Before I proceed, my sister-in-law's father, Phil, was diagnosed with the same cancer as Rob back in February of this year. He was unable to have surgery because of the stage the cancer was in. He, instead, chose chemotherapy. For a little while, he was doing well. In just seven months, he started declining. He died in October. We drove to his funeral with heavy hearts. I didn't know him well, at all, but to many, he was amazing: husband, father, grandfather, County Sheriff, Utah Highway Patrol Officer, neighbor, and friend.
The funeral was incredible. There was such an outpouring of love for this man. There were so many uniformed officers, we thought that if there was a time to wreak havoc in a small town, that would have been the day, since all the police force seemed to be at his funeral. At the grave site, a 21 gun salute was heard, bagpipes were played, a police helicopter flew overhead and then nearly landed, and then there was a last call. A woman's voice was heard on the walkie talkies (not sure if that is what they call them) to salute Phil.
It was heart-wrenching to see the sorrow from Phil's family. He was so incredibly loved by so many people.
Maybe that is why I haven't written. Too many emotions. Needed time to process...
So, Rob had a scan the first week of October. Essentially, the cancer is growing. Not doubling, but thirding (is that even a measurement???). So that is terrific news! Growing, yes. Doubling, no.
Most things in life you want to grow...your garden, your children, your bank account. Cancer? Not so much.
One thing that is interesting about his last scan is that several of the cancer blobs are starting to join together. Siamese twins? Perhaps they are lonely and just feel the need to touch one another. I don't know. Wacky...
For the last four weeks, Rob has had a fantastic headache. Just one that is annoying enough to notice that it is there. Like a mosquito buzzing around your head, but every time you turn to swat it, it flies beyond your field of vision.
A week ago, we were going to run to the grocery store and Rob got out of his 'cancer chair.'
(for those of you who don't know, that is a Lazy Boy recliner that Rob's brother, Gregg gave him right after his first surgery - so he could lie in a semi-horizontal position at night and breathe)As he got up, he held onto our big curio cabinet and then proceeded to faint. After he fainted, he passed out.
Let me tell you. That was very, very exciting. It scared me to death! (No pun intended.) As he was falling, apparently, he caught his little toe on something and managed to dislocate it. (It is bruised still!) At any rate, after my heart rate slowed a bit, we were able to access any damage. Other than the toe, he was fine.
I rang his oncologist's office on Monday. They wanted him to go in for a scan of his brain. (Lung cancer often metastasizes to the brain and/or bones.) We checked the report later that day. Luckily, there is nothing special about his brain (and I mean that in the nicest way).
Again, this just solidifies my opinion of the man. He is A. B. Normal. There is nothing wrong with him, but he faints. Maybe too much excitement at the prospect of going grocery shopping.
As a side note: he hasn't fainted before that incident nor has he fainted since. No worries, he will not faint during staff meeting. He is NOT a ticking time bomb.
By the way, two weeks ago, we celebrated his 40th birthday! We are so incredibly grateful for the 5.5 extra years we have been given with him. We are so blessed!
