Making it Through the “Little” Battles

We have encountered great, good and not so good healthcare professionals in our first few weeks of Shawn’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.   Ironically one of the “not so good” professionals we encountered gave us the best advice.  He said - “This is a journey.   Take it one day at a time.”   That was very good advice.  

I (we) did not appreciate all the “little” battles that must be fought every day because of the big war going on inside Shawn Jr’s body.  Cancer is the cause, but people don’t die from cancer.  Cancer is not poison it is runaway cells that disturb normal body functions in ways that can cause small and massive disruptions.  The disruptions lead to all kinds of symptoms, need for treatments, surgeries and other issues that lead to mini-battles for cancer patients.  

For Shawn Jr these battles are daily.  They include draining his right lung (which is producing 1.5 liters of fluid a day), managing his pain, walking (because the skin graft from his leg now hurts much worse than it did 2 days ago), turning his head (because his neck has a 14-inch slice from surgery), nausea (resulting from pain medication and antiboitics), preparing for showers (because he has 2 tubes coming out of his body), taking his medicines and just dealing with the mental and emotional impact resulting from the pain he is dealing with and his overall diagnosis.  All of these are distinct challenges in and of themselves.  Each of these would be a huge obstacle on its own.  But, combine these together with the shocking and life changing diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer, and you have a near overwhelming obstacle that can only be dealt with incrementaly - day-by-day - relying on your faith, family, friends, healthcare professionals and internal determination.  

Just writing that feels like such a cliché.  You know, like one of those inspirational / motivational posters you see in a coach’s office, classroom or at a church.  But, I think this is the life of cancer patients.  This is certainly Shawn Jr’s new reality.  

In the infamous words of Bailey West, “Welcome to the grind.”  

Please continue to pray for Shawn as he fights through these battles each day on his journey to recovery.