The Impact of a Hiccup

March 7th, 2012 - by Juhi Kunde

http://blog.lungevity.org/2012/03/07/th ... -a-hiccup/

My carpet needs to be vacuumed. Garbage cans linger on the curb. Clean laundry is piling up at the bottom of the stairs. Dishes are stacking up in the sink. Why? Because I went for a hike.

In our hectic, unrelenting lives, even the tiniest of hiccups can turn our days upside down. The daily demands of work, family and friends—don’t stop. Ever. And the momentum of life sometimes feels as though it’ll knock us to the ground and run us over, like a steam roller flattening a cartoon road runner.

Last weekend I sprained my ankle while I was hiking. A minor hiccup. It wasn’t even bad enough to see a doctor. “No sweat,” I told myself. “I know what to do: rest, ice, compress and elevate.”

But I failed to account for the momentum in my life.

This week is the last week to get early pre-school registration and of course, I hadn’t visited all the schools that I wanted to see. So, I found myself hobbling around from school to school in the rain. Not to mention shuttling my daughter to her weekly play dates and activities. I abandoned the less urgent matters and opted to rest when I could.

The result?

My carpet has colorful cracker crumbs mashed down into the fibers. The garbage cans are now rolling around in the street. And a dish tower just collapsed with a worrisome ‘crunch’.

Plus, my ankle still hurts.

Now, I am certainly not comparing a sprained ankle to lung cancer. But I have been thinking that if this minor glitch in my health has put my household into such a state of disarray, what would happen when someone has a major health issue which leaves them (even partially) incapacitated for weeks or months? Who brings in their garbage cans?

Enter the caregivers. Those often-thanked and seldom-helped people who know that just putting out the garbage cans isn’t enough.

And what happens when a caregiver sprains an ankle?

I shudder to imagine…

Nikole, sorry for your mishap and hope that ankle is better soon. Thanks for your awareness of how disruptive cancer can be. After a year into my cancer, my husband had to get back to work which involves travel. For a couple of years he drug me around with him in a lovely RV but it was exhausting. It also involved figuring out where I was going to be when I needed chemo and finding an setting is up at a (hopefully) nearby cancer facility. Arranging this and coordinating communications between them and my primary cancer treatment provider was not fun.

I'm sharing this so I can tell you I've convinced my husband to travel on occasion and leave me here. I don't have too many people I would call on for help and am an independent cuss anyway. Over time, putting out and dragging in those trashcans, getting the mail and paper, running bank and other errands and even having to feed myself (I can do it but he likes being the chef) gets to be a real drag. I really feel for you though because I don't have a young child to care for with all the running about that involves these days.

Again, thanks for the empathy and you have mine back in double.

Judy in KW

_________________
Cytology report on fluid removed from lung after pleural effusion and pneumonia Sep 07 showed adenocarcinoma cells. Dx IIIb NSCLC Oct '07 at MDACC, Orlando. Fol 6 rounds Taxol/Carboplatin/Avastin and 2 Avastin, CT/PET 4/1/08 pleural thickening gone and no active cancer cells. 11/3/08 STILL NEVD. CT/PET/MRI 5/4/09 Cancer back, still in the pleura and chest wall, small amt of fluid, all in left lung.
5/11/09 Start on Alimta every three weeks.
7/13/10 Had Alimta on road in Corning NY.
8/24/09 Scans show some improvement. Continue on Alimta.
9/14/09 Chemo on road in Mt Holly NJ.
10/6/09 Started regular Alimta infusions in Key West.
11/3/09 CT and PET scans showed significant improvement. Some issues already resolved.
2/3/2010 No evidence of residual or recurrent disease. NED! Stay on Alimta.
5/6/10 Am considering myself still NED until/unless proven otherwise in July. Rabid radiologist thinks he sees something suggestive of similar to some abdominal cancer. No light up on the PET. Am hoping for the best. Stay on Alimta and scan in 9 wks instead of 3 mos.
7/8/10 Chest CT unchanged (NED Feb '10). Infiltration in the region of the omentum is probably slightly more prominent than before. Diverticulosis requiring antibiotics.
Jul, Aug, Sep, continued Alimta in Corning NY, Portsmouth OH and Mt Holly NJ.
10/14/10 Chest CT unchanged from Feb '10. Findings likely representing progressive nodular peritonal carcinomatosis in the midabdomen. Treatment changed to Tarceva started in Nov.
12/15/10 Chest CT unchanged. Abdomen changes compatible with peritoneal carcinomatosis again identified with mild progression noted.
3/16/11 CT chest unchanged. CT abdomen progression ascites (fluid). Progression of soft tissues nodularity on the peritoneal surface anteriorly with diffuse omental involvement.
4/13-15/11 Hospitalized at MDA. Removed 4 1/2 litres (8-9 lbs) of fluid from abdomen 4/14. Started on taxotere before release on 4/15.
5/16/11 Hospitalized for fever, neutropenic. Treated with intravenous antibiotic and antiviral. Given blood transfusion. Note that KW Cancer Center did not give me my Neulasta shot after my chemo on May 6. Onc had me cancel my 5/26 chemo until after my scan on Jun 6. Was discharged on oxygen. Test w/Dr Gerth 5/26 indicated I could go off sitting and sleeping O. Will do walking test 6/2.
6/2 Did not get requisite numbers on walking test. Left for Orlando 6/5 still on oxygen.
6/6/11 MRI normal; CT stable. Taxotere and Neulasta at MDA 6/7 and 6/8.
6/13/11 Appointment with Dr Olham in KW. Off oxygen week of 6/16.
8/8/11 CT scan showed stable with perhaps some lessening of fluid. Stay on Taxotere.
10/10/11 CT chest still clear, CT abdominal lining stable. Stay on taxotere.
12/19/11 CT chest clear, CT abdominal lining stable, MRI clear. Stay on taxotere.

Hi Judy,
Thank you for the kind words. The blog was actually written by Juhi Kunde and I posted it in LCSC for everyone in the forums to read. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it.

I do have small children and I lost my dad to lung cancer 3 years ago. I am committed to ending lung cancer.

You sound like a strong person, just like my dad when you said: "I don't have too many people I would call on for help and am an independent cuss anyway."
If I lived closer to you, I would take that trash out & get your mail/paper for you : )

Take care,
Nikole