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Around the beginning of August 2020, Peter developed a cough and pain in his chest. At first we thought it had something to do with his sleep machine over-inflating his lung due to weight loss, but after it was recalibrated he continued to have side effects. Around October he went and had X-Rays done and we were told he had a problem with his diaphragm being shoved up against his left lung. Tests were ordered and scheduled, but not for the beginning of the year. Meanwhile as the days went by, Peter's symptoms increased; he lost his voice, his pain grew and he had difficulty breathing.
Around the Holidays his condition went downhill, and just a few days before New Years his left arm became swollen. After seeing the doctor and discovering he had blood clots, we took him to the ER. The worst we thought would happen was that he would need surgery to fix the blood clots, but around midnight of December 29th we found out it was cancer. He has a tumor within his chest cavity and intertwined with arteries and pressing a nerve to his voice box. The mass is inoperable. It is a rare form of Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma called Double Hit Lymphoma and it is very aggressive.
No one expects to hear the word "cancer" being assigned to your loved one, to your life, becoming the main focus of every single day. It came as such a shock because for so long we'd assumed he had an issue with his diaphragm. Our new normal consists of days spinning with tests and doctor's appointments, chemotherapy and medical procedures- all in the name of defeating this thing that's invaded one man's health. We have full confidence in God. He has seen this family through so many trials, and He is not finished with our story, with Peter's story.
