A Caregiver's Journey: The Beginning - Extension of You Home Care

PET scan image (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who would have thought constipation would have led to the diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer that had metastasized to the liver, lungs, and lymph nodes? Not me, that’s for sure. Our journey started in May 2003. After years of alcohol abuse, my father woke up one day and decided he was no longer going to be a drinker. Initially this was great news! We had waited for this moment for years.

Little did we know how our journey would unfold. All of the sudden, my dad could not have bowel movements and was in incredible pain. We visited a small hospital emergency room several times and without a real diagnosis, were sent home with laxatives and even pain medication. None of that helped. Finally we took him to a major medical center’s emergency room. After my dad explained his history to the doctor, she ordered a MRI. My dad did not leave the hospital that day. Instead he was admitted, because they doctor had found an obstruction where his colon meets his intestine. She wanted to do a PET scan and then schedule surgery to remove the obstruction. All this was going to happen first thing in the morning.

Meanwhile, I was living in a three bedroom apartment with my husband and our three children. At the time my dad received this diagnosis, my husband and I were in our 20s, and we had a seven year old and two two-year old twins. I was a stay at home mom and my husband was our sole source of financial support – he works as a full-time automotive mechanic. My parents were married but lived in separate places half the week. My mom lived with my sister and because my dad worked so far away, he rented a room four days a week to be closer to work. At the start of this new journey through my father’s sickness, I was already helping care for my mom. She had heart disease for many years and needed help managing her doctor’s appointments and her medical care.

As worried as I was about both of my parents, I had to wonder how I was going to be able to help them. I just knew that I’d have to do what was needed.