THE WAR ON CANCER

When people talk about cancer, war, fight, make a stand, and battle are the common words used to describe their struggles and their treatments.  We have been fighting Tom's cancer for 7 months now. I view our chemotherapy treatments like a war with the commanding general or admiral being our wonderful doctor.  I say "we" as the treatments involve me too. Until you have been in a chemo center, you don't realize that the spouses fight as hard as the cancer patient.  Sharing experiences with fellow cancer patients and their caregivers, makes instant good friends with the people you see every week fighting the fight.

We started the war with a brigade of chemo whose battle flag was emblazoned with a Silver Bullet.  They were the elite, the best; forward on!  Touted as the newest and finest arsenal available, with preeminent equipment, this expensive and proven fighting force took to the field.  We were very excited as they began their battle with the tumors. They folded like a deck of cards when they met the enemy.

Maurice, Tom's dearest friend, and Tom.

Our general, the doctor, said if we can't attack head-on, we will flank them.  This time the battalion marched into battle with the Lone Star of Texas on their flag as they were "trained" in Texas.  They quickly began their assault. The battalion sent out regiments to all the different areas held by the enemy.  The battles were fierce.  A tumor, under the skin and visible to the eye, starting retreating from the onslaught. The battles raged on and on.  The doctor, did a scan of the battlefield.  The results were a mixed bag.  While some enemy areas had fallen in battle, others had protected their line of defense and even increased their area slightly.  However, none of the enemy had escaped to set up new outposts.

Our doctor declared it was time to send in the third army or in Tom's case it would be more accurate to say the Third Fleet, as he is REAL Old Navy.  The flag on the stern of each ship carries the image of a Yew tree.  The battles are on going.  We await the results of those battles.  In this day of instant news, our waiting for news must be similar to when information was deliver by stage coaches and travelers before the telegraph was invented.  We wait with great hopes and wonderful friends, both old friends and new friends. 

Tom had his hair cut off as they told him it would all fall out.  His hasn't.

We know the fight can be won.  We see results every week at the hospital.  We have a young friend in Maine who has had Stage 4 breast cancer since 2006.  She credits her passion for keeping her going.  When she was diagnosed, my friend Nelda took some of her cookbooks over to our mutual friend to read while she was in therapy.  As our friend told a luncheon for the Cancer Society, she developed a passion for cooking and collecting cookbooks from those books of Nelda's. Her passion gives her a sense of excitement to start out each new day.  

So if you are fighting the fight, know that there are many fighting with you.  Follow your passions and never let go of HOPE.