A Series of Moments
They say everything can change in a moment.
Everything can also change in a series of moments. Such as these…
- Finding out my best friend fell down the stairs of her home. Luckily, no concussion, no broken bones, just bumps and bruises
- The following week she experiences a severe tremor in her arm. She goes to the ER. A CT scan shows a brain tumor. A subsequent MRI shows lung cancer.
- Radiation therapy for the brain tumors goes well. Next up, chemo… but..
- A few weeks later, she develops pneumonia, and an unknown secondary infection. ICU & intubation… antibiotics don’t seem to be working…friends and family gather just in case…
- Finally the right antibiotic combo pulls her back. After 10 days in ICU, she is sent to Telemetry Care, and then to a Skilled Nursing Facility. Lots of physical/occupational therapy ahead before any thought of beginning chemo. Time to learn to walk again, how to get dressed, even brush her teeth…
- Another bout of pneumonia, and back to the hospital. No secondary infection this time, but weeks of work getting her strength back have been negated. She’s starting to loose faith. No desire to go back to SNF. Negative environment is too much…
- Wonderful, compassionate doctor calls in a favor and gets her a spot at at Transitional Care Unit. Positive environment, better care. Decision is made to go forward with radiation therapy on her lung.
- Radiation therapy is taking its toll. Lose of appetite, hair, energy… She just wants to go home, a place she hasn’t seen in months….
- On the way home from 8th of 15 radiation treatments, she asked her friend/cousin/roommate/driver to swing by her home… she just wants to see it. With his help, she makes its up a steep flight of stairs, enters her home, sits down and says, “I’m staying.”
- She decides to stop her radiation treatments. She’s just too tired. Is ready to just let go… spend the rest of her time at home.
- A week later, after a lot of rest, friends and family time, decides to continue final 7 radiation treatments on her lung
- Radiation complete. Signed up for an immunotherapy trial. Strength had increased dramatically. She can walk on her own, with her walker, just in case. Dressing herself again. Maybe she’ll be off 24/7 oxygen soon…
These a just some of the series moments in the past 7 months. Moments that have changed a lot of us forever.
The moments are still unfolding. And hopefully will be for some time…
Man plans… God laughs…. (Yiddish Proverb)
We are officially down the rabbit hole…
