2 times?
Today’s question is: Why are some people unlucky enough to get cancer twice?
Background: Today was Paul’s annual ct scan. I knew it was sometime this month but didn’t realize it was today. As you may or may not remember Paul had metastatic cancer 8 years ago when I was pregnant with our youngest son. I wrote about it here a couple of years ago. Basically, in 1992 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. That was the year before I met him. He had an aggressive form and ended up with a follow up surgery called the RPLND (retroperitoneal lymph node dissection). Because of the aggressive nature of the cancer they wanted to make sure his system was free and clear of cancer. The surgery was done and he got an all clear. He has a pretty massive scar to prove it.
As I said, I met him a year later. He told me the story. He was clearly nervous to tell me, I can imagine how he fretted over it. I took it in stride like I take most things. I knew he was fine and would be. I never really gave it a second thought. He was fine, we were fine, all was going to be fine.
To say I was caught off guard when the cancer came back would be an understatement. I never, ever, ever thought recurrence was an option, never. But, as luck would have it it was back. The timing was not good, but who gets to choose these things?
Luckily he never had chemo the first time around, so when it came back (9 years later) the doctors did what they know and do best, they started chemo and we tried to kill off all the bad (and some good) cells in his body. After 12 weeks, 3/4 of the way through we welcomed our little boy, he was finished with the treatments. About 3 weeks later he had a lobectomy (the cancer had returned in his lung, it was germ cell cancer, embryonal carcinoma, so the residual mass had to be removed to be sure it was cancer free, it was, best case scenario, scar tissue.) and spent 5 days in the hospital and was pretty good to go in record time. His hair grew back shortly there after. His hair is a different color than when I met him but still pretty light (he went from dirty blonde to golden brown).
So it’s been 8 years. It’s unlucky that anyone has to get cancer once, much less twice. Do me a favor and say a little prayer or send positive thoughts that his scan results are something we can celebrate. I’m sure they will be, but your positive thoughts and prayers can only do good.
Thanks.
January 28, 2010 @ 12:02 am
I'm praying all goes well today, Colette.
Comment by napangel — January 28, 2010 @ 7:18 am
Saying a prayer for Paul. ((HUGS))
Comment by erpeer — January 28, 2010 @ 8:00 am
saying prayers!
Comment by Kerry — January 28, 2010 @ 10:47 am
We are keeping you all in our prayers Colette
Comment by david — January 28, 2010 @ 11:45 am
Nice brief and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you on your information.
Comment by Anonymous — January 31, 2010 @ 7:36 pm
Well I to but I contemplate the collection should have more info then it has.
Comment by Anonymous — February 6, 2010 @ 8:14 am