October 30, 2016.
The miles tick by. California, Oregon, and finally Washington. It’s all a blur. But it is crystal clear that we are being loved and supported by our family and friends. So many offers of help and places to stay while we find out what’s going to happen. I dub all “our people” members of Team Farrar. Our hearts are full of gratitude and humility.
Our final destination is close. I’m driving past the intersection that would take us to Kamiak High School where I used to teach English. Seems so long ago. We are in Mukilteo, WA headed for the ferry that will get us to Mike and Janine’s on Whidbey Island where their friend, Tyler, has generously loaned us his trailer. The trailer is all set up and ready for us on M & J’s property. Tyler says we can have it as long as we need it. Mike and Janine say we can stay as long as necessary. How kind. How loving.
It is at this point in the drive when Dr. Adams calls on our cell. I turn right onto 92nd St and park so Greg can talk to him without the distraction of road noise. I will never forget these moments. The call. What we learn.
The tumor is 4cm. The biopsy shows what the doctor thought–stage IV squamous cell carcinoma. All the surgeons who have looked at the reports concur that the tumor is inoperable. Greg will need to meet with a radiation oncologist and a chemo oncologist right away.
So there it is. Definitive.
We are both shaking. We just sit there in our car in an unfamiliar neighborhood off 92nd St. What is there to say to one another?
~~~
Starting now, the day before Halloween 2016, we begin our time in what we’ve come to refer to as our parallel universe.
The love we receive from our team will sustain us for months of doctor visits, hospital stays, radiation, chemo, times of great despair and pain. In the next few months we will come to feel that the Providence Cancer Partnership is our home. Our new mantra is, “We’ve got this!” We think we’re ready.
As we move forward with treatment, there will sometimes be more than we can handle; many surprises, tests of our resolve, but for now we repeat our watchword many times a day. Let us begin the next chapter in our journey holding on to each other in our parallel universe.
Our trailer home at Mike and Janine’s.
WE’VE GOT THIS!!!
