Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year and offer my hopes that each of you finds 2020 a year of hope and peace.
We are doing pretty good. 2020 started out with each of us coming down with stomach/intestinal flu. I ended up having to go into the ER for some fluids and anti-nausea medication. Terry's "bug" was more of the intestinal type with a high fever for a few days. Needless to say we were more than a little frightened if things were "relapsing", as he had some night sweats and that nasty fever. Turns out, it would seem, that both of us "just" had viruses that we have since recovered from.
See . . . we aren't panicking and rushing to the oncology clinic; although, I have to admit, we did consult them as to whether or not they would write him work excuses for the days he missed from work without having to take him out into the winter elements we are experiencing over "across the pond".
This life after chemo is a challenge, I have to say . . . wondering if each cold, each case of the flu . . . each ache and pain is something more. Having been diagnosed with early cataracts (from all the steroids he had to take) and some osteoporosis (if that be the worst of the worst from the RCHOP) . . . we are "lucky", right? Time will tell. But, we are facing the fact that the worrying and fretting will be par for the course. It's hard; but who among us isn't living with the fear of recurrence/relapse. We're quite the little "club", aren't we?
No one knows "how or when", do they? BUT, having come through the worst diagnosis of cancer and all that comes after, we no longer "wonder" how we would deal with it. Some have it better. Some have it worse. But we will always and forever treasure the moments in our 42 years together that have brought us joy and those that have taught us the true value of living each day facing it with truth, determination and love. Love, we have learned, is the sweetest gift life has to offer.
