Happy Sunday Everyone:
I was given permission to send this-
Erica and I received a text from our teammate, Tina, Friday night, giving us an update from something we learned about 10 days ago.
“Hi Guys, another good appointment today. This one was the radiation doc. Again, another super kind, proactive, compassionate doc that really listened and didn’t rush. My oncologist wanted me to see him right away because he wants him to get working on the mass in the bone in my head to relieve headaches. After my liver biopsy Tuesday, the radiation doc wants me to start taking steroids in hope that it will start to reduce the mass enough to get relief from the stabbing pains and get rid of the double vision (prayer emoji). I’ll need to be super careful because the steroids can put my blood sugar levels in dangerous territory, so I’ll have to monitor it closely. He was going to start the insurance process this afternoon, once approved they will fit me for a mask that will pinpoint the mass and shoot the radiation to that spot only. It takes 5 consecutive treatments, then we wait and pray. I am thinking that I’ll work Monday since I don’t have any appointments but then will need to take Tuesday off for the liver biopsy and Wednesday off for the endoscopy and colonoscopy. Not sure on Thursday and Friday yet as the appointments keep rolling in, not complaining. I know that i need to have a bone scan, possibly a PET scan and hopefully a pancreas biopsy still. It sounds like I could be starting treatment for the other cancers as soon as the 21st (prayer emoji). Sorry for another long text”.
I read this text Friday Night and sat back in awe of this warrior of a human. Single mom, caretaker to her whole extended family, one of the best team members I’ve witnessed in my life. She’s the person when she gets involved, you know everything is going to be okay. About a month ago she started showing up on our calls with an eye patch because she was seeing double. Doctor thought it might be stress, after a strong urging from our team, she went in for some tests and came back with an uphill battle that has prompted updates like the one above.
We hear stories about inspirational people all the time but when you witness one firsthand, you have to take pause and appreciate the strength, beauty, and example they set for us all. Tina is front and center on the warrior train. Our team is worried, we’re scared, none of this sounds great. Reread her text to us, can you imagine sending that text to someone about yourself? Here is Tina, honoring the doctors, matter of fact progress report, talking about working on Monday (that’s not happening unless it brings her some calm). Every time I get off the phone with Tina, every time Erica gets off the phone with Tina, we both say “WOW”. She and I are talking about being scared, about total calmness, the range of emotions. If I wasn’t so worried about her, I’d consider it fascinating. Her strength is flat out inspiring.
When I stand witness to someone like Tina, the hand she’s been dealt, and how she chooses to deal with it, I can’t help but believe there is a greater purpose. I’ve always, and intentionally, stayed off of faith and politics on Sunday Thoughts. Our team is a microcosm of the United Nations on both subjects. I believe our team is the greatest team around. We start with loving each other, everything else gets filtered from there, it’s truly how we operate. Tina and I both have faith. She’d tell you it’s what creates the strength we’re all witnessing.
I’m not sure how to close this out as we have no idea of how this journey unfolds. What I do know is when we see an inspirational person among us it’s important to take pause and appreciate their strength, and what they represent to us all.
Please keep Tina in your thoughts and prayers!