ONE MORE CHRISTMAS

56 year old "Diane" suffers from throat cancer. She lives with her adult daughter, "Julie" and six year old grandson, "Jess". Diane had to quit her job six months ago due to her illness. She loved her job and it was a huge loss to her to have to leave it.

Diane's voice is very hoarse and she has difficulty speaking. People have a hard time hearing her on the telephone. Two of her closest girlfriends live out of state and the telephone was their primary support to each other.

Diane loves Christmas and was looking forward to having one more Christmas in five months. That hope was shattered earlier this week when her doctor said she would likely survive for only one month unless she agreed to have a tracheotomy placed. Diane chose not to have one inserted because of the complications she perceives she would have with one placed. I encouraged her to talk to other patients that have lived with a tracheotomy. Diane said that her uncle had one, which made her more determined in her decision.

I went out to do a visit this week and Diane was very tearful, but had come to terms with her choice of not having a tracheotomy placed. With this new development, she feels that life has been so unfair to her. She said her biggest regret is that she won't be able to celebrate another Christmas.


ONE MORE CHRISTMAS

All she wants it to make it.
To make it five more months.
To live until December 25th.
To celebrate one more Christmas.

She thought she had more time.
She thought she'd see next year,
until her doctor said to her,
"It's likely one more month."

It took her by surprise.
The news was a total shock.
It knocked her off her feet.
Her world turned upside down.

She's trying to regain control.
She's orgnizing; she's rearranging.
She's making memorial plans.
But then all she wants is
one more Christmas.

She can still plan her holiday.
She can wrap presents and enjoy a tree.
Who says Christmas has to be in December
when one can celebrate in July.