9.15.2006

A Difficult Time

I hate to write this considering what my next blog posting is going to be, but I feel it is something I need to day. A friend of mine since high school came back to Cedar Rapids from Las Vegas this week to visit her family. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer about a month ago, so in addition to visiting her family for the week, she wanted to help out around the house as well.

Mel and I had planned on getting together with her for dinner some time this week. I hadn't heard from her since she got into town at the beginning of the week, so I called her and left a message for her to call me. Well, last night she gave me a call and I could tell right away that things were not going well. Her mother's doctors initially thought they could remove the cancer surgically, but they then determined that was not possible, so they were going to try chemotherapy instead. She was to begin chemo yesterday, but the doctors realized then that the cancer was too far along to respond to chemo, so it seems like they are out of options. It seems that all they can do now is try to make her comfortable.

I would like to think that I can relate to what my friend is going through since I lost my father about fifteen months ago, but I don't think I can. Her situation is just so different from mine. When my father had his heart attack is was sudden and unexpected. There was a lot of initial shock, but then we had to deal with the fact that he was gone. In my friend's case, her mother is still here and all her family can do is wait. Despite my father's passing, I can not begin to understand how my friend must be feeling right now. I just hope she and her family can find a way to cope with what is happening with them. Of course, I'll be here to offer any support I can.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I talked to her a little bit yesterday.

Please let me know if you hear anything.

homercles

Anonymous said...

Update: They were able to drain some of the fluid build up she had. She is still in the hospital but they are going to start chemo. Actually, they started it today (yesterday). Then in eight days they will do another round and then in 21 days from yesterday (If I understood Dad) they will do a check of the cells to see if it is doing any good. If it is, they will continue treatment, if not then they will stop. So perhaps there is hope after all. Thank you guys for being there for me. Sorry to shut everyone out this week. I was trying to hold it together. This was a very overwhelming week.