Zone of Hope

A Sunday different than every other.

Because my husband of 39 years doesn't feel well.

Can we just go to the emergency room and see if it's your gall bladder?

Dad, Mom, and sister all had there's removed, it's probably just your turn.

Every minute we wait means we will wait longer to be seen.

Fine, I'll go.

Hello, doctor, I have a pain in my upper abdomen.

It sometimes shoots through my back.

Just let me run some bloodwork and we'll see what's happening.

Keep waiting a little while. The bloodwork is back. We're going to admit you for an MRI.

Let me ask you for a more detailed history of your pain.

MRI indicates a mass in your pancreas.

Nothing will be known until biopsy is run.

Overnight, we wait.

Pancreatic cancer. Large. Stage 3.

Questions, questions, questions.

Reading endlessly on Doctor Google.

Stent makes the pain go away.

Time to see an oncologist.

Ugly crying over six months of strong chemotherapy, side effects, and isolation.

Verdict: inoperable. But...

Will start radiation soon. High intensity. 15 days.

eXcellent trip to Italy. Will it be our last?

Yuletides come and we're still here, full of cheer.

Zone of Hope! It's been a year. Next vacation planned for May.