This summer started as normal preparing for and going to Hodia (a diabetes camp I have been going to off and on since I was diagnosed). This is where the craziness started, Hodia is up in the Sawtooth Mountains near Stanley, Idaho. And when your in the middle of nowhere you do not get cell phone service :) So on our rafting day I call Michael to say a quick hello and and I love and miss you, and Michael responded with "didn't you get my voicemail?". Nope I had not... Well Michael's older sister Irene had had a massive stroke the night I left for camp. She had a blood clot the size of a fist removed during brain surgery!! It's so crazy, Irene is only 44 years old :(
So with Irene being hospitalized that left us with our niece and nephew living with us. So in one week we go from a family of three to a family of five with teenagers!! Lianna our niece is sixteen and Jonathan our nephew is seventeen. Don't get me wrong we LOVE our niece and nephew tons!! But going from cool Uncle Mike and Aunt Kat to parental type figures has been a tad odd. We all of a sudden have had to come up with rules, restrictions and consequences. Crazy! Not only that but we live in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1300 square foot house...Perfect for our family of three but now for our family of five it's a little cramped. We do not know how long Jon and Lianna will be living with us...It is up in the air right now. Irene is doing good she is living at a rehab clinic and recovering nicely. Poor Jonathan is sleeping on the couch in the front room, Lianna is calling our old office her room. We are currently trying to find bunk beds for Aidan's room so we can move his bed into the office for Lianna. Sooooo all this is happening plus the next part of the story....
Michael had been having an issue with his testicle being large and being as hard as rock. I had been telling him to go our family practitioner and he had been putting it off like any man. Well he finally went to a "Doc in the box" because he was in pain, he said it felt like he was being kicked in the junk with every step he took. The doctor said it was a bacterial infection and treated him with some antibiotics. Three weeks later and Micheal's testicle had not go any better so he finally went to our family practitioner. He went to see our doctor on Tuesday and by Thursday that week he was diagnosed with Testicular cancer. Friday that week Micheal had his right testicle/tumor removed. Michael started a blog about his experience www.alifeworthfighting4.blogspot.com
It was the longest and fastest week of our lives.
After Michael's surgery the doctor found me and explained the procedure, everything went well. I asked what the next steps were. He said a CAT scan to see it if the cancer had spread. I asked in his medical experience if he thought Michael would need further therapy. He said most likely yes, there was a high chance there still may be cancer in his scrotum, and he may need chemo. He stressed that was not a diagnosis but in his experience that's generally what happens. So Basically high chance of chemo awesome...
I was then allowed to see Micheal. Best thing ever!! Let me just say Michael on anesthesia and narcotics ...the SWEETEST person ever!! No joke, All the nurses LOVED him. I was walking towards his room and I could hear him asking "Where is my gorgeous wife? I wanna see my gorgeous wife Kat..." I walked in Michael's eyes lit up "There's my pretty wife!! I love you". The nurse then told me that he was only supposed to have 1 cup of water and 2 crackers, he had 4 cups of water and 3 crackers..."He was just so sweet I couldn't say no...he's so nice" the nurse said.
Michael had an appointment for the pathology results of his tumor Friday this week (8/3). BUT it was changed to Monday (8/6), then that was cancelled and changed to 8/20 !! The doctor sent his tumor to a specialist in Indiana for a second opinion. Which should make me happy because it means my hubby is getting the best care possible. But it just thoroughly ANNOYS the crud out of me! I don't want to wait any longer! I want a specific plan of what's going to happen! We still don't know if he needs radiation or chemo. He still needs a cat scan to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of his body. He still may need another surgery to remove his lymph nodes....I'm tired of waiting.
Michael has been so positive and strong through all this, I've been a wreck :) I recently up until this had happened lost weight, I went from a size 14 to a size 9/10. Well I hate to say it but I've been eating my feelings. I've been worrying like a crazy person, I'm going to give myself a ulcer...well maybe not, can you get an ulcer if your stomach is full of cookies and milk?!
A big thank you to ALL of our friends and family for their love and support, love you all.
