In the blink of an eye

We have all known someone who has had cancer and there are few who have not lost someone to cancer. But there are people in our lives that just should not be touched by this disease.

My best friend was diagnosed with cancer 7 years ago. We sat on my front steps and cried while she told me her diagnosis. The treatments were very hard on her and painful to watch but it appeared to have worked. Sadly the cancer is back - with a vengeance. She will be gone in less than a year. She has asked for normal and I have promised her normal. I enjoy the time we spend together but losing her will leave a hole in my heart and a sadness I will not think about now. I thought this news was the worst this year could bring - I was wrong.

My husband went to the doctor the 30th of May because he thought he had a chest infection. The doctor sent him directly to the hospital due to results from blood work. At the hospital he was put directly on oxygen. The chest x-ray was clear so the tests began in earnest. On day 4 the liver biopsy came back and it was cancer. The MRI confirmed the cancer was throughout his body. On the 5th day after watching his blood oxygen levels go down and the need for increased supplemental oxygen go up plus a scare with his blood pressure he was moved to ICU. The doctors told me to call family. How could this be? In the late afternoon of day 6 the ICU team worked on Jim for an hour - they brought him back twice after his blood pressure crashed. The second time, as I held his hand and my tears fell on his chest, he tried to tell me he loved me over and over around the endotracheal tube. We lost him the third time his pressure crashed, ultimately to Massive Pulmonary Embolism. Most of his family didn't make it in time. Six days from a tight feeling in his chest to death. We didn't even know he had cancer, we didn't have a chance to fight it. I lost the love of my live in 6 very short days.

I had previously received permission from Susan Fiedler to use her artwork for a tattoo. Three days after Jim was torn from our lives my 3 children and I sat in the local tattoo shop and had the fuckcancer artwork tattooed on our skin. My daughters and son boarded their aircraft 4 hours after we were done and flew home. I still wear my bracelet but I felt compelled to make a stronger statement with the tattoo. So did my children.

I have had amazing support from our families, friends and our Westjet family - but everyone is still struggling with how quickly we lost him.

I now encourage anyone that feels something just isn't right with their health to see their doctor. Jim didn't complain of anything and was working as he always did prior to going into the hospital, but in hindsight I am certain he knew something wasn't right. I also stress to anyone that will listen to not sweat the small stuff - it just isn't important. Life is too short - live it well and embrace it!