things known

We now know that Mitchell has more than likely had cancer for at least the last 3 years. We know that he most definitely has Stage 3 Colorectal Cancer and possibly HNPCC, a hereditary syndrome. We know that he will begin adjuvant chemotherapy in the next 2 to 3 weeks, and his treatment will last for at least 6 months. We know that the tumor perforated his bowel which caused cancerous cells to spill into his abdomen, leading to a microscopic spread of the cancer. We know that his cancer is treatable, and that the next 2 years will be crucial to his survival.

the worst things

• Discovering you were getting a birthday massage & facial while your husband was admitting himself to the hospital
• A simple 35 minute appendectomy turning into a several hours long emergency tumor removal and colon resection
• Husband's surgeon calling you at 1:37 am from the hospital to inform you that "although things are fine", they did not go as planned
• Calling family in the middle of the night
• Watching his face as the surgeon tells him for the 3rd time that No, he didn't just have an appendectomy and it's much more serious
• Waiting for pathology reports
• Receiving pathology reports
• Colon Cancer
• Metastasized
• Lymph Nodes
• Oncologists
• Trying to live in the moment because you're afraid of tomorrow