Peggy is Cleared for Surgery

Peggy’s oncologist called on Sunday and again on Monday (I never stop marveling at that man’s dedication) to discuss her situation in some detail, but I’m going to cut to the chase by saying that Friday’s PET-Scan showed no new tumors.  This means that she is still on the schedule for a January 27th pancreatectomy, and, once that is done, for an excision of the malignancy on her ilium. In the best case scenario, this would leave her cancer-free, but no one is talking about what the odds are, although her primary oncologist has made it clear that he is subjecting her to a much more aggressive treatment than usual.

You might think that I would be jumping up and down with joy about now, but after months of unremitting tension, I’m so exhausted that I feel numb. Although our excellent news might bring me more relief than jubilance, I know that my misery would be boundless had the PET-Scan shown a new tumor.

I am sincerely grateful to all those who have emailed, sent gifts, brought food, come to visit, listened to our fears, offered to stay with us, held us when we cried, loaned us medical equipment, sent greeting cards, offered encouragement, and insisted that we come up with some way that they could help. Although I’m often too busy, too distracted, and too exhausted to show gratitude for this bounteous outreach, I am acutely aware of the fact that those who offer it are literally enabling us to survive a life-or-death ordeal. Perhaps there are people who can face such crises without the generous support of others, but I am not among them.