Steep Decline

"This is Dr. Barnett," he says.

I glance at the clock--8:40 in the morning. This can't be good.

"I just spoke with your mother, and she asked me to call you. I've got the results of her bone scan."

This should be the nurse calling, I think. Only she'd call late in the afternoon, after she's taken care of all the sick people. Yeah, that's what should be happening. She's supposed to call to say Oh, your mother's torn a ligament in her hip, that's all. Probably happened when she was in therapy to recover from her knee surgery. She'll be fine, or not. But it won't kill her, if that's what you're worried about. It won't kill her at all.

But this isn't the nurse. It's the doctor and it's early and he's calling before he sees his very first really sick patient and I can't help but jump straight to my twisted question which is, of course, A torn ligament can't kill her, can it?

Of course it can't, you silly daughter, you. And so you see, therein lies the problem.

"There are a number of areas of bone that don't look good. Both hips, her right shoulder blade, several ribs..."

"She's had lots of compression fractures," I say, "and broken ribs from a car accident. That's what the bone scan is showing, I'm sure. Old injuries, healed injuries..."

"Those show up, too," he says, "but that's not what I'm talking about."

I call Mom when the doctor disconnects. I have to know what she heard, how much she gathered from what he said. I have to know if she can still add two plus two.

"He says my butt has a hot spot," she says, as if the doctor has just complimented her on her perennial sex appeal. "Well, not my butt exactly. My hip."

That's all he said? I ask.

"And that maybe I've got a couple of other hot spots, too, on other bones."

She doesn't ask me what is meant by a hot spot, and I don't tell. There are more tests to come, many more tests, but all will point to a conclusion within the next few days. We'll all know the whole truth soon enough.

"You know what I think?" she asks. "I think next he's going to tell me I need a hip transplant. I'm about to cry just thinking about it."

If a hip transplant could fix what they think is wrong with my mother, I'd be a happy girl. We'll have to tell her their findings soon, but we'll get through this weekend first, before the next round of tests.

"Use your walker every time you move around, Mom," I say. "And don't walk any more than you have to until they figure this out, OK? Your bones are really at risk of breaking right now. So please be careful."

"If you say so," she says. "But I still bet he's going to tell me I need a hip transplant."

What he's going to tell her, unless an unforeseen bit of serendipity proves him mistaken, is that she has a cancerous tumor somewhere in her body in such an advanced stage that it has metastisized to her bones.

What he's going to tell her is that she's dying.

"He never mentioned a hip transplant to me, Mom," I say. "Really."

And I'm telling her the truth. He never did.

Posted by Katy on 02/04/05 at 10:10 PM

Fallible Comments...

Prayers for understanding...for patience...and for endurance.

Those are on my list...along with prayers for miracles...I

Rest now....

God Bless,

M
-----
Posted by Michael Main on 02/05/05 at 05:57 AM
Oh, Katie! Just got your email and came right to the blog. I am so sorry this is happening and I'm praying for you all right now.
Posted by lisa on 02/05/05 at 09:47 AM
I can't imagine the pain you both need to endure.
My prayers as well.

Take Care
Michael
Posted by Michael on 02/05/05 at 01:40 PM
Katy, I'm so sorry. Don't know what else to say... I've been in this exact place with my dad many years ago. And so life changes - with a phone call. I will be praying for you and yours.
Posted by violet on 02/05/05 at 03:49 PM
"The Lord is close to everyone who prays to him, to all who truly pray to him." - Psalm 145:18

I wouldn't begin to know what to say... I will pray for you. Remember the story of Job during hard times...
Posted by Kevin on 02/05/05 at 04:19 PM
Thanks, my friends...I appreciate your kindness and prayers so much. My siblings and I feel certain that Mom doesn't understand the lingo the doc used when he talked to her. So today (probably) my brother plans to go to her place alone to tell her that those "hot spots" look suspiciously like cancer. It will be the first time anyone has used the "c" word with her. Then later, after John leaves, one of two of us (I have 3 sisters) will show up, probably bearing Pizza Hut, which Mom has been craving. She'll need us trickling through, we think, to be able to grasp what's happening a bit at a time as she bounces it off her kids.

All prayers for my mother are gratefully received! You guys are a blessing...
Posted by Katy Raymond on 02/05/05 at 04:55 PM
Katy, I'm so sorry to read about this.

I hope that you, your mother, and your family find peace through all of this. This is undoubtedly a difficult time.
Posted by Maria on 02/05/05 at 08:30 PM
I'm praying also.
Posted by Anne on 02/05/05 at 10:12 PM
You and your family are in my prayers.
Posted by Carrie K. on 02/05/05 at 10:27 PM
Katy,

I've had experience with this sort of thing and you have a difficult road ahead. I'm really sorry. "The pigs are out of the barn" is how my doctor describes this situation.

Anyway, if you ever want to ask anything of someone who has already been there, my email's there.

"I will fear no evil, for you are with me...."
Posted by rebecca on 02/06/05 at 12:55 AM
I'm praying for you all. =( May the Lord hold you close in these times.
Posted by Jennifer on 02/06/05 at 05:57 AM
My mother is also battling cancer which is spreading slowly through her body. She's 1200 miles away, in D.C. I understand, to a certain degree, your pain. You're in my prayers.
Posted by Brandon E. on 02/06/05 at 02:07 PM
Will pray too! Many hugs to you and family. :)
Posted by Ellie on 02/06/05 at 03:10 PM
Katy...You are so very lucky to have a support system like this...I'm envious..Love you...
PS..I can't stop crying over the blog...so much for getting my work done in a quiet office on a Sunday..
Posted by Bridget on 02/06/05 at 06:47 PM
Wow. This is hard. I'm so sorry. So sorry. May you sense Jesus' light in the midst of this path.
Posted by relevantgirl on 02/08/05 at 04:18 PM

Page 1 of 1 pages

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.

Next entry: Big Fish

Previous entry: Everything's Up To Date In Kansas City?

<< Back to main


		more fallible attitude »

Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Steep Decline "This is Dr. Barnett," he says. I glance at the clock--8:40 in the morning. This can't be good. "I just spoke with your mother, and she asked me to call you. I've got the results of her bone scan." This should be the nurse calling, I think. Only she'd call late in the afternoon, after she's taken care of all the sick people. Yeah, that's what should be happening. She's supposed to call to say Oh, your mother's torn a ligament in her hip, that's all. Probably happened when she was in therapy to recover from her knee surgery. She'll be fine, or not. But it won't kill her, if that's what you're worried about. It won't kill her at all. But this isn't the nurse. It's the doctor and it's early and he's calling before he sees his very first really sick patient and I can't help but jump straight to my twisted question which is, of course, A torn ligament can't kill her, can it? Of course it can't, you silly daughter, you. And so you see, therein lies the problem. "There are a number of areas of bone that don't look good. Both hips, her right shoulder blade, several ribs..." "She's had lots of compression fractures," I say, "and broken ribs from a car accident. That's what the bone scan is showing, I'm sure. Old injuries, healed injuries..." "Those show up, too," he says, "but that's not what I'm talking about." I call Mom when the doctor disconnects. I have to know what she heard, how much she gathered from what he said. I have to know if she can still add two plus two. "He says my butt has a hot spot," she says, as if the doctor has just complimented her on her perennial sex appeal. "Well, not my butt exactly. My hip." That's all he said? I ask. "And that maybe I've got a couple of other hot spots, too, on other bones." She doesn't ask me what is meant by a hot spot, and I don't tell. There are more tests to come, many more tests, but all will point to a conclusion within the next few days. We'll all know the whole truth soon enough. "You know what I think?" she asks. "I think next he's going to tell me I need a hip transplant. I'm about to cry just thinking about it." If a hip transplant could fix what they think is wrong with my mother, I'd be a happy girl. We'll have to tell her their findings soon, but we'll get through this weekend first, before the next round of tests. "Use your walker every time you move around, Mom," I say. "And don't walk any more than you have to until they figure this out, OK? Your bones are really at risk of breaking right now. So please be careful." "If you say so," she says. "But I still bet he's going to tell me I need a hip transplant." What he's going to tell her, unless an unforeseen bit of serendipity proves him mistaken, is that she has a cancerous tumor somewhere in her body in such an advanced stage that it has metastisized to her bones. What he's going to tell her is that she's dying. "He never mentioned a hip transplant to me, Mom," I say. "Really." And I'm telling her the truth. He never did. Posted by Katy on 02/04/05 at 10:10 PM Fallible Comments... Prayers for understanding...for patience...and for endurance. Those are on my list...along with prayers for miracles...I Rest now.... God Bless, M ----- Posted by Michael Main on 02/05/05 at 05:57 AM Oh, Katie! Just got your email and came right to the blog. I am so sorry this is happening and I'm praying for you all right now. Posted by lisa on 02/05/05 at 09:47 AM I can't imagine the pain you both need to endure. My prayers as well. Take Care Michael Posted by Michael on 02/05/05 at 01:40 PM Katy, I'm so sorry. Don't know what else to say... I've been in this exact place with my dad many years ago. And so life changes - with a phone call. I will be praying for you and yours. Posted by violet on 02/05/05 at 03:49 PM "The Lord is close to everyone who prays to him, to all who truly pray to him." - Psalm 145:18 I wouldn't begin to know what to say... I will pray for you. Remember the story of Job during hard times... Posted by Kevin on 02/05/05 at 04:19 PM Thanks, my friends...I appreciate your kindness and prayers so much. My siblings and I feel certain that Mom doesn't understand the lingo the doc used when he talked to her. So today (probably) my brother plans to go to her place alone to tell her that those "hot spots" look suspiciously like cancer. It will be the first time anyone has used the "c" word with her. Then later, after John leaves, one of two of us (I have 3 sisters) will show up, probably bearing Pizza Hut, which Mom has been craving. She'll need us trickling through, we think, to be able to grasp what's happening a bit at a time as she bounces it off her kids. All prayers for my mother are gratefully received! You guys are a blessing... Posted by Katy Raymond on 02/05/05 at 04:55 PM Katy, I'm so sorry to read about this. I hope that you, your mother, and your family find peace through all of this. This is undoubtedly a difficult time. Posted by Maria on 02/05/05 at 08:30 PM I'm praying also. Posted by Anne on 02/05/05 at 10:12 PM You and your family are in my prayers. Posted by Carrie K. on 02/05/05 at 10:27 PM Katy, I've had experience with this sort of thing and you have a difficult road ahead. I'm really sorry. "The pigs are out of the barn" is how my doctor describes this situation. Anyway, if you ever want to ask anything of someone who has already been there, my email's there. "I will fear no evil, for you are with me...." Posted by rebecca on 02/06/05 at 12:55 AM I'm praying for you all. =( May the Lord hold you close in these times. Posted by Jennifer on 02/06/05 at 05:57 AM My mother is also battling cancer which is spreading slowly through her body. She's 1200 miles away, in D.C. I understand, to a certain degree, your pain. You're in my prayers. Posted by Brandon E. on 02/06/05 at 02:07 PM Will pray too! Many hugs to you and family. :) Posted by Ellie on 02/06/05 at 03:10 PM Katy...You are so very lucky to have a support system like this...I'm envious..Love you... PS..I can't stop crying over the blog...so much for getting my work done in a quiet office on a Sunday.. Posted by Bridget on 02/06/05 at 06:47 PM Wow. This is hard. I'm so sorry. So sorry. May you sense Jesus' light in the midst of this path. Posted by relevantgirl on 02/08/05 at 04:18 PM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: Big Fish Previous entry: Everything's Up To Date In Kansas City? << Back to main


copyright 2011, ngenius media inc.

Personal blog of christianwriter & fallible momKaty McKenna Raymondin Kansas City, Missouri

Recent Posts

Search

Syndicate

Steep Decline

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri