August 21, 2016-On this day two years ago, Dr. Olivia Hightower came into our lives. She was the Medical Oncologist the surgeon had said he would be consulting. The biopsy taken the previous day would still have to be examined by a pathologist, not really to determine IF it was cancer, but what specific TYPE. Imaging scans also needed to be scheduled. The surgeon was prepared to insert a chemo port the following day.

Dr. Hightower said “This is a very aggressive cancer, but this type often responds to aggressive treatment.” It would take me sixteen months and the repetition of the sentence “This is a very aggressive cancer” by SEVERAL doctors before I understood what they were saying.

Another immediate crisis was that Fall Semester classes at Millsaps College were to begin on Monday, August 22. Sarah needed to leave for Jackson that Sunday afternoon. “Mixed emotions” barely begins to describe how Sarah was responding. She did finally pack up her car and drive north. We found out later that she had diverted to Brookhaven, where her then-boyfriend lived and made it only that far that night. The campus ministry situation was in flux that year because the College Chaplain had left in July and a new one had not been named. I contacted Paige Swaim-Presley and Emily Sanford to ask them to watch out for Sarah. They agreed.

Lynette’s chemo port was placed on Monday, August 22. Dr. Hightower would be ready for her to begin chemotherapy on Thursday, August 25. During the procedure to insert the chomo port, my phone rang. It was the repair shop, giving me an estimate on the transmission on the Altima. How things had changed in just three days!

I told the owner about Lynette’s cancer diagnosis. He was understanding and said he would be patient about my getting back with him. The transmission ultimately was replaced in July 2017,

We gave Sarah the option of withdrawing from Millsaps for the Fall Semester. She decided she would stay. Her friends and support system were at Millsaps. We later found out she took 23 semester hours that fall. She earned her usual 4.0 Grade Point Average.

Tomorrow, I will talk about the beginning of chemotherapy and how Luke found out his mother had cancer.