The straw that broke the camel's back and back again

This was supposed to be a relaxing week of no appointments, but it ended with a rush visit to the Acute Care Unit at Huntsman due to extreme pain in my right leg. But let’s go back. On Monday, I had my bone marrow biopsy. The person performing the biopsy struggled with getting past the bone. She had to tap around the bone to try and find a good spot. I have had this issue before with other biopsies, as I have very tough bone. One PA had to put incredible force on the need to drill into the bone. So I understand how hard it can be, but it irritated some kind of nerve because when we were done, I was in so much pain that Sherrie had to wheel me to the car. This had never happened before, but the others had been fairly pain-free. They have gone in on my right side every time, and maybe it is just burned out. It took two days before I could walk without help, and by Thursday I was close to normal and feeling pretty good, but Friday morning I was just casually eating my breakfast at the kitchen table when pain started up my right leg and then settled into my buttock, and then the pain became severe. I have never experienced pain like that. I couldn’t walk. I was able to get myself to the bed and lie down, but the pain just kept getting worse. 

As I lay there, I realized I was having a massive charley horse. My buttock was one huge knot that kept getting tighter and tighter. I was in tears and could not get it to release. The extreme pain lasted approximately 10 minutes, and then it began to subside very slowly. The pain finally became manageable, but the knot was still present. We called the Nurse at Huntsman to tell her about the out-of-the-blue experience. Dr. Shami was very concerned that there could be something from the biopsy. So once again, we headed to Huntsman for an exam and CT Scan. It is pretty bad when a nurse in the Acute Care, which is like an urgent care for cancer patients, remembers exactly what vein he has used in the past to draw blood. You're not supposed to know them at all, but I have been there too many times to count.. 

Fortunately, everything came back normal, but there was no real expectation for the pain as I could once again barely walk. So I was just sent home on some pain pills with hopes that the nerves would settle down and I could get back to normal. What is interesting is that the leg/nerve pain, leading to an MRI, led to the discovery of the cancer. So it appears that the nerve issues are being masked by the pain bills I am on. I am not complaining because it has been very nice that, after decades, my back pain has been virtually gone. So I am so grateful for miracle modern medicine miracles like Bone Marrow Transplants. It gives great hope to those who may have had no options and prepared for the worst. We go into the BMT with great hope for a brighter future. A friend of ours told us that he has a friend who had a BMT 30 years ago and is doing great. So we pray for similar success. 

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we need it fear the future and any trials it may present before us. Easier said the done. This week of pain, disappointment, and disruption, including the worst BBQ I’ve ever had, left me angry and frustrated. As much as I try to stay positive, today broke the camel's back because once again, we had to make another trip to Huntsman. After all the trauma of the day, we wanted a nice meal to soothe the pain a little, so we looked for a good place to eat. We found a BBQ place on the way home (I am not going to tell you which one), and they were terrible. Needless to say, I was pretty ticked at this point. But fortunately, Sherrie helped me calm down with some positive thinking about the fact that it was fortunate that they didn’t find any life-threatening issues and that it wasn’t a total waste because we were able to pick up a prescription that was waiting at Hunstman’s Pharmacy. It may seem like a little thing, but it brought me back to reality.

President Monson said, “The needs of others are ever present, and each of us can do something to help someone.” (“What Have I Done for Someone Today?” October 2009) Sherrie truly does great things for me. It has been very frustrating that Cancer and its treatment keep me so exhausted, limiting my ability to help others. In some way, I hope this blog is helping people feel the spirit of the Lord, and it is lifting them in some way, and making their lives better in some way..

May the Lord bless and lift you through Faith and Hope,

Jason