cancer can just go suck it

SuperHubby’s Uncle has esophageal cancer and has just started a pretty aggressive chemo regimen. This is serious sucky stuff so send some Get His Groove Back prayers out to Uncle Larry, ‘kay? He needs them, so does Aunt Betty.

I’m sick & tired of that fucking mutant disease and the destruction it leaves in its wake. An avalanche of worry, fear, sickness and pain. If the gods are in a benevolent mood, there might be a reprieve, a safety net, tears of relief to wash away the ugly stain of the what if’s. If not…well then.

Uncle Larry? He’s a stand up guy. Husband, Father, Firefighter, all around nice man. I can’t claim to know him that well, him living in New Orleans and us up here in NJ, but the few times we have spent together impressed upon that here is a man who is kind, loving and at ease with himself. He has that slow Louisiana drawl that inspires thoughts of glider porches, cold beer and sultry air. Quiet competence.

We took a trip down to New Orleans the April before Hurricane Katrina blew in and buried Uncle Larry and Aunt Betty’s house in fetid swamp water up to the ceiling. We spent a day wandering around the quarter, Uncle Larry buying me a different local beer every few blocks as we meandered to the New Orleans Aquarium. I’ve never enjoyed a tipsier stroll through an aquarium before. The fish take on a whole new dimension when seen through the haze of multiple beers whose potency might still be undeclared.

We barbecued in their backyard, listened to Zydeco sitting under the stars, talking and drinking even more beer until the early hours of the morning. I felt like I had known them all my life.

Just a few weeks ago I was doing some research on Google and a satellite image of their old address showed an empty lot, as if it that house had never existed, except for the memories of those that lived, loved and grew within the walls that Mother Nature blew down to carelessly. After the storm Uncle Larry and Aunt Betty went back to that house, tried to salvage what they could and decide if rebuilding their life, that house, in that spot, would be worth the fight. They chose to move up near Baton Rouge, closer to their grand children.

Today Uncle Larry, the stalwart Firefighter that fought to save so many homes and people, he’s fighting for his life against something that struck him with all the might of another Katrina, only this storm crept in silently with no time to move out of its path.

The chemo is kicking his ass, quickly, making him sick and miserable. It’s difficult to retain the positive thoughts, the inner strength of will, that fighting this disease requires when the treatment takes a huge bite out of a person’s reserves. But he has love and support on his side, family around him that cares and doctors who responded quickly. And frankly, I think he’s strong enough to kick some ass back. Those Southern Gents are hard to take down.

So, please send some Internet Love down Uncle Larry’s way. That kind of Karma comes back around when it is needed most.