The 4-year anniversary of my last cancer surgery is coming
up next week - so far, so good. I was
reading through my journal from that time in my life and it is really surprising
what I had forgotten!
I had a good chuckle when I read this section: “I remember feeling
very confident when I awoke from the anesthesia this time. I can't describe it
any other way, but it was a very palpable feeling. Even before asking whether I
required a colostomy, which seems to be my first response when they wake me up,
I felt good - no nausea at all. For some reason I don't remember coming back
upstairs to my room. I do, however, remember that every time I opened my eyes,
Willie, Bob & Jeff had their chairs circling the bottom of the bed and all
were staring at me as if they were waiting for me to breathe or something. Talk
about make someone paranoid!! haha I sent them all home at a decent time
tonight. I imagine they are tired from the day and I am doing fine.”
I also wrote about the other special people I met during
this journey – a lovely but lonely lady from PEI whose son was her only
relative and he wasn’t arriving until the next day, the 72 year old who had
brain cancer and was facing radiation for the umpteenth time but still had a whole
lot of spunk left in her, the 60+ year old gentleman who had throat cancer and had
been given 5 months to live if he didn’t have treatment. He decided to try the
radiation but had to live at the hospital for the entire month because he had
no family - his wife had just been admitted to a local psychiatric hospital. I
looked forward to our chats in the TV room.
And then there was Barb from Sussex
(it really is a small world) who arrived a couple of days before I left. Barb
and I had a lot of time to sit and talk between family visits. We even shared
email addresses and kept in touch for several months afterwards. The last
message I received from her was not a good one - her cancer had returned
quickly - and severely - and she was leaving that afternoon for Saint John to undergo intensive
treatments. I never heard from her again.
I spent a week in hospital. A lot happens; a
lot changes, a lot is forgotten. But I can guaranteed that
these wonderful people who touched my heart will be with me forever. As I write
this, I see their faces. And I wonder.
Until next time ......
BOptimistic!! :-)
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