Cancer sucks. But we can live with it, fight it, and maybe even defeat it. This is my story. I hope it helps a patient, a caregiver or a loved one.
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Hero John
Last month I told you about John Hawker who decided to discontinue chemo and then took off to visit family. He’s home now. The following is from his wife Tracy’s blog this past Friday.
Yesterday afternoon John and I went to see his chemo doc. John needed more pain medication and the doc wanted to see him. He embraced John and congratulated him on running away. He said John was an inspiration. The doc told John that so many people keep trying and trying so hard to stay alive because they hold so tight to this material world, but that when John dies he will be in heaven with family and friends and he will be more happy then he's ever been here on earth. Then he told John about another chemo treatment they could try that would have about a 30% chance of buying John some time, but that John would be flat on his back from the side effects. John declined. Doc totally supported his decision. Then the doc called in Alliance Hospice (in which doc is also a board member) and will oversee John's hospice care. I asked the doc if he had any hospice nurses who looked like Carrie Underwood. He said unfortunately no, but that they were all very nice. So today, John's nurse came to our house to meet him. She was a hottie. Very nice and pretty. John said, "Damn, she's cute." I was happy for him to get a hot, nice nurse. They will come to our house once a week to start and we no longer will have to pay for John's medications or get them ourselves. They will take care of all that. They will also send John a social worker and a chaplain once a week.
John is returning to work on Monday. His nurse seemed surprised. John told her that he had no intention of sitting on his ass while he feels this good. John is actually feeling great now that the chemo is out of his system. He's running around being happy and cleaning his "man room" for the party.
The party is to celebrate John’s 37th birthday.
Party on my friend.
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You bring tears to me and Johnny's eyes. Your attention to us, touches our hearts.
ReplyDeleteBe well my friend.
T. Hawker