Update on Sam

Photo by: Tim Bindner

Friday evening, I got my test results. It was news I was unexpected to hear. I was in shock.

My recent EGD test on Wednesday morning was done at a local hospital because of my “recent heart attack” and once concluded, the doctor came in and said he saw something “that didn’t look good” and “whether it is cancerous or pre-cancerous will need to come out.” The issue again is with the recent heart attack, I may not be off blood thinners or risk “having another heart attack” or stay on the blood thinners and risk “bleeding out.”

So, Friday came around and Marcie and I were eating pizza at a restaurant when the phone rang. I picked it up. What was I going to hear? What were the next steps? Will I be yet another person with cancer?

Kim, the nurse, was on the other end. She verified I was who I was and then, without emotion, said. Dr. Obert said, “no cancer, no surgery. It was a swollen nodule on your esophagus. He said keep on the antacids and that should take care of it.” She told me he was going to order another test. There is ALWAYS another test. That the hospital will call me to schedule. Then she hung up.

I told my wife the news while my brain processed what I heard. This was not an option I even considered. He told me “It will need to come out” and yet now medicine SHOULD take care of it. I was relieved, but still unprepared for that result.

We finished our meal in silence, paid, boxed up the leftovers, and left. In the car, I began calling people who had shown concern for my recent medical issues. I called Shawn, then Mark, then text Al, then Lori, then my cousin, sister, Troy, Sister Rose, Tesa, Josslyn, Amanda, Phil, and neighbors who wanted to know. I received positive feedback from everyone, but a few stuck out to me. One person said I have a 2^nd chance at life. I never saw this as a life-threatening issue, but the past few days have again helped me take stock of my life. The one that got to me the most was when my friend, a doctor, text me. He was nervous. That text caused me to pause. This might have been more serious than I expected if the diagnosis for the 3 biopsies was cancer. But thankfully it was not.

I slept well Friday night and rose early to go on a hike with Mark. The air was sweeter (yet cold); the sun shined brightly, and I was in nature. The prayers that people sent worked. I thanked God that day, the next and even this morning as I am writing this. I am blessed.

I hope this run of bad luck is over. I hope my health is improving (I have lost 40 lbs by the way); I hope Marcie and I find new jobs, and that this mountain of medical bills dries up. I have a brief vacation coming up in May and a bigger one in June. I so look forward to these and hope I have a chance to truly relax.

Until next time.

Tim