It's Staged

My husband Rich's throat cancer is a 4a, which means it is in lymph nodes on both sides. We went to the follow-up after his biopsy and scans, and the entire team of specialists seeing a clinic full of newly diagnosed patients gave us the news.

They were optimistic from the get-go. 90% cure rate with proton radiation and chemo. If that doesn't work, surgery on whatever nodes are still affected. We are home to one of only nine proton radiation centers in the country here in Jacksonville. We're lucky in that regard.

One important thing to know if you have to have radiation to an area close to your jaw, is that your teeth better be in perfect condition or they have to go. We already knew that Rich needed $14 grand worth of dental work, so in order to expedite things, they were all pulled. At once. They have to do that because if dental work is ever necessary at any time in the future post-radiation, hyperbaric oxygen has to be used, and it's very tricky for the area to heal. Just one of the inevitable after-effects of the cure.

It's gonna be a rough ride. There's no sugar coating that fact. I'm just grateful for our caregiver, Rita. She came into our lives at exactly the right time last September. We were finally added to the med-waiver a year ago (after a complicated process of qualifying under the crisis label). Before that, I was on my own for eleven years. Now that Rita's on the scene, I am comfortable with Daniel being cared for by someone else, and that is huge with all that's going on.

With family 900 miles away, Rich's dad dying of lung cancer and his mom unable to drive, we don't have a lot of blood-line support. Certain friends (you know who you are) have stepped up and called Rich offering rides and emotional support. When I go back to work in August we will need those extra hands. Rides are pretty much covered through the American Cancer Society, so the help we need will be more local and involve things like errands and such.

Starting next week it's twice a day radiation and once a week chemo for seven weeks. Less than a season, I keep telling him. We will get through it.

I did take an hour out with my daughter to float in the ocean a couple of days ago. We dodged waves, soaked up the sun, and felt the ocean breeze cool us in this insane heat we're having. That one hour renewed me. We also ate sushi next door to the pharmacy while waiting for Rich's meds to be filled. People keep reminding me to take care of myself, and I think I did a pretty good job that day.

Rich is an amazing singer and guitarist. He has a beautiful voice, and has sang and played in bands since he was 14. I really want to give him something extra to help him through this, so I've been trying to contact his favorite singer, Tommy Shaw. He has a sound similar to Tommy's, who sang for Styx for awhile. I'd love it if we could get an autographed photo with a note or something. Just putting that out there, Universe!

The stage is set, now we just have to play this thing out to the end. I remind Rich everyday that by Christmas we'll be standing in front of the tree getting a picture snapped with his new pearly whites in place, and all of this behind us. That's the plan!