tomahawk18
Waiting for some sun!?
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2011
- Messages
- 3,100
- Reaction score
- 16
- Location
- Bothell, Washington, United States
- Handicap
- GHIN 6.6
I know this is a golf blog, but I am partially writing this for therapy. I have been pondering whether or not to write this thread for a couple of months now, but have ultimately decided to share my story.
My wife and I, along with our families, have been dealing with the dreaded "C" word for the better part of 5 months now.
A little history. My wife and I got married April 17, 2010. She is my best friend. We met through mutual friends, and were friends for a couple years before we ever dated. In October, we got the news we had been waiting for... she was pregnant. We had been trying for a couple of months. When we went to the Doctor, she was about 7 weeks along. We scheduled an ultrasound for the following week and ultimately it revealed the bad news, it was not a viable pregnancy. In fact, it was a very rare type of pregnancy called a molar pregnancy. The odds of a molar pregnancy are about 1-1000. Most of these pregnancies have no complications, but a very small percentage do, and the complication is cancer. Our odds to be in this small group was about 1-10,000. The treatment was a mild chemo shot of methotrexate once a week and was supposed to last 8-12 weeks. This treatment made her feel like she had the flu for 2-3 days after each shot (fever, body aches, nausea, headaches, etc.). Imagine knowing every week you were going to catch the flu. This treatment works for 95% of molar pregnancy patients. It did not work for us. It lowered her levels significantly, but ultimately couldn't completely finish the job. At week 17, the methotrexate had stopped working.
Last month, my wife graduated to full chomotherapy. This treatment consists of an overnight stay in the hospital every 14 days, and a cocktail of multiple types of chemotherapy drugs given in a particular sequence over a 20 hour period. I won't go to much into detail, but among the many side effects of this treatment is hair loss. She cut most of her hair off this weekend, as it was starting to go. In support, I told her I would go bald as well, but she had other ideas. She wanted me to go mohawk! I agreed. We got out the clippers and she started cutting. If it makes her smile and laugh just once during this process, it will be worth it. This is my wife cutting my hair off...
Final product! Living up to my screen name toMOHAWK18
Along with my mohawk, we have a group of about 10-12 friends and family who have either shaved their heads or gone mohawk in support of my wife,(including some women). Such a kind gesture! We are truly touched.
This process is in part how I found THP. You see, I have alot of time on my hands right now. When I am not at work, I am at home taking care of my wife, (mostly just being with her and laying around). So while I am at home, I spend alot of time on the web. In January I found THP. Now I spend alot of time on THP! I know that THP views itself as a golf forum, but it is so much more. It is an outlet. A momentary escape from the bad. This site has gotten me through some of the darkest days in my life. My wife will be sick and asleep, and I will be right next to her on my ipad talking about my 2nd love, golf, while she rests. I can only watch so much TV. I want to thank THP for that! From the bottom of my heart. All of you! Reading and posting on THP, mostly about golf, has helped me pass so much time. I haven't played a round of golf in a month, but I get to talk about it.
Also, a huge thanks to TC. He knows why!
My wife's outlook now is very good as her numbers have fallen to near 0, which is where she needs to be. Within the next few weeks, this should all be behind us, (praying). This has put much of my life into a perspective that I would never have seen before. I am thankful for that. Things that used to be important to me just aren't anymore. All that matters is my wife getting healthy.
My wife and I, along with our families, have been dealing with the dreaded "C" word for the better part of 5 months now.
A little history. My wife and I got married April 17, 2010. She is my best friend. We met through mutual friends, and were friends for a couple years before we ever dated. In October, we got the news we had been waiting for... she was pregnant. We had been trying for a couple of months. When we went to the Doctor, she was about 7 weeks along. We scheduled an ultrasound for the following week and ultimately it revealed the bad news, it was not a viable pregnancy. In fact, it was a very rare type of pregnancy called a molar pregnancy. The odds of a molar pregnancy are about 1-1000. Most of these pregnancies have no complications, but a very small percentage do, and the complication is cancer. Our odds to be in this small group was about 1-10,000. The treatment was a mild chemo shot of methotrexate once a week and was supposed to last 8-12 weeks. This treatment made her feel like she had the flu for 2-3 days after each shot (fever, body aches, nausea, headaches, etc.). Imagine knowing every week you were going to catch the flu. This treatment works for 95% of molar pregnancy patients. It did not work for us. It lowered her levels significantly, but ultimately couldn't completely finish the job. At week 17, the methotrexate had stopped working.
Last month, my wife graduated to full chomotherapy. This treatment consists of an overnight stay in the hospital every 14 days, and a cocktail of multiple types of chemotherapy drugs given in a particular sequence over a 20 hour period. I won't go to much into detail, but among the many side effects of this treatment is hair loss. She cut most of her hair off this weekend, as it was starting to go. In support, I told her I would go bald as well, but she had other ideas. She wanted me to go mohawk! I agreed. We got out the clippers and she started cutting. If it makes her smile and laugh just once during this process, it will be worth it. This is my wife cutting my hair off...
Final product! Living up to my screen name toMOHAWK18
Along with my mohawk, we have a group of about 10-12 friends and family who have either shaved their heads or gone mohawk in support of my wife,(including some women). Such a kind gesture! We are truly touched.
This process is in part how I found THP. You see, I have alot of time on my hands right now. When I am not at work, I am at home taking care of my wife, (mostly just being with her and laying around). So while I am at home, I spend alot of time on the web. In January I found THP. Now I spend alot of time on THP! I know that THP views itself as a golf forum, but it is so much more. It is an outlet. A momentary escape from the bad. This site has gotten me through some of the darkest days in my life. My wife will be sick and asleep, and I will be right next to her on my ipad talking about my 2nd love, golf, while she rests. I can only watch so much TV. I want to thank THP for that! From the bottom of my heart. All of you! Reading and posting on THP, mostly about golf, has helped me pass so much time. I haven't played a round of golf in a month, but I get to talk about it.
Also, a huge thanks to TC. He knows why!
My wife's outlook now is very good as her numbers have fallen to near 0, which is where she needs to be. Within the next few weeks, this should all be behind us, (praying). This has put much of my life into a perspective that I would never have seen before. I am thankful for that. Things that used to be important to me just aren't anymore. All that matters is my wife getting healthy.