Personal Journey Entry # 15

One thing I realized very early is that cancer is a team sport. So many wonderful people inside and outside our circle are willing to share the burden of our journey or pray for our successful mission of remission. It is comforting to know that you are not alone, but more importantly, it is heartwarming to see the scope of love and compassion that still lives in this crazy world we ride around the sun on. The support comes from many directions: our family and friends, of course, our medical team, and strangers who reach out and become good friends.

Shay is not only part of my team; she is part of me. We are a team that shares life and dreams and will do anything for each other to keep our dreams alive. Without her love and hand in mine, I would not be so brave and confident about this battle. I have spoken about my Angels: my circle of friends in Exeter and Maine, with whom I am always in touch. These are the core of my team—the people I work with, live close with, text and call with, visit with, and pray with. They are the ones who are constantly checking in, which is so welcome and critical. There are new friends through my writing who I have not met in person but have become essential through their emails and calls. There is the medical team. It feels like doctors who practice in the world of cancer treatment are a bit different than your typical doctor/patient relationship. It is a much more personal connection, and they are so willing to be available at any time, and there is no rush to the time. They know this is not your typical fever or sore throat.

The last group is the one I want to focus on today. I already wrote about the Dempsey Center, but it got even better this week. Shay and I joined a support group for newly diagnosed cancer patients and had our first of six sessions this week. It was an intimate group, which made sharing easy, and the moderator was again born for the job. The caring, compassionate, and loving way the Dempsey staff go about their task is beyond superb. They let you know by every nuance that they genuinely care about each member and have a vested interest in our physical and mental condition. I have quickly become a huge fan of this group.

A new experience this week was the Imerman Angels. This group matches you with another person who has walked your walk. Through a screening call to establish your profile, they then find you someone who has had the same cancer and treatment plan and successfully rang the bell. I had my first contact with my mentor, Dave, this week, and I think we hit it off exceptionally well. He is 59 and two years out from a successful Esophagectomy and is willing to walk with us through our journey. Shay and I will have our first Zoom with Dave next week, and I hope he is ready for the barrage of questions we have in store. The number of people who have already touched our lives and are willing to reach out to help a fellow man is impressive. It gives me shivers.

PS: My Endoscopy/Ultrasound went well yesterday. Next stop is a meeting with my surgeons next week to set a date for the procedure to get the evil cancer out of my body.

Have a great weekend. I love you and ask God to bless you. Thanks for stopping by.