Cancer DOES Suck!

“Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway - Emory Austin”

Yes! I can completely admit it. No matter how well Mike continues to do and what a Super-Hero he has been thus far with Cancer and The Treatments that are involved…CANCER SUCKS!

I bought Mike a pin a little while ago during one of our visits to MD. It was actually the day we were scheduled to visit his Oncologist and he was whisked away to the ER due to vision issues and that brought on a week’s stay in the hospital. Granted, he is doing so well now and his vision is restored to 20/20, that is a week I will never forget. It just reminded us of the ups, downs and uncertitanties with this disease that Mike as a patient and myself as a caregiver have to ALWAYS be ready for, no matter how good life is treating us that moment.

Well another unexpected, but expected incident arrised this past week with Mike’s treatment. As he was finishing up and the last bit of chemo was flushed through the IV, Mike instantly started itching on the palm of his hands. I immediately thought it was just an itch since he had been laying there for a few hours, almost like the feeling when your hand falls asleep. He got up to go to the bathroom and came out with a completely flushed face and a fierce stomach ache. I rushed him back to the bed and called the nurse. Within minutes the room was filled with nurses and doctors inserting Benadryl, Pepcid and a few other drugs. His heart rate blood pressure jumped to 166 and he was given oxygen. At that moment, I had never been so scared, but I held his hand tightly as the doctors worked around and got him back to normal. After I emailed his Oncologist and speaking to several of the team on site, it is a normal side effect with one of the chemo agents he is taking. They explained it works sort of backwards and the longer your body receives the treatment, the higher risk of side effects.

After 15 minutes he was stable once again and back to normal. It was something that we had not experienced thus far. We had been so laxidated with how well he has been doing, I feel this brought us back to check and back on our toes to (as I always say) expect the expected with this disease. This last treatment has taken a toll and Mike has been resting this weekend, as expected. He remains in good spirits and has not lost sight of the “Fight of El Toro”.

His doctor’s appointments have been spread out and he will not have another chemo treatment till the end of March. He has upcoming MRIs and PET Scans these next two weeks, which hold results of how the chemo continues to work and as always we keep our prayers that all is continuing to shrink and the areas that are FREE of Cancer, remain FREE! With the appointments being so spread out, Mike has been back at work a lot and getting back in the swing of things! It is almost as if he has not left. The Dixie Team loves having him back and it has completely raised his mentality and spirits being back to “the norm”.

As always, we both from the bottom of our hearts thank you ALL for keeping us in your daily thoughts and prayers. We thank you for the cards, the messages, the phone calls, texts and emails! We know that even though CANCER DOES SUCK – it has brought us so close to so many people. It has brought us closer to family, closer to friends, and closer to ones we only knew maybe from work and so on and especially has brought us closer to GOD! Mike’s faith remains above all else the strongest and he keeps his eyes focused on the prize – Being CANCER FREE!

In ending, I am thankful for today. I am thankful for our Team of Experts at MD Anderson. I am thankful for our family and friends. And in a small way, I am thankful for the Cancer. Thankful that GOD trusted in us enough to place on this journey that is going to offer such an amazing testimony when this is over. Thankful to GOD that it already has provided such a testimony and the ability for our journey to touch others and offer hope on their current journeys that they are on no matter what it involves.

We wish you all a great day and a very blessed week as we jump feet first into March! I still cannot believe it! I will keep you all updated in the coming weeks of Mike’s results from his tests and scans – Thank YOU ALL for keeping him lifted!

XO Lyndie!