I didn't fully understand what Kelly's diagnosis meant. I knew that it was serious, especially with Kelly's reaction. I knew leukemia was a form of cancer but I didn't know much else. I sat in disbelief but I still had a peace. I just really wanted the oncologist to visit so we could have a game plan.
I started making the phone calls one by one. First, I called my in-laws. Next, I called my parents. Then I called brothers, sisters, other family and friends. I numbly spoke, just going through the motions; the hardest part being that I had no definitive answers.
The nurse came to check in. It was the nurse from the day before. She took Kelly's blood pressure and the tone in her voice was understanding and reassuring. She told us that she normally did not round on the floor Kelly was on. She is actually an oncology nurse. She was filling in because they were shorthanded.
After a temperature check and a pain assessment she told us that Kelly would probably be transferred to the oncology floor the next day. She confirmed that we would probably be seeing her again as she was going back to oncology in a few days. We asked questions, hoping to get the answers we so desperately needed. She was careful to generalize in order to inform us but was careful to not give us too much information as we waited for the doctor to arrive.
We made small talk about the weather and our vacation we just went on. She ended up telling us that the plan had been for Kelly to have a spinal tap earlier that day and if it was clear we were going to be sent home. We shook our heads in agreement that we understood it that way as well.
The nurse went on to explain that when she came by the day before and Kelly stated that his face was numb she knew something wasn't right. When there is numbness in the face it is caused by a nerve not sending the signal correctly. When she walked out of the room it was because she told the doctor that Kelly should have a bone marrow biopsy before he is discharged.
An oncology nurse, on a floor helping, highly recommended the doctor perform the biopsy that diagnosed my husband. A nurse saved my husband's life. I don't believe she was there by chance. I know God orchestrated the whole thing. Yes, the diagnosis was hard. Yes, we had a long road ahead of us. But, if that nurse wasn't there that day, my husband wouldn't be here. My children wouldn't be here.
Life can be hard but God is working in every situation. It may not be apparent at that very moment but all around us are blessings.