Calgary EUA

Normally the Low's travel to Toronto for EUA's.  Dr. Gallie has recently started traveling to Calgary to do some examinations! We were able to get Luke booked into her first day in the operating room in Calgary.  Not all services are being offered at the new clinic just yet, but she was able to do an EUA for Luke here, yesterday.

Luke and daddy before EUA

It was decided that Luke will need his Left Eye enucleated (removed).  That procedure will take place December 3.  It's never easy hearing about an eye removal, but this will be the 3rd one for Leslie and Richard.  They have decided to focus on the blessing that each of the triplets has one good eye.

Thomas and Mason were able to hang out with their Rb friends while Luke had his EUA.  Olivia has Retinoblastoma too, and she and her family have been such a blessing to our family.  Accompanying us on our first trip to Toronto...  Answering our never ending questions...  And now, hosting the Low's while in Calgary.

All in all, things are good.  In the past we've felt like we were getting into the groove of routines, and then Mason had his scare.  But we are hopeful that after Luke's enucleation, a lot of uncertainty will be removed and this can become a 'maintenance' battle, more than a constant battle of worst case scenarios.

Cancer is a strange experience, full of low lows, and high highs.  The worry, fear, anxiety, worst case scenarios, and treatments can make life a living nightmare.  But then come the prayers, the kind words, the donations, the service rendered and it turns that nightmare into a beautiful journey.

We've been following a cancer story of a young father (named Nate Houle) who had a tumor develop in his sinus cavity.  He went through a 15+ hour surgery to basically have half his face removed.  Going into the surgery, it was anticipated he would lose his eye.

As Leslie finished up Luke's exam yesterday, and learned that Luke needed an enucleation, I (emily) happened to text her an update that Nate was able to keep his eye!  After I sent the text, I immediately had a pang in my stomach.  I hurried and sent another text saying I was sorry for being insensitive, and for delivering news that someone else got to keep an eye, when Luke doesn't.

Leslie's responding text made me cry:
"Awesome news for them.  That's the funny thing about cancer.  You never are angry when someone else gets a miracle, even if you didn't.  Sometimes you wish you could have your own miracle, but you would NEVER want to take someone else's miracle away from them."

Boy.  What an example to me.  Since I write most of Leslie's blog posts, I get to tell stories that she and Richard never would if they were writing it themselves, they are too humble.  :)