Being Nurse Ratched: On maintaining strength during Noreen's latest challenge

My wife has endured more than her fair share of pain. And it continues. It has been over three weeks. Noreen spent eight days in the hospital and then came home to recuperate.

I am Nurse Ratched. I can change dressings and deal with Noreen's gallbladder drain. Giving shots are my specialty, so look out.

Pain control is important. Nor has pain from three sources: 1.) gallbladder, 2.) ribs, requiring Neupogen injections to enable her bone marrow create more red blood cells to fight infection (her No. 3 source of pain).

It's all about "fighting," and Noreen is the champion in my book.

Because Noreen's markers have increased, with the gallbladder and the ribs happening at the same time,‎ her doctors have decided to stop the chemo (this is the drug which Noreen and her Foundation have backed financially, and for which she has made four trips to Washington DC lobbying the FDA— which ended a "WIN" with the drug being fast-tracked by the FDA for use by patients with advanced metastatic disease).

Noreen is disappointed in the turn of events and we are waiting for the doctors to come up with a new strategy. She hates to be confined to bed. Nurse Ratched is tough, and I am getting her to walk a little each day.

Nurse Ratched loves his wife more than life itself.