Surviving cancer, Part 3

By Jim Thompson
HCP columnist

(Continued from last week.)

All was not over, however, there was still more chemo, the heaviest dose ever, was yet to come in June 2017.

I had diarrhea for a week, there in the hospital. Now, I hate hospital gowns. I also have these tubes sticking out of my chest all the time when I am in the hospital. So, sometime in the spring, Laura and one of her friends came up with the idea that a sports bra would work to hold the tubes in place (I was always afraid I would pull them out rolling around at night). This worked fabulously.  

Around the Fourth of July, I was in my room, as usual, and the isolation requirements were reduced. Due to the sun shining in my window, I was in my sports bra and an adult diaper (which did an extremely poor job of containing my other problem).  

In walks Ann. Of course, as a cancer nurse, she had seen everything. As a longterm cancer patient, my modesty had been stripped from me years ago. We have a long and hilarious time of laughter. 

I was sent home around July 12, with the warning that I would be weak for several weeks. So, I sat in my recliner in the daytime. I started walking around the inside of the first floor of our house. I would make six trips in the morning, six in the afternoon. Then, I added another at noon. Soon, I was going outside.

Laura decided we need to get out of town, so we went to Asheville, N.C. on Aug. 22. She made me walk around town to restaurants and so forth. I was exhausted.

Through the grapevine, I had heard my most important client was about to start a new project that I did not want to miss out on. I called him up and set a luncheon date. Laura wanted to drive me.

I said "Not only can you not drive me, I cannot walk with a cane. I’ll have to walk on my own."

She was concerned, to say the least. The date came, we had lunch, and I got the project. I was back in business on many levels.

Now, why did I tell you all of this?

• To encourage you and your family. Certainly not in all cases, but in some these days you can survive cancer for a long period of time. They tell me the reason the life expectancy curves do not go out this far – 20 years – is they expect you to die of something else by now.

• You can do and go through things you never imagined possible when it is required.

• Attitude is important.

• Faith is important.

• Getting the right medical team is important, no matter where they are. Go to the best team you can find – you don’t have a cold. The American Cancer Society can help with travel.

• Don’t ignore odd things going on with your body, better to be paranoid than blissfully ignorant.

There are getting to be more and more cases like mine. If you or a loved one has cancer, I hope your case has the longevity of mine.   

Courage!

Jim Thompson, formerly of Marshall, is a graduate of Hillsboro High School and the University of Cincinnati. He resides in Duluth, Ga. and is a columnist for The Highland County Press. He may be reached at jthompson@taii.com.