Flash Forward

These posts are kind of like a movie I saw that started at the end and kept flashing back further and further to the beginning – just a bit confusing and hard to keep track of.

Fred is home from the vet – last night he ate a huge bowl of cat food when he snuck into Katherine’s room.  Cat food has too much fat in it for dogs to digest, and he made himself good and sick.  The vet pumped him full of fluids – he literally looked like he was wearing a jacket made of water.  His back  wobbles when he walks.  They also gave him something for the nausea.  He may have pancreatitis from his celebration of gluttony – we’ll know more within the next 24 hours.  He just threw up again, but seems otherwise better if somewhat subdued.  He’s chilling on the sofa with a blanket over his water hump.  Poor Mr. McFrederson. 

While David was at the vet, I got a call from my surgeon.  I told him I’d just been admiring his work, and he seemed amused.  We exchanged some small talk about my incision, it’s healing process and my follow up appointment with him on the 20^th.  He said he had my pathology results and asked if I had spoken with anyone about them yet.  I told him I hadn’t; that I have an appointment with the oncologist tomorrow, but that no one would give me any info over the phone.  I said “I guess you don’t want to do that either.”  He replied “I will if you want me to.”  I did.  And he did.  “There are two types of lymphoma” he said.  “Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s.  You have non-Hodgkins lymphoma.” 

“Thank you so much for telling me” I said.  “I really needed to know.  Now I can move on from here.”   I like Dr. Crain.  He’s a little on the dry side and very serious, but he gave me a precious gift – information.  Now I really do feel as if I can proceed.  Now that the diagnosis is in place, the plan can be formulated.  I am a planner, and it gives me some measure of comfort to know what’s coming.

I email the Rubies (more about my personal flock of angels later) and some other friends to let them know the diagnosis.  I’m not hiding this – the more people I tell, the more there are who can pray for me and ask their friends to pray, and their families, and their churches, and their paper boys and checkout clerks and their postmen and anyone and everyone they know who will take a moment to pray for me and for my family.  If you are reading this, would you mind saying a little one right now?  Thanks.