny things will certainly happen along the way. And I hope to share them here -- not only the funny things, but the good, the bad and, now and then, the ugly.
Actually, the journey began just over a month ago, April 8th to be exact, when my wife, Karen, unintentionally grazed a lump in a relatively bony area of her chest just above her left breast. When she came home that day and showed it to me I could feel it, but even scarier, I could actually see a small marble shape just under her skin.
"Where the hell did that come from all of a sudden?" I asked out loud.
"How could you not have noticed it before?" I said. I tried to convince myself that the lump wasn't actually in or on her breast. After all, it wasn't in her breast tissue. Or was it?
She replied, "Uh, honey...that's where my breast would be if I wasn't 47!" OK, so I felt a little stupid and maybe a bit embarrassed. The least of my worries.
That's where it began. On a typical spring day in April. And just weeks later I'm using words like "journey". Ahhhhhh!
And so it begins....the "journey," that is. That's survivor-speak (or so I've learned) for people living with cancer. It is not a journey we planned to take. In fact, we don't even know where we're going. It may be a long journey and it won't be fun. But funny things will certainly happen along the way. And I hope to share them here -- not only the funny things, but the good, the bad and, now and then, the ugly.
Actually, the journey began just over a month ago, April 8th to be exact, when my wife, Karen, unintentionally grazed a lump in a relatively bony area of her chest just above her left breast. When she came home that day and showed it to me I could feel it, but even scarier, I could actually see a small marble shape just under her skin.
"Where the hell did that come from all of a sudden?" I asked out loud.
"How could you not have noticed it before?" I said. I tried to convince myself that the lump wasn't actually in or on her breast. After all, it wasn't in her breast tissue. Or was it?
She replied, "Uh, honey...that's where my breast would be if I wasn't 47!" OK, so I felt a little stupid and maybe a bit embarrassed. The least of my worries.
That's where it began. On a typical spring day in April. And just weeks later I'm using words like "journey". Ahhhhhh!
Brian,
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine sent me a link to your blog. She said it made her think of me immediately but also warned me that I might not want to read it. That isn't true. I know about the journey. My blog - and I will warn you that you might not want to read it - started at the end of the journey. I could not have done what you're doing. But I will be interested in reading about your progress, yours and your family's.
That said I'll now catch up.
Karen,
ReplyDeleteI just found this site after emailing you on LinkedIn. I'll catch up on my reading here and start to follow your journey back to total health.
Oh by the way, bald is definitely beautiful on you.
Maurice
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI had a chance to read through your site and found it to be very informational and provide some wonderful cancer resources. Congratulations to Karen on being cancer free.
Our organization, Mesothelioma Center, has recently interviewed mesothelioma cancer survivors and published their stories of survival on our site: asbestos.com/mesothelioma/wall-of-hope.php.
Their stories provided me with a lot of perspective on what it must be like to be battling this disease.
I was hoping you could help us spread mesothelioma cancer awareness by adding our Wall of Hope Badge to your site. Let’s work together to spread as much cancer awareness as we can!
Best Regards,
Mike Postorino
Mesothelioma Center
email: mpostorino@asbestos.com