Beating the odds

As most of you reading this will know my mother died almost 2 and a half years ago of breast cancer.
6 Months after my mum died, my dad was diagnosed with a large and aggressive tumor of the esophagus.

He had 3 months of solid chemo.
The tumor shrunk and he had a 9 hour surgery to remove the tumor, and then for his esophagus to be reconstructed with part of his stomach.
Follow up was another 4 months of chemo.

When my dad was first diagnosed, I did my research.
The statistics where not good.
Only 20-30 % of these cancers ever become operable.
Dad tumour was large im talking base ball sized tumor to the point where he lost 8 kilos in one week from throwing up so much..
We assumed it was depression.

His treatment was not easy, it was long and painful.
He developed blood clots.
A bad infection in his pick like (This is an IV that goes threw the arm and directly above the muscles near the heart in order to get the chemo in quicker)
He had chemo pretty much non stop for 7 months as it was always on him.
My dad did not have high hopes, at first the doctors wouldnt even give him odds.
The odds he gave were not good.
For anyone who's had a loved one pass, the look on someones face when a doctor tells you someone may die, is not a good one.
I've seen that face too many times.


Today marked almost 2 years since dad diagnosis, reading through my old journals I found it hard to process everything that was going on.
At the same time I was having a very messy and LONGGGGGGGG break up.
I also had my jaw surgery.
But most of all, I was so scared of losing my dad.
He may be at times a giant pain in the ass, but he is a GOOD man, a HARD WORKING man, who didn't deserve any of the things thrown at him.

I know there's no positive side to cancer, but my dad was morbidly obeses.
He lost around 35-40 Kgs (90lbs) because of the cancer.
This in itself has changed his life.

My dad is currently in remission.
Only 2 years in, he has survived more than 75 % of people diagnosed with this cancer.
As time moves forward, his odd's get better.
I am realistic, but optimistic that my dad will live to be a silly old man. (He's only 50)
I love him more than words can say, and I'm so glad he's still beside me as I walk through life.
Coz I couldn't imagine it without him.

Congrats to you dad, for being the odds.