It's finally Saturday and starting next week, my schedule will be back to "normal", at least for the foreseeable future. But the future, as we all know, is so changeable, and my family has been hit with some of that change over the past few weeks.
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Change - it happens to us and around us all the time, and much of the time it's good. This time ... not so much. |
I think I mentioned that my oldest nephew, Michael, was at the family holiday get-together but left quite early. He's been fighting possible cancer and was due for a more invasive check the following day. He was in a great deal of pain, and the VERY high-end pain pills they had him on weren't working well. So he missed seeing his middle two brothers by about an hour because he just needed to go home and get back to bed.
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Michael had been diagnosed with cancer of the appendix, and was on pain-relief medications while jumping through the insurance hoops to get tests done and treatments approved. He was due in to see his doctor for a colonoscopy the day after our party. That would let them know the extent of the cancer and how they needed to proceed. |
He saw his doctor the following day for more tests, and those results have come back. My oldest niece, the one person who keeps us all together and in the loop, sent a general email out to a long list of people and relatives yesterday, updating us on Michael's condition as it currently stands. It's not good.
According to Catie, "...He can't have surgery right now because the cancer is not just in his appendix. It's also in the fluid in his abdomen, in part of his liver, and the lower part of his left lung. Because it's in too many places right now for them to go in and do surgery, they've decided to place a port and get him started on chemo." Apparently he's waiting for that appointment and has no idea how many treatments will need to be made, nor the outcome. Apparently the doctor did say that surgery might be a future option.
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So, it's the right-hand panel "Usually found when it has already spread to other organs." that is the case with my nephew. And that's a very BAD thing. Since Michael didn't mention that possibility except in brief passing, I don't think his doctor had talked much about it. But ... it turns out that's exactly the problem. *sigh* |
Of course, this isn't good. It wouldn't be good news for anyone, and the family is appropriately worried about him. I'm just grateful I had a chance to see him and give him a good hug. I might not be able to do that again for quite a while. Catie will keep all of us informed, which will make things easier on Michael and his wife - they'll only have to keep one person up-to-date, Catie will do the rest. I married into a small family that because a huge one because my sister-in-law had eight children, and we're all close. And, of course, that doesn't count other uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. from their father's side of the farmil, most of whom I either don't know at all, or have met only once or twice in my life. But I'm close to my nieces and nephews and their children, and I know this is hitting all of us like the proverbial "ton of bricks". Any thoughts or prayers you might have that can be sent in Michael's direction would be very appreciated.
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I know that whatever happens will happen, but it never hurts to ask for a bit of divine intervention. Thanks to all of you for being friends who are there for me. I suspect I'll be relying on that support through this upcoming year of changes. *hugs* |
Monday we can return to my more upbeat posts once again. Meanwhile, have a wonderful weekend and I'll be back on Monday ready to start another week. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.
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