Doug had borrowed a car to see the Oncologist. It's not often we have a conflict being a one car family. I tried to convince him he should take the Polaris. He could navigate the gravel back roads and be there in no time. He informed me it was fifty minutes on the asphalt roads. The gravel roads would take twice as long. And he would arrive covered in white dust.
We live in the country. So what if he looks like he lives in the country?
The Oncology appointment was anticlimactic. The doctor would need to see the biopsy report before doing more than blink an eye.
Tuesday the three of us headed out at 7:00 a.m. It was biopsy day. Candace, still on San Diego time, slept all two hours to Des Moines. I slept off and on. Who in their right minds are up before 7:00 a.m? (Except my parents who hop out of bed at 4:00 a.m. I think they must have found me under the hay mound.) Doug on the other hand was bright eyed and bushy tailed and probably famished. He had been fasting since midnight. I ate my Wheaties in the closet at home so he wouldn't see.
The hospital team was ready and waiting for Doug. They whisked him away and gave him a darling green and white hospital gown. He was allowed to keep his pants and shoes on. What?! I had never heard of that. It took all the fun out of it.
Candace and I wandered the hospital and found a McDonalds. This is my most unfavorite place to eat ever. I feel my arteries harden as I walk in the door. Seeing as it was my birthday, we decided I should treat myself to french fries. If my arteries are going to harden, McDonalds french fries are the way to go.
Doug was being wheeled out of the OR by the time we meandered upstairs. He was feeling pretty good despite having a needle thrust in his back extracting tissue. I could hear his stomach growling. He was not allowed to eat or drink for two hours. We had to worry about an air bubble forming around the lung. My lips were sealed about the french fries.
A machine monitoring his vitals beeped in our little cubby. The machine started a piercing beeping sound as Doug moved around. "Hey, how'd I do that?" Doug wondered. He started moving is finger monitor and his body to try and produce the piercing sound again.
"Stop!" I hissed. "The nurse is going to come in here and drag your butt to the mental ward."
Soon after I wished he was trying to manipulate the machine. That's when the pain kicked in. No one said this would be painful. Did we ask? Why didn't we ask?
Pain meds were pushed through the IV with no decrease in the severity. He was allowed a sip of water to take a pain pill by mouth. The pain seemed to be increasing not decreasing.
The doctor was summoned. "Better take an x-ray to make sure the lung hasn't collapsed. If it has we'll send you home with a tube going out the lung."
Lung collapsed? Isn't that something that happens in a car accident? And no one is sending my husband home with a straw sticking out of his lung. I didn't go to nursing school like my sister for a reason.
The lung was not collapsed. Doug got a handle on the pain. The kind nurse took pity on him and brought him a turkey sandwich. We were sent off to our sweet spot in the country. There would be six days to wait to see the Oncologist again.
Candace was still working on her mission before she headed home. We took Doug to the Iowa State Fair. (Had to see the famous Butter Cow, you know.) We went paddle boating. Doug is in fine shape. I think he thinks Candace and I took turns paddling. A few pants, some sweating, and we looked like we helped propel that boat. There were chores around the house to be done-apples fall every night. BB guns were shot. All in all it was a fun week.
Even with all the activities the week crawled by. Doug started having night sweats. (Is he going through menopause?) Then the pains started in his head. (Yes, he has had pains in his neck too. That's from me.) A gripping pain now and then. He was a man about it.
"I don't want any medicine." Men!
And we waited for Monday to roll around to visit the Oncologist...
Pr. 10.25-Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe. GNB
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