A Beautiful Disaster – Part 2
by Rachel Minion
and Jon Minion
Fast forward to a few weeks after my appendix burst. I’m sitting in the surgeon’s waiting room. It’s a Friday afternoon and I’m excited for the weekend.
Things were on the up and up. I had a successful surgery to remove my encapsulated appendix. Summer in Chicago is incredible. We found a rooftop bar where we can hear live acoustic music while watching the sun go down. On top of that, I accepted a new position and turned in my resignation letter. It’s time for a celebration, or so I thought.
I’m a lucky guy. Rachel was amazing through surgery and is recovering great. And my mom was able to drive over from Iowa and spend a few days with us while Rachel was in the hospital. We are very fortunate and thankful for this time she was able to give us. It allowed me the opportunity to take care of some things at the house while she stayed with Rachel. We had the monsters taken care of. I don’t know how we would have done it without her. Thanks mom!
Looking back now, it seems odd to me that they told me I could come by myself for the appointment.
Yep, come alone. We asked multiple times. Rachel was confident in driving down to the hospital and handling the follow-up, so I went to work thinking it was just another day.
I was sitting in this lovely brick building (with no cell service) and the Doctor is running about an hour and a half late. It’s no big deal because I turned in my resignation letter the day before and I can make up my hours this weekend.
“They’re running late”, she texts. No worries. I’ll get out of the office as soon as I can and take care of the monsters. Then we can celebrate cause it’s Friday and this appendix problem will be behind us soon.
It’s finally my turn to head to the back. Normally the Nurses are joking around with me, but today was different. They sent the Doctor and a different Nurse into the room to see me.
Without missing a beat, the Doctor says, “SO YOU HAVE CANCER.”
A few more minutes of sitting and staring at each other and they could see the words couldn’t come out. Most people would ask for next steps or prognosis. I wasn’t there yet. I was still in denial. The questions were circling around my head like some horrible hallucination.
The Doctor senses that it’s the time to discuss next steps and the next surgery I need. The tumor was small and spotted on a biopsy only a week after my first surgery so we needed one more surgery to make sure that they got clear margins. They never would have found this had my appendix not burst. It most likely would have spread to colon cancer. That is the bright side.
The not-so-bright side started taking over all the rest of my thoughts:
- HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS?
- How can I have cancer in my mid-thirties?
- I just got married, am I going to live long enough to have children?
- I can’t leave my family just yet.
- I don’t want to die.
- Is this something I can tell my support network?
- How am I going to get through any phone call from my support network after I tell them I have cancer?
- Have I even lived yet? How can I start thinking about dying?
- I’m a terrible patient, do I really want to do another surgery?
- What if I need chemo or radiation?
How can I just make this death spiral of horrible questions stop?
You can imagine. The minute you hear the C-word, life changes and it changes immediately. The things that seemed so incredibly important 5 minutes before were now insignificant.
I can’t imagine how she felt. Alone. Confused. Scared. I had no idea this was happening. This was supposed to be a routine follow-up! I should have been there with her. I should not have listened to the doctors when they said she can come alone. She should not be alone.
As you can see, the last thing a person diagnosed with cancer even thinks about is basic needs. We all need food, laundry, childcare, dog care, transportation. Thinking about how to handle any of these basic needs is overwhelming. Thinking about how to tell your support network and project manage incoming support is even more overwhelming.
This is why we created Beyond Basic Needs. We are a nonprofit that meets people where they are today on their cancer journey. Our Chemo Care Kit program is designed to provide support to those who need it most.
For Cancer Warriors undergoing chemotherapy, we provide Chemo Care Kits. We believe these kits inspire, uplift, and help our community thrive during this challenging time. 100% of all donations to Beyond Basic Needs go to fulfilling these kits at no cost to the recipient.
A Chemo Care Kit is designed for cancer warriors undergoing chemotherapy. Each kit contains a port pillow, comfy socks, lip balm, and a variety of goodies that these warriors deserve. A Port Pillow protects the port from the seat belt.
More from Beyond the Blog
Creating an Emotional Support System During Treatment and Recovery
Embarking on the path of cancer treatment and recovery is undeniably taxing, both physically and emotionally. During such pivotal moments, an emotional support system is an essential pillar, offering comfort, understanding, and a sense of community. Here's a guide to...
Understanding Healthy Coping Strategies for Post-Cancer Patients
The journey of a cancer patient doesn't end with the completion of treatment. The post-treatment phase, often referred to as survivorship, brings its own set of challenges and emotions. While the relief of completing treatment is immense, the shadow of the experience...
How Non-profits are Making a Difference in the Lives of Those Battling Cancer
In the face of a cancer diagnosis, patients and their families often grapple with a whirlwind of emotions, medical decisions, and financial challenges. Amidst this tumultuous journey, numerous non-profit organizations have emerged as beacons of hope, providing...
The Power of Community Involvement When Someone is Fighting Cancer
Fighting cancer is a challenging journey that requires a lot of strength and support. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it affects them, their loved ones, and the entire community. This is why community involvement can significantly support cancer warriors and...
How to Create a Positive Mindset During Treatment and Recovery
Dealing with cancer is never easy. Not only is it physically exhausting, but it can also take a toll on your mental health. The anxiety and stress of treatment can quickly become overwhelming if you don't have the right mindset. But how do you create a positive...
Tips on Managing Stress and Anxiety During Treatment
A cancer diagnosis can not only affect the physical health of the person but also their mental wellbeing. Treatment can be a long and stressful process that requires immense strength and courage. Along with medical care and support, self-care can be crucial in...
Making an Impact During Women’s History Month
“March is the month of expectation.” - Emily Dickinson What can we expect from this March? For starters, it is a very important month for women worldwide as we commemorate Women’s History Month. From Beyond Basic Needs, we are dedicating this month to supporting women...
Giving Tuesday: Time To Give Back
Generosity is often thought of as a simple act of giving. But it's so much more than that. It's about being kind and caring, lending a helping hand, and making a difference in the lives of others. Generosity is one of the most important virtues we can aspire to...
Chemo Care Kits: Behind The Scenes
Chemotherapy can be a tough road to travel, but our Chemo Care Kits can help make the journey a little bit easier. We want to share more details about us and the beginnings of Chemo Care Kits, so we went straight to the source of the idea: Michelle Long, a breast...
What People Are Saying About Our Chemo Care Kits
Cancer is a tough battle to fight alone. At Beyond Basic Needs, we do everything in our hands to support cancer patients and their families so they don’t feel alone in this journey. We understand firsthand the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and are dedicated to...
How Can I Start a Fundraiser To Benefit Beyond Basic Needs
At Beyond Basic Needs, we believe no one should go through cancer treatment alone, which is why we work daily to provide a better today for cancer warriors undergoing chemo. But we can't do it without your help. Today is the perfect time to start supporting cancer...
What You Need To Know About A Chemo Care Kit
For many of us, cancer is a scary word. We never want to hear it, and we pray it never affects our loved ones. However, for far too many people, cancer is a real part of their lives. In the U.S. alone, it's estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed...
Giving Back with the Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program
Have you ever wished there was an easy way to give back to your community? Well, there is with the Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program! Not only does this program help out local non-profits, but it also helps to reduce single-use plastics. So you can feel good about...
Beyond Basic Needs: Supporting Cancer Warriors One Chemo Care Kit at a Time
It's hard when your doctor starts the conversation with "you have cancer." No one wants to hear that. Unfortunately, cancer is a reality for many people. And, once you get that diagnosis, everything changes—your focus shifts from living your life to fighting for your...
How Can I Support My Friend Who Was Diagnosed With Cancer?
It can be tough to know how to show your support for a loved one with cancer. You want to do everything you can to support them, but it's hard to know what to do. You may feel like you need to tiptoe around them or avoid asking specific questions. You may also feel...
Partner with Beyond Basic Needs
We spend hundreds of hours with our coworkers. We know about their families, their hobbies, their pets, and now we see what the insides of their homes look like. However, it’s my experience in a corporate setting; the minute a medical event happens, we freeze. Team...
How to Setup a Fundraiser on Instagram
Did you know you could set up a Fundraiser on Instagram to benefit Beyond Basic Needs in less than 2 minutes? 1. To get started on Instagram, click Create a Post or '(+)' in the top right of your screen. 2. Tap 'post' and select a photo (images are available here) 3....
How to Setup a Fundraiser on Facebook
Did you know you could set up a Fundraiser on Facebook to benefit Beyond Basic Needs in less than 2 minutes? To get started on Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/fund/beyondbasicneeds/ If this link isn't working for you, please visit Beyond Basic Needs in the...
From Darkness to Light
by Mikaela Rossman Clark There are firsts in life that you always remember. Your first kiss. First pet. First roller coaster ride. The first time you hop on a plane for an epic adventure. And for me--the first time I heard the word ‘cancer’ from a doctor...
How to Help Your Coworker After a Medical Event
It’s almost astounding, but the data is there. Pre-COVID, we may have spent more time with our co-workers per week than with our families. Working 40+ hours a week with 80%+ of your time in meetings, you get to know these team members personally. Once COVID hit, we...
How Not to Tell Your Support Network You Have Cancer
by Rachel Minionand Jon Minion In theory, there is no right or wrong way to tell your support network you have cancer. In reality, there is a 100% wrong way. Going back to my appointment, I was seen late, my appointment took forever and now it’s about 4:30pm. I shoot...
A Beautiful Disaster – Part 1
by Rachel Minionand Jon Minion It was an amazing day in Manhattan. I was flying high, ready to walk into that Verizon Executive Conference and rock this meeting. While I can’t remember if the meeting was located in the Adobe or Google offices, I will tell you that it...