This morning I am happily back in Athens, GA after a week on the road for business. That's how my life goes -- and it is a life that I love.
While I was traveling, I received an email from Deana, titled "Not to worry y'all...." One would think that after being my sibling for 41 years, she would know that a subject line like that is only going to cause me to worry.
As I read further, Deana revealed that she was in the emergency room, running a fever. Panic immediately set in, and I started running through scenarios in my mind as to how quickly I could get from Lexington, KY up to Pittsburgh, PA if this was something serious. (The funny thing is, I generally consider myself to be an optimist, but with MM, I take nothing for granted.)
Duty to my job called, and thus, I continued with my appointments, finally having the opportunity to check my phone several hours later. Thankfully, a message from Deana was waiting. She had been discharged from the ER, diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, and augmentin was prescribed. I breathed a sigh of relief and sent up (yet another) prayer of thanksgiving.
Back into active team captain mode sprung I. The next day, I emailed Deana no fewer than six times in the course of a few hours: Was she resting? Had she contacted the oncologist's office? (She had -- that's what led her to the ER.) How was she feeling? Was she resting? (Yes, "resting" comes up many times.)
We are approaching 2 1/2 years into this journey and our new life with MM. I wonder if there will be a day when Deana running a fever won't be cause for alarm -- I guess that day will come when we have a cure and this chapter in our lives will be one we look back on as one of our greatest challenges, a challenge we overcame, a battle where we emerged victorious. I am anxious for that day to arrive.
A friend who survived breast cancer told me it took her 7-8 years before her cancer wasn't top of mind and a main topic of conversation every day.
Guess we have a way to go...
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