Having caved into acceptance of my circumstance, I have started reaching out some. Although I am trying not to talk about my illness I am constantly asked for details and find myself rambling on, trying to be brave and objective in the face of the unknown.
The responses have been warm like this one from my former co worker and friend in another lifetime.
From: Phillip Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 8:15 PM
Mike. I just read your e-mail. I'm glad that you contacted me. You and your family will be on our prayer list this Sunday and we will continue to hold you up in prayer until your recovery is complete. Don't believe the horror stories about cancer treatments. The procedures are not near as harsh as they were in the past. I have had three bone marrow transplants for my cancer. Prior to transplant I received lethal doses of chemo. Although I was quite weak, I was never hospitalized or sick. And the times I was treated with radiation, I continued to work. It is natural to worry about your wife and family. But this will be a battle that you will win together. Let them help you just as you would want to help them. And believe it or not, there are about as many support groups out there for care givers as for patients. If Vanessa is interested I will look for some contact information. In May of 1997 my Doctor told me I would only live for 18 months. But prayer and Jesus changed that. The Lord can take something that is intended for bad and turn it into good. Please let me know when you are scheduled for surgery. If there is anything I can do or if you want to talk give me a call anytime. I will tell you my story about Golden Castings and remission. You can reach me at this E-mail address or thru the Church. My home phone is 521- and my cell is 524- God Bless, P
I took over Phil’s job when he became ill in 1997 and could not work. He was operation manager for a large machine shop. I stepped into his office and could not hold a candle to his technical expertise. But I am a whiz and logistics, project management, crisis management and getting completion. So every morning for nearly a year or maybe 2 I left the home at 5 am, slugging down a big shot of Pepto Bismal, which I bought pint size and kept in the last cabinet I passed on the way out of the house to the truck. When the shop opened at 7 AM I faced the typical number of job shop disasters and triumphs, exhausted at the end of every day. His miraculous survival inspires me. Today he is a Pastor. As a young Lutheran I was told I would make a good one. Hmmmm, Brother Mike and the Church of Blissful Sedation might have a big draw.
Great. Now I must go, my meds are kicking in and I still have some stuff to do. Life is great, tomorrow another day. As a side note, I put new batteries in my lap top mouse and it now operates my desktop simultaneously. I kept seeing this movement on the periphery, but would look and nothing was moving. Well dumb ass, when moving the mouse on this document as you watch it, the damn arrow is moving on the far right monitor. ‘Oh’, I said, ‘I see’. Spooky.
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