Cancer in a Pandemic

Part 1 - A Shocking Diagnosis

Cancer.

It’s the word nobody wants to hear.

This is the first of many posts about our journey through a diagnosis of cancer in the middle of a pandemic.

Cancer. It’s the word nobody wants to hear.

The word seemed to reverberate within my chest, sinking quickly into my unsuspecting stomach. As the doctor continued, my wife, Maritza, and I were hearing other unwelcome words, including, “the cancer has spread,” followed by “Stage 4.” We heard the news from a local doctor who quickly referred to a specialist in the Cancer Center at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital for more tests and eventual surgery.

The Snowy Mountains

Amidst all the beauty, signs of cancer are becoming visible.

We started to suspect that something was wrong when Maritza’s belly began to swell a month or two earlier. She had a few tests - nothing was conclusive, so we went on our planned trip to Australia to rest and lead a workshop. We were both tired from years of travel and ministry, and we couldn’t wait to see the beauty of The Snowy Mountains in Australia and lead the workshop. In the midst of the trip, we received two distressing bits of news. First, we got word that our dear friend, Anne, went to be with Jesus after a very tough fight with cancer. We also got the results of a few tests suggesting that Maritza might have cancer, but nothing to confirm such a diagnosis. We were totally stunned because Maritza has been the picture of health, healthy eating and had no real family history of cancer.

We arrived home in late February of 2020 to discover that our nation was gearing up for the new virus that nobody really seemed to understand. All we knew was that the lines at LAX were absurd - and the military and CDC were screening travelers. Within a week of returning home, Maritza had more tests, and we met with a specialist, Dr. Edward Levine, in the Cancer Center. He confirmed what we didn’t want to hear. Maritza had Stage 4 cancer of her appendix. It is a very rare cancer, with only one out of a million people diagnosed each year.

We listened in a mix of horror and amazement as Dr. Levine explained the problem. While initially confined to her appendix, the cancer grew large enough to burst through her appendix, filling her abdomen with cancer cells. It also filled her abdomen with a substance called Mucin made by the appendix to aid in digestion. One of the problems associated with this kind of cancer is that mucin eventually fills the abdomen until it looks like the patient is pregnant. Unfortunately, by the time this type of cancer is diagnosed, it has already spread, covering virtually every organ in the abdomen.

We were blessed to find that Dr. Levine is a national pioneer and innovator specializing in this type of cancer. The Cancer Center at Wake is rated tops in North Carolina, and Dr. Levine is chief of surgical oncology. We knew we were in good hands. Because of the possible shortage of hospital beds due to COVID, Maritza’s surgery was delayed until April 30.

The doctor did one more thing that day: he ordered us to quarantine us at home. Because cancer seriously compromises the immune system, we were not allowed out of the house. Exposure to COVID in her weakened state could be deadly. Aside from walks around the neighborhood, we were not allowed to go anywhere, visit anyone, or have anyone in our house. This included family, particularly my mom, who had just moved to an Assisted Living center near us. As I write this blog, we’ve been quarantined now for 15 months. It’s been a very long time!

But God…

We didn’t realize that we were about to experience God’s Grace and Presence in ways we never imagined.

In the middle of our distress, incredulity, and sorrow, God seemed determined to both comfort us and let us know that He was in this with us. He made it quite tangibly clear to us both: we were not alone.

We didn’t realize that we were about to experience God’s Grace and Presence in ways we never imagined. We were also going to discover how to care for each other, love, and share pain at an entirely new level. Quickly, I became Maritza’s primary caregiver - which meant leaving behind almost every aspect of ministry we’ve pursued since 2004. In addition, Maritza had to step away from the Christian Coaching Practice she’d been developing since then. With almost no warning, we would lose most of our income as ministry and coaching came to a screeching halt.

We are about to discover how years of ministry were the preparation we needed to get through this disease together, with our love growing deeper, our bond stronger, and a connection with God that was unshakeable. We were also about to experience the love and care of our community that still blows me away. Don’t get me wrong - these past 15 months have been the toughest, most challenging, painful. Yet, I feel blessed by a sense of reassurance that He is with me and will ultimately be faithful to us no matter what happens.

I’ll be sharing more of our story in future blogs. I will be blogging about many other things that interest me, but I’ll add to this narrative from time to time. Welcome to our journey!