Monday, April 03, 2006
Quality of Life
Last spring my sister, Peg, had surgery for breast cancer. Tests showed that it had spread to her bones, and the oncologist predicted she would be dead in six months without treatment.
Now, Peg has seventy-one years of wisdom packed into a stubborn head. She scoured the internet for all the cancer info she could find, weighed longevity against quality of life, and decided against chemo that might make the rest of her days miserable.
Tonight I watched a show about a woman who had breast cancer, underwent all the advised treatments, lost her hair and wound up with congestive heart failure from the medications. The only way to save her life was to install a heart pump, major operation. Blood thinners caused bleeding in her brain, requiring another surgery. Then a quarter-size blood clot in her aorta called for more surgery. Soon she developed pneumonia, then kidney failure. For six months she battled bravely before death finally ended her misery. Quality of life?
Peg's cancer markers have been fewer with every test thus far, a year after her diagnosis. She is very active, swimming or golfing every day, scuba diving, working, teaching music to kids, enjoying time with grand and great-grandkids, making improvements on a house she donated to a children's program at church, adding to her cooking skills, and more.
This month we Gunn siblings plan to attend Bob Wills Day in Turkey, Texas for at least one more family fling, celebrating two birthdays and the positive attitude that keeps us young at heart.
May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You, Peg, my hero.
Now, Peg has seventy-one years of wisdom packed into a stubborn head. She scoured the internet for all the cancer info she could find, weighed longevity against quality of life, and decided against chemo that might make the rest of her days miserable.
Tonight I watched a show about a woman who had breast cancer, underwent all the advised treatments, lost her hair and wound up with congestive heart failure from the medications. The only way to save her life was to install a heart pump, major operation. Blood thinners caused bleeding in her brain, requiring another surgery. Then a quarter-size blood clot in her aorta called for more surgery. Soon she developed pneumonia, then kidney failure. For six months she battled bravely before death finally ended her misery. Quality of life?
Peg's cancer markers have been fewer with every test thus far, a year after her diagnosis. She is very active, swimming or golfing every day, scuba diving, working, teaching music to kids, enjoying time with grand and great-grandkids, making improvements on a house she donated to a children's program at church, adding to her cooking skills, and more.
This month we Gunn siblings plan to attend Bob Wills Day in Turkey, Texas for at least one more family fling, celebrating two birthdays and the positive attitude that keeps us young at heart.
May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You, Peg, my hero.
Peg, My Hero
She was everything I wanted to be: Beautiful, sexy, wild and free,
the ultimate female athlete with talent and brains that couldn't be beat.
Riding a horse was her natural bent, while I rode like a sack of wet cement.
At every sport she held the lead with grace and poise, style and speed.
The boys all flocked around her bod', waiting for her to give the nod.
Her charm I hoped to emulate when local boys I dared to date.
Learning seemed to come with ease, every course to her a breeze,
while I struggled with my lessons, cramming through the midnight sessions.
I felt like a cow compared to her size, gusto and confidence showed in her eyes.
Favored by Daddy because of her grit, their personalities somehow seemed to fit.
It was plain for all the world to see, whatever she did was fine with me.
And looking back, one thing I know: I could hardly have chosen a better hero.
She was everything I wanted to be: Beautiful, sexy, wild and free,
the ultimate female athlete with talent and brains that couldn't be beat.
Riding a horse was her natural bent, while I rode like a sack of wet cement.
At every sport she held the lead with grace and poise, style and speed.
The boys all flocked around her bod', waiting for her to give the nod.
Her charm I hoped to emulate when local boys I dared to date.
Learning seemed to come with ease, every course to her a breeze,
while I struggled with my lessons, cramming through the midnight sessions.
I felt like a cow compared to her size, gusto and confidence showed in her eyes.
Favored by Daddy because of her grit, their personalities somehow seemed to fit.
It was plain for all the world to see, whatever she did was fine with me.
And looking back, one thing I know: I could hardly have chosen a better hero.
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
www.cgtrent.com
