{"id":14257,"date":"2025-06-01T14:22:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T21:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mattfife.com\/?p=14257"},"modified":"2025-05-26T20:23:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T03:23:17","slug":"sorrowful-mysteries-as-a-cancer-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mattfife.com\/?p=14257","title":{"rendered":"Sorrowful Mysteries as a cancer journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2 years ago, I saw the words nobody wants to read on what was supposed to be a routine checkup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cancer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I got notification of test result at 4:45pm on a Friday afternoon. It was a normal screening procedure that I had almost forgotten about. They had only one sample to send in as a precaution. I was getting ready to go to a fun social event in an hour, so I decided to check it out since I had the time. There it was, in black and white, a report that clearly found cancer. Half-dazed, I read through the biopsy report dozens of times and looked up everything in the report to understand it. A clearly not good spread level and other characteristics that could not be denied. By the time I read the report – it was already after 5pm and my doctor’s office was closed. I called and left a message with my number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was little else to do but go to the social event and enjoy being with friends. I tried to enjoy myself but didn’t mention anything. Maybe this was all a mistake – or the wrong patient. Mistakes can happen. After playing phone tag until Sunday, I was finally in contact with my doctor. There was no mistake. He was referring me to the oncologist. I scheduled the appointments and started telling those close to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As all cancer patients will tell you – what comes next is a whirlwind of shock, tests, insurance calls, and doctors appointments. All the while you wonder – how bad is it? What stage of cancer do I have? Has it spread? Will I survive? I read up on as much as I could. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To answer those questions, you take lots of tests. A CT scan was scheduled, but waiting 2 weeks for a scan felt like forever. I called the poor CT scan scheduler each morning about cancelations. Within 5 days I got a slot. A day later, I was informed it did not seem the initial cancer had obviously spread – but there was something odd on one kidney that would require an MRI to resolve. Another scheduled appointment, and more waiting. I got in to my MRI and got the scan. I was halfway home when my phone notified me a result was already back. I got off the interstate and parked along the road and read the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kidney cancer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Really? 2 cancers? At the same time? I remember almost laughing while talking to God. Really? We’re going to do this? Well – if this is it for me – then Lord, please make this mean something or do some good for someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More oncologists, more doctors visits, preparing time off from work, more planning. It took me about 2 months until all the surgical teams could be arranged with the special new robotic surgery devices they required. Surgery would be the first week of January 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All during the run-up to the surgery, it was a lot of waiting and praying. It was also Advent – a season of anticipation of the arrival of Jesus in the darkness of death. I was going to daily mass, praying extra every day, arranged an anointing of the sick, and a did a general confession. But it was during the rosary that I began to find a special connection – to the sorrowful mysteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each week on Sunday, I’ll try to post what each mystery taught me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2 years ago, I saw the words nobody wants to read on what was supposed to be a routine checkup. Cancer I got notification of test result at 4:45pm on a Friday afternoon. It was a normal screening procedure that I had almost forgotten about. They had only one sample to send in as a precaution. I was getting ready to go to a fun social event in an hour, so I decided to check it out since I had…<\/p>\n

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