Life lessons

tootsie1
tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
This doesn't really relate to our cancer topic, but I wanted to share with my semi-colon family. Today I had severe chest pains and was taken to the hospital for several hours. My blood pressure shot up really high, but heart tests were inconclusive. They wanted to keep me, but I opted to come home and rest here. It was interesting how scared I got when they did the chest x-ray. I was holding my breath, thinking someone would come back and say they'd found a "cancer reason" for my pain. Stupid, I know. Anyway, the pain probably is related in a way to my cancer, because it may have come from the severe stomach pains I've had since my colon resection. Time will tell.

While all this was going on, my father in-law was being placed in hospice. He fell a couple of weeks ago and severed his spinal cord. Things have gone downhill since, and now he will likely not live out the week. Once again I am reminded that we are not guaranteed an exact amount of time on earth, and that things can change so dramatically in a short period of time. So we must enjoy each minute and cherish our time with loved ones.

Gail

Comments

  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #2
    I am so sorry
    I am very sorry to hear about your problems with chest pains and the scare you had regarding additional cancer. I am also sorry to hear about your father in law. I am sure your husband is having a hard time right now ... I pray for peace and strength for everyone. And you are so right, we never know how much time we have, so take the time to love your family and friends and watch the sunsets! Have you had your abdomen checked out regarding the excess pain since your resection? I don't have any miscellaneous pain in my abdomen, as long as I don't try to do tae bo for the abdomen! Twisting of my abdomen tears adhesions, which is painful!
    mary
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    Take a deep breath....
    I will be forever confused as to why life seems to throw a bunch of stuff at us at precisely the same moment!

    I agree, a trip to the ER with chest pains gets your attention...but why couldn't it just be a card in the mail????????

    Seriously, good that you had it checked, probably a stress reaction to everything going on. I, myself, had that experience...I told the ER guys that, and wanted to leave but they wouldn't let me...lol...I'm an old woman, so they really thought I was having a heart attack. They hydrated, and sent me home. (I have developed a love/hate relationship with hospitals since my diagnosis-lol!).

    I'm sending big hugs to you for your father-in-law. What a nasty thing to have happened. We cancer survivors are not strangers to passing, but it still hurts plenty when it threatens our family.

    Life is not on our schedule. That is the lesson cancer taught me. I have had to say goodbye to many cherished friends, and some family, having no power to keep them from slipping away. I now live each day, softly planning future events, but, well, 4 years ago taught me that there may be no future for me. I celebrate every morning that I wake up.

    Please take care of you, you are very, very special. I agree with Mary...tell your surgeon about the pain...even if it's nothing, at least he/she will know what to do...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #4
    msccolon said:

    I am so sorry
    I am very sorry to hear about your problems with chest pains and the scare you had regarding additional cancer. I am also sorry to hear about your father in law. I am sure your husband is having a hard time right now ... I pray for peace and strength for everyone. And you are so right, we never know how much time we have, so take the time to love your family and friends and watch the sunsets! Have you had your abdomen checked out regarding the excess pain since your resection? I don't have any miscellaneous pain in my abdomen, as long as I don't try to do tae bo for the abdomen! Twisting of my abdomen tears adhesions, which is painful!
    mary

    Been checked
    Yeah, I've been checked every which way but loose for the pain. Still nothing conclusive, except that there's no cancer causing it. I have an appointment with a university hospital-based gastroenterologist in January. Maybe an answer (or just relief!) is around the corner.

    Thanks for the good thoughts!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #5
    KathiM said:

    Take a deep breath....
    I will be forever confused as to why life seems to throw a bunch of stuff at us at precisely the same moment!

    I agree, a trip to the ER with chest pains gets your attention...but why couldn't it just be a card in the mail????????

    Seriously, good that you had it checked, probably a stress reaction to everything going on. I, myself, had that experience...I told the ER guys that, and wanted to leave but they wouldn't let me...lol...I'm an old woman, so they really thought I was having a heart attack. They hydrated, and sent me home. (I have developed a love/hate relationship with hospitals since my diagnosis-lol!).

    I'm sending big hugs to you for your father-in-law. What a nasty thing to have happened. We cancer survivors are not strangers to passing, but it still hurts plenty when it threatens our family.

    Life is not on our schedule. That is the lesson cancer taught me. I have had to say goodbye to many cherished friends, and some family, having no power to keep them from slipping away. I now live each day, softly planning future events, but, well, 4 years ago taught me that there may be no future for me. I celebrate every morning that I wake up.

    Please take care of you, you are very, very special. I agree with Mary...tell your surgeon about the pain...even if it's nothing, at least he/she will know what to do...

    Hugs, Kathi

    Hey, I'm old too!
    You know what? I'm not that young, either. *smiles* The doctor wanted to keep me overnight for observation, but I opted not to, because I wanted my husband to feel okay about leaving today to go out of state to be with his dad. I knew if I stayed at the hospital he wouldn't go, and if his dad passed away, I would never forgive myself. He just lost his mom a year ago after she bled out during a heart operation and was in a coma for a couple of weeks. So I just had to step aside and let him go.

    Your phrase "softly planning future events" brings tears to my eyes. You are so brave!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #6
    tootsie1 said:

    Hey, I'm old too!
    You know what? I'm not that young, either. *smiles* The doctor wanted to keep me overnight for observation, but I opted not to, because I wanted my husband to feel okay about leaving today to go out of state to be with his dad. I knew if I stayed at the hospital he wouldn't go, and if his dad passed away, I would never forgive myself. He just lost his mom a year ago after she bled out during a heart operation and was in a coma for a couple of weeks. So I just had to step aside and let him go.

    Your phrase "softly planning future events" brings tears to my eyes. You are so brave!

    *hugs*
    Gail

    Sometimes we just gotta do stuff...
    No, you are the one taking the bravest path....I remember....

    One week before I was to start treatment, my beau's dad passed away in Holland. He was beside himself trying to decide how he could be two places at one time. My oncologist didn't make it much easier (although she was telling the truth) by saying "Well, if you go, you may come home to another funeral". I cried when he told me that 2 years later.

    I kicked him out. Sent him with his kids to his mom. Told him I was going to be fine. Found a WONDERFUL angel, a double breast cancer survivor herself, who managed my care (maybe, even better than he would have...she was a step removed....). I talked to him almost daily (rates are embarrassingly low from The Netherlands), just to let him know I was alive and kickin'.

    I always feel good about the solution...especially since I'm a survivor.

    Hugs, Kathi

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