Weds, 18 July 2007
My Dear Friends,
Now that my baby sister's wedding is over, I have time to post again.
So far, so good with me. No new tests.
The big news is that my mother was just diagnosed with breast cancer. About a month ago, she told me she was scheduled for a biopsy on July 9th. Because of my sister's wedding, I did not tell my Dad or sister. (She is actually my half-sister, no blood relation to my mom.) Still, I did not want her to be distracted by this.
Mom went to the doc for her results on Firday the 13th. How appropriate! Because of her mental state, we had a very frustrating conversation in which I tried to glean the extent of the cancer while she talked about where she ate lunch. My aunt the nun, who looks out for Mom, was out of state on convent business. She called me yesterday.
I have been apprehensive about talking to my aunt because two years ago, she told me Mom had liver cancer, which turned out to be totally false. I had even written my estranged brother about it! Giving my aunt the benefit of the doubt, let's just call her an alarmist.
If I had known the caller ID number, which I did not recognize, was her, I would not have answered. But I answered.
This time, I was smarter about it. I knew Mom had not had any other tests except the biopsy. My aunt, while calling herself "the most positive person on the face of the God's earth", told me Mom didn't look so good and that the cancer had metastasized.
"Really?" I said politely. "How do you know that?"
She stammered, "Beacuse I've seen it before and it's cancer!"
Sorry, sister. Not good enough.
Remaining calm, I convinced her to send me a copy of the biopsy results when she comes back into town. She will list me as a person who can talk to the doctor about my mother's health.
Before I had spoken to my aunt, I had told myself that Mom could get chemo and live another 30 years. There is nothing I can do about her situation and (maybe selfishly) I should concentrate on myself and my children.
After talking to my aunt, my gut is messed up, I'm thinking about my own death and thinking every little twinge I have is the cancer coming back full force. Just can't seem to shake it.
I just hope we do not end up at the same oncologist.
Please pray for us.
Love,
Jeanette
Now that my baby sister's wedding is over, I have time to post again.
So far, so good with me. No new tests.
The big news is that my mother was just diagnosed with breast cancer. About a month ago, she told me she was scheduled for a biopsy on July 9th. Because of my sister's wedding, I did not tell my Dad or sister. (She is actually my half-sister, no blood relation to my mom.) Still, I did not want her to be distracted by this.
Mom went to the doc for her results on Firday the 13th. How appropriate! Because of her mental state, we had a very frustrating conversation in which I tried to glean the extent of the cancer while she talked about where she ate lunch. My aunt the nun, who looks out for Mom, was out of state on convent business. She called me yesterday.
I have been apprehensive about talking to my aunt because two years ago, she told me Mom had liver cancer, which turned out to be totally false. I had even written my estranged brother about it! Giving my aunt the benefit of the doubt, let's just call her an alarmist.
If I had known the caller ID number, which I did not recognize, was her, I would not have answered. But I answered.
This time, I was smarter about it. I knew Mom had not had any other tests except the biopsy. My aunt, while calling herself "the most positive person on the face of the God's earth", told me Mom didn't look so good and that the cancer had metastasized.
"Really?" I said politely. "How do you know that?"
She stammered, "Beacuse I've seen it before and it's cancer!"
Sorry, sister. Not good enough.
Remaining calm, I convinced her to send me a copy of the biopsy results when she comes back into town. She will list me as a person who can talk to the doctor about my mother's health.
Before I had spoken to my aunt, I had told myself that Mom could get chemo and live another 30 years. There is nothing I can do about her situation and (maybe selfishly) I should concentrate on myself and my children.
After talking to my aunt, my gut is messed up, I'm thinking about my own death and thinking every little twinge I have is the cancer coming back full force. Just can't seem to shake it.
I just hope we do not end up at the same oncologist.
Please pray for us.
Love,
Jeanette
posted by Mark Kappe @ 8:35 AM
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