This is hard.
Jun. 8th, 2023 10:53 pmMy wife has breast cancer.
Those words are still unreal to me. We've been married for 32 years, and she has always been the rock while I've dealt with ongoing health issues. Now I'm the one sitting in the corner, watching as my world fights for her life against an enemy I know too well.
My battle with cancer is very different from Kirsten's, thankfully. I was staged at IV-B; hers was caught early. She has an incredible medical and social support team in place. She has a port installed, reducing trauma tenfold from the start.
But it's still hard. Her energy levels are terrible, and she's dealing with horrible, predictable side effects. Her hair is started to fall out, and if you know Kirsten at all, her hair has always been her one point of vanity. She got it buzzed down to make clean-up more accessible, but we now see the reality of hair loss.
I'm terrified for her. And for myself. We have months of this ahead of us, and with cancer, there is never an easy or clear path forward. Damn, it was much easier being the patient; all I had to do was lie there and do what the doctor said to do.
Still, I'll find the strength somewhere. She was there for me. I have to be there for her.
Those words are still unreal to me. We've been married for 32 years, and she has always been the rock while I've dealt with ongoing health issues. Now I'm the one sitting in the corner, watching as my world fights for her life against an enemy I know too well.
My battle with cancer is very different from Kirsten's, thankfully. I was staged at IV-B; hers was caught early. She has an incredible medical and social support team in place. She has a port installed, reducing trauma tenfold from the start.
But it's still hard. Her energy levels are terrible, and she's dealing with horrible, predictable side effects. Her hair is started to fall out, and if you know Kirsten at all, her hair has always been her one point of vanity. She got it buzzed down to make clean-up more accessible, but we now see the reality of hair loss.
I'm terrified for her. And for myself. We have months of this ahead of us, and with cancer, there is never an easy or clear path forward. Damn, it was much easier being the patient; all I had to do was lie there and do what the doctor said to do.
Still, I'll find the strength somewhere. She was there for me. I have to be there for her.