Friday afternoon…like any other afternoon, except the Doctor told Kari that she had leukemia.� Seriously, Leukemia.� “But I thought I just needed an iron shot?” she replied.
“No, the doctor replied.� You need a bone biopsy.”
“But…but…I’m not sick.”
“Yeah, that is a small problem… You see, the lab MAY have screwed up, and you’re perfectly healthy…or they’re correct and you’re going to die.”
“So which is it?”
“We’re not sure.� So get tested again.� You’ll get the results on Monday.”
“Monday?”
“Yeah.� Have a great weekend.”
Nice. Very nice.� So that’s what we were left with on Friday afternoon.� Kari may (or may not) have leukemia.� One of the big three (brain, lung, blood cancer).� One of the ones where treatment isn’t overly successful (30%) and sometimes the cure is worse than the disease (you’re going to do WHAT to my bones?).
I’ll get it out of the way now: the lab called this morning and all results were PERFECT.� No cancer.
But imagine in your well-planned world, that someone drops the hand grenade called Cancer into your lap.� The future, an already mercurial and ever-moving target, suddenly becomes a black cloud — like someone slammed shut your novel half way through reading. Think of your conversations — the important ones� deal with the future.� All of them.� Sure, you talk about today, and the mundane details of existence that we all deal with…but the real topic is usual of the future.� Plans.� Vacations.� Visits.� Dreams.� Goals.
Ever moment becomes this bitter-sweet affair — trying to commit to memory the snuggles with Cordy.� Wondering when we get out the cancer playbook and begin to do the video diaries, the shaving of the hair, wondering how you explain the difficult disease (and treatment) to a 3 (almost) and 5-year old.
This story ended well.� When reading about cancer, you realize how many people are hit with this. We’ve all done it: this type of stuff doesn’t happen to me and my family. Except it does.
So…how was your weekend?
She was told over the phone?
Wow holy crap, talk about the kind of screwup you don’t want to hear.
You think they could have said the results were inconclusive or something. That is something you could sue over.
She had a routine physical on Friday at 3pm. The doctor told her then that she had leukemia (and had her lined up for a bone biopsy, the oncologist)…but the lab called and said they may’ve made a mistake.
It all started because two weeks ago she gave blood — but they switched her to giving platelets because, ironically, a cancer patient needed some in Windsor. But they said her iron was low so she should make an appointment to get a blood test…
Honestly, I’m not mad at all. We’re just so relieved.
Wait did the doctor say April Fools after? And then you all laughed at what a great trick it was.