16) Sarah's Guest Blog - (Leigh-Ann's daughter) - 31st October

A New West state of mind

This is Sarah, Leigh-Ann's daughter, ie guest blogger :)

Another test filled day for my mom. Not only physical, but mentally too. Or am I speaking for myself?

Mom's day started with a wakeup at 530am, after her and Steve heard trains all night from their New Westminster hotel room. I wish her lesions would hop aboard and be carried away! I say lesions instead of cancer, as I'm sending major hopeful thoughts her lesions are benign. Innocent till proven guilty? Maybe more delusion vs faith? I call her tumours lil love lumps...my moms so loving her body's literally bulging with love. Hahaha. Gotta stay positive in times like these! 

A Walkway in New Westminster

Mom ad an early morning endoscopy with anaesthetics, thaannnk goodness. Mom describes her last scope without them as an alien inside her. Drugs can be a good thing, no matter what we tell children :)

She also had an ultrasound, fine needle biopsy. I think it will be good to be able to understand what type of tissue cells make up her lesion so we know more of what we are dealing with. Dr. Cheung, head of the GI department, did the procedures which provides some comfort. Having to wait 3-7 days for the results does not. This waiting game is a doozie. Sitting with the unknown is tough, but a seemingly necessary, part of this whole experience. 

I am continuously grateful for Steve...mom's biggest advocate. He was immediately on the phone updating Marie, Mom's nurse practitioner, and enquiring if she could speed up the wait time. Like Mom says...he's a guy who gets things done! Every ill person needs a Steve...to light a fire, remember endless details, and probably more important give endless supplies of hugs and laughter. I maintain Brits have the best humour!

Mom slept the whole way home. Such a blessing because she had been quite groggy, uncomfortable, and nauseous. We wanted to stay in chilliwack until 6hrs post biopsy, in case Mom had a reaction to it and we needed access to a hospital. There was a chance her pancreas would protest and cause acute severe pain. It didn't, thankfully. We spent the time having lunch with grandma Joey. A few tears were had because mom felt so out of sorts. This was the first time I'd seen my mom be so sick and hit home that her health really is in jeopardy. Not an easy thing to bear witness too, yet still feels like a privilege I'm able to physically be present. All kinds of moments spent together are special, even the bad day ones, when you live far away from loved ones.

Arriving back home to Harrison felt like I entered a haven. It was a quiet night and we are all looking forward to a pj, movie and test/appointment free day tomorrow. 

Can we all just take a minute and appreciate this blog?! Daily updates have been so comforting and wonderfully helps mom not have to repeat herself. What a terrific idea.