When you think of yourself as healthy — above average healthy, with an above average healthy life style, when a health problem arises, it is a shock. I recall leaving the hospital after we had been told my husband most likely had cancer. Should I even be driving? I felt stunned.

A cancer diagnosis is a process. Testing has to be done, samples taken, lab results waited for. Time followed by more time. As the song goes, the waiting is the hardest part. Having an imagination can be wonderful, but sometimes it can run away with you. All that time to imagine a future with cancer is not good.

The entire hospital stay lasted two and a half weeks. During that time, my husband stayed flat on his back with his right leg in traction. The nurses had some difficulty finding the right degree of traction. Which meant the slightest movement would alter the alignment of his femur and it would feel like breaking the leg all over again. This happened a few times.

Simple procedures became very complicated. I recall two nurses telling me they were going to flip him over to his side and change the sheets. I objected saying he can’t be moved because if the traction slipped, it would hurt.

Nurses are wonderful and they really know their job. These were ortho nurses — they turn patients with broken bones every day. The attempt to flip him ended with him crying out in such pain they left without changing the sheets. 

The challenge for the doctors and surgeons was they could not perform the surgery without knowing the cancer diagnosis first. The challenge for James was lying still. Period. Each time he was sent for an x-ray or scan, it was an ordeal of pain.  

Prior to the surgery, the surgeon wanted one more scan. No, said James, I’ve had enough. Yes, said the head nurse. She came prepared with a team of six staff. Together they intended to slide James from his bed onto a gurney like they’d done with hundreds of patients before. 

I was in the room. The team of six prepared themselves, James had agreed to try… On the count of three…

He howled. I cried. The team of six looked at each other. The head nurse overrode the Doctor’s request and cancelled the x-ray. Good on her.

The next day, a team of anesthetists arrived and knocked James out right in his room. The final x-ray was taken and surgery was scheduled for the next day.

It was a relief after the surgery was done. No more traction. Discharge was in sight. All he had to do was get out of bed and walk again. 

Stay safe everyone.

Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger.  Temporarily, this blog will be focussed on telling our cancer story. Please share if you know someone who may benefit. Facebook or Twitter.