Home Of The Brave
It was the best of times... it was the worst of times. Have you ever heard a passage or quote that was so appropriate to your life, it was downright scary? This well known passage from the opening of the novel, A Tale Of Two Cities, really sums up our life right now.
My partner of 13 years, Ursula, and I really have everything. We have worked hard to become financially secure and we own a small business that allows us to stay home and not work too awfully hard. We are able to travel as the desire strikes us and want for nothing. It is also fairly easy for me to arrange my not so busy schedule to get in my triathlon training twice a day. Yes, it is the best of times.
Everything was perking along just as planned. I was running the business, Urs was preparing to retire in another year or two, and we were making plans to get in the motorhome and spend several months touring around the country. It was then that the worst of times fell upon us.
Ursula was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer. The cancer was in both breasts, numerous places in her bones, and more importantly, in her liver. In fact, the report from her first CT scan described the liver tumors as innumerable. Her prognosis... terminal.
We never asked the doctor, but we knew that with a Stage 4 diagnosis, Urs was unlikely to be around in 18 months. By asking, and getting an answer, I think we thought that might add some finality to it... make it real. God... this can't be real, can it? How can this be happening to us? WE HAD PLANS! We had things to do! THIS... ISN"T... FAIR!!!!
What followed was months of stressful decisions. Most importantly, whether to take part in a trial of a new drug that was to be given along with the standard course of chemotherapy. That was the most important decision we ever made. While there is so much I could comment on, I'll skip right to the most important part.
It has been 27 months since Urs' diagnosis, and at this time, she has had no progression in her cancer. Many of the innumerable tumors on her liver have disappeared, and are now referred to as several.
This journey has not been an easy one. Ursula has endured chemotherapy three times a month for over two years straight! Because of her stage 4 diagnosis, unless by some miracle she goes into complete remission, she will undergo chemo for the rest of her life. I think the person that coined the phrase, the cure is worse than the disease, must have known what it was like to have poison pumped into their veins on a weekly basis. Although, it could always be so much worse. I am so thankful it's not. I would do anything to make her hard days easier. Hopefully, I do.
My partner of 13 years, Ursula, and I really have everything. We have worked hard to become financially secure and we own a small business that allows us to stay home and not work too awfully hard. We are able to travel as the desire strikes us and want for nothing. It is also fairly easy for me to arrange my not so busy schedule to get in my triathlon training twice a day. Yes, it is the best of times.
Everything was perking along just as planned. I was running the business, Urs was preparing to retire in another year or two, and we were making plans to get in the motorhome and spend several months touring around the country. It was then that the worst of times fell upon us.
Ursula was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer. The cancer was in both breasts, numerous places in her bones, and more importantly, in her liver. In fact, the report from her first CT scan described the liver tumors as innumerable. Her prognosis... terminal.
We never asked the doctor, but we knew that with a Stage 4 diagnosis, Urs was unlikely to be around in 18 months. By asking, and getting an answer, I think we thought that might add some finality to it... make it real. God... this can't be real, can it? How can this be happening to us? WE HAD PLANS! We had things to do! THIS... ISN"T... FAIR!!!!
What followed was months of stressful decisions. Most importantly, whether to take part in a trial of a new drug that was to be given along with the standard course of chemotherapy. That was the most important decision we ever made. While there is so much I could comment on, I'll skip right to the most important part.
It has been 27 months since Urs' diagnosis, and at this time, she has had no progression in her cancer. Many of the innumerable tumors on her liver have disappeared, and are now referred to as several.
This journey has not been an easy one. Ursula has endured chemotherapy three times a month for over two years straight! Because of her stage 4 diagnosis, unless by some miracle she goes into complete remission, she will undergo chemo for the rest of her life. I think the person that coined the phrase, the cure is worse than the disease, must have known what it was like to have poison pumped into their veins on a weekly basis. Although, it could always be so much worse. I am so thankful it's not. I would do anything to make her hard days easier. Hopefully, I do.
posted by Barb at 12:35 PM
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