Friday Night

Gary and I really know how to live it up on a Friday night! The cancer "ward" at Hoag has lots of people, loads of activity going on and everyone I saw was completely and utterly doped upon some kind of narcotic! They know where the good stuff is for sure and their supplier is never too far away!

Poor Gary. Despite all the good drugs I can't think of 1 person who either wants to spend any night let alone a Friday night as a patient or a visitor on the cancer floor.

Gary has met one guy whose name we will protect by calling him "Stan". Stan has had testicular cancer that has now spread to the outside of his kidney. He is very mobile and very friendly and I would venture to say he is about 40. He is extremely positive and optomistic and has an amazing outlook on life. He has come into Gary's room to talk to him and check on him a few times.

Gary has become almost completely immobile and it really bothers him. He has an alarm on his bed that sounds when he gets up because he is not allowed out of bed without assistance.

We met with the radiology oncologist today. Dr. Kim is very nice, kind and sat with us and answered any question we had and never made us feel like any of our concerns were unfounded. He was able to show us the MRI that was done on Gary at UCI for the first time. The MRI was done on Jan. 11th. Here begins the medical portion of our conversation tonight.

I already knew how extensive his disease was but seeing it is totally different. How every doctor and radiologist missed the extent of his cancer is completely beyond me. When you look at the MRI images you can see the cancer everywhere in his abdomen and it has literally destroyed his pelvic and hip bones.

These images make the fact that he has cancer a little more real I guess. It is so surreal and when I look at him I do not see the cancer. He looks pretty normal - maybe a little tired but that's it.

Back to radiation. He starts radiation on Monday. 5 days a week for about 6 weeks. Hey, he does get the weekend and holidays off but of course has to make the holidays up at the end like the kids who have snowdays in the colder regions of the world. The radiation will take no longer than 1/2 hour so we will be in and out of there. Lots of driving to and from but we will manage and schedule it for when the boys are all in school.

Something I wanted to share from our Book of Hope.

I once looked up "support" in the dictionary. It says: "To carry the weight; To maintain position so as to keep from falling, sinking, or slipping; To be able to bear - withstand; To keep from falling or yeilding during stress; To furnish corroborating evidence; To aid the cause of by approving, favoring, or advocating; To take action." What a wonderful definition! Believe me, every single word applies to the experience of belonging to a group of people who support you.

Thank you all and good night. Sweet dreams!

Love,
Lisa & Gary