In 1998 my wife was diagnosed with lung cancer that moved fast inside of her . Before her diagnosis one night she could not breathe so, I called 911 and we had to go to emergency room immediately at LAC/USC Medical Center before transferred to another hospital.It was the worst day of our lives. She was trached immediately. That is she has tracheostomy so that she can breathe ,shiley #8. I sat beside my wife crying my eyes out.
The doctors performed series of laboratory tests and some diagnostic tests and it was determined that she has lung cancer,and that the cancer cells according to the doctors are ” aggressive. Chest tube placed and Fluids were drained constantly from her lungs. My. wife was intubed ,she knew that I was there but could not speak. The doctor placed her on IV Fluids but later changed her fluid to TPN( Total Parenteral Nutrition).She had a picc line for her Fluids. We were there for a long time and moved from one hospital to another. I have the money and good health insurance so ,I wanted the CANCER gone like yesterday. But it did not rather it got worse.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy started and one day the doctors came to talk to me and my wife.One of the doctor said,” with Chemotherapy she will lose some of her hair or all of it.We call it Alopecia. ALOPECIA what?.Alopecia is defined as partial or complete loss of hair due to chemotherapy (anticancer medication),endocrine disorder, aging,drug reaction or skin disorder. There are various types of Alopecia such as Alopecia totalis,Alopecia areata and Alopecia universalis.
No she cannot lose her hair ,noway.I told the doctor to give me a chance to speak with my wife. It took a whole day to think about it. My wife’s hair is very, very important to us.So the next morning the doctor came and I asked on behalf of my wife.WHAT IS HER PROGNOSIS?. The doctor replied 50/50?.I think that is what I heard. I was mad at the doctor, I was furious and I told the doctor, ” do what you can do for her to keep her hair okay “.The caring and compassionate nurse came to me and asked ,why are you so concern about her hair?.I replied,I don’t want her come back in her next life bald hair or without hair.
We are Jewish people and our hair is very important to us. If my wife is going to die ,I want her hair in place, just the way she is when we got married. The nurse,my wife and myself cried.My wife now has Port a catheter in place for Chemotherapy and peg tube feeding for her medications and feeding. Xray done to make sure that they are in the right position. Sometimes I will go home to check on our children and feed the cats.I was there ,and days went into weeks and weeks went into months. In the end I returned home empty handed with hopes that in her next life ,she will come back with her hair and I will marry her again, and again, we will life happily and no SEPARATION.
Nurses You Move Me 