Jacques continues to recover from his surgery. When I saw him in hospital on Monday, he was in considerable discomfort thus my visit was a short one. There is a pain pump at his bedside for relief but Jacques insists on using it judiciously. He wasn't eating solid food yet but dreams of tomatoes, yellow beans and raspberries.
Although I didn’t bring him a gift of flowers or a card, I did bring him my tattered copy of the novena prayer to the Canadian Martyrs, the one I used during my cancer time last year. I hope he can gain some solace from knowing that as a French Canadian, he has a special place in the heart of all the martyrs, in particular, Jean de Brebeuf.
On Tuesday, Jacques fought nausea all day until it was determined that he must be allergic to the morphine pain killer.
When I visited Wednesday, his characteristic ruddy colouring was returning to his cheeks. He was resting comfortably in bed after just finishing several long corridor walks and a morning shower. He had eaten strawberry jello for breakfast and was craving ice cream…that must be a good sign.
We discussed his surgery and much to my surprise and relief, Jacques explained that although his tumor was not removed, the doctor has assured him that it has not spread to other organs, that rather, it surrounds two other organs. It appears that his family, in their anxiety, misinterpreted the doctor’s original post-op message. Too bad he couldn’t have spoken to them en francais.
This morning, Jacques sounded great on the phone. He is eating solid food and feels his strength is returning. He looks forward to getting home by Sunday so he can get some uninterrupted sleep and some of his sister Fran’s home cooking.
Jacques knows that although his future is unclear at this point, his present is filled with the trust that comes from knowing that it God's will that is being done.
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