The next couple of weeks passed quickly. Most of it for Eddie had been spent at doctors, hospitals, clinics. He knew technology had progressed to the point that results come soon after the process. Yet no results were forthcoming.
Julian and Sinead’s wedding day was one of great joy for all. Both Eddie and Joe as concelebrants, were equally involved in all parts of the liturgy and marriage blessings.
During the reception Julian took Eddie aside. “Eddie, please don’t be angry with me. I took it on myself to ask that all your results be held over until after our wedding. As you know, Si and I are having an overseas honeymoon but don’t fly out for a couple of days. I will go with you tomorrow, if that’s okay, to talk over where to from here.”
Eddie brushed aside his initial feeling of interference. “Thanks Julian. Do you know my results?”
“No,” answered Julian truthfully. “All I know is that they want to see you – possibly have some suggestions for treatment.”
The next day Eddie and Julian met at the office of the main physician. He introduced himself to both as Hugo Cavill.
“Eddie,” Hugo began softly. “I could talk on with medical jargon. But I think it’s only fair to you that we give you the truth – the straight-out truth.” He coughed. “I hate to have to tell you this. What you have, in plain English, is lung cancer… and unfortunately, in rather an advanced state. I’m so sorry.”
Eddie stared at him for a minute, then asked quietly, “Is there any treatment for it?”
“Naturally we want to do anything we can to stop it, or, better still, to shrink it. So we would strongly suggest that treatment commences immediately. But, unfortunately, we can’t promise miracles.”
Eddie smiled wanly, “When do we start?”
“As I said,” replied Hugo, “we need to begin treatment immediately.”
“Is treatment available in the far west?” Eddie asked.
“Some yes,” replied the physician. “But for the immediate initial treatment, we will need you down here.”
“Doesn’t sound so good,” Eddie whispered.
Hugo hesitated. “I wish I could say you have a great chance to beat it,” he answered quietly. “Lung cancer is always serious. And yours is in a fairly advanced stage.”
By the end of the following half hour the next few months of Eddie’s life had been planned.
Julian drove them both back to Eddie’s family home. “How do you want to do this mate? Would you like me to come in with you?”
“No,” Eddie replied. “Thanks Julian. You’ve been a tower of strength for me today. Now off you go on your honeymoon. I’ll be all right. Just one more thing …will you let Joe know these results please? Then… just you and Si, have a wonderful time. I’ll see you both when you return – with lots to tell, no doubt. And spare me a prayer now and then!”
“Sure thing,” answered Julian, waging a battle against tears that wanted to fall. Then, with a quick hug, “I’ll be in touch.”
As Eddie opened the front door, he knew he would need inner strength to break this news to this couple who had given him a second life.
“Only me,” he called as he closed the door. Both Tony and Margie seemed to appear from nowhere.
“Come in and sit down,” his mother smiled.
As he sat, looking into the faces of the two people who had done more for him than anyone else, the pain of his probable destiny that he had battled since hearing the verdict, burst out.
Tears poured, his body shook, as he realized the implication of his news. At once his mother was kneeling at his feet, his father standing behind him, now and then squeezing his shoulder. They allowed this burst of emotional pain to empty before his mother whispered, “Darling, we’re here with you.”
“Help me through this, “ he almost begged.
“Of course,” his father answered for both.
The clock ticked. No other sound pervaded the room for how long the three neither knew nor cared. Eventually Eddie whispered, “Thanks, Mum and Dad. I’m okay now. I suppose that had to come. Sorry you had to see it.”
His mother hugged him. His father whispered, almost incoherently, “We’re here for you all the time, any time, son. Always know that.”
Eddie nodded.
The afternoon stretched on. Little was said. Much was thought. As light began to fade Margie spoke softly, “Can’t have you all starving. I’ll get dinner underway.”
“Before you go, Mum,” Eddie quietly interrupted. “I’ve been thinking – just now. It seems pretty certain that my time is limited. There’s no point in going through ray and chemo with nasty side effects and find out I the end that it was all for nothing. I know doctors are encouraging me to give the treatment a go, even though, I think, deep down they don’t expect it to help. What I’d like to do is to have an honest talk with Sean, Julian’s father. Not as a doctor, but as a friend. Perhaps we could call around one night – whenever suits him – if that’s okay with him… and you.”
“I’ll call him,” Tony offered.
“Thanks, Dad. But tell him only when it suits.”
Minutes later Tony returned to the room to announce, “As it happens, Sean was going to phone us – they were going to call in this evening, if that was suitable to us.” Eddie smiled as he thought, you and Sean are poor liars. But he was grateful and expressed his gratitude when Sean Martin arrived a couple of hours later.
“Thanks so much for coming,” Eddie reiterated. “We don’t want to keep you too long, so, as a friend of many years and as a professional, I would be very grateful if you would give me your honest opinion on my chances – one way or the other.”
“Eddie, I would love to be able to give you answers. But there are some I do not have. Without treatment you would have no chance of survival whatsoever. Catching lung cancer in early stages this day and age, with the right treatment often gives the patient quite some extra years. But yours is not in early stages. With treatment – I have consulted your specialist physicians – you have about a 30% hope of holding the cancer at bay. Only a miracle would shrink it at this stage.”
“Would the treatment be extensive?”
“Yes. It would have to be. But that is not saying you would have all the nasty side-effects.”
“And how long would treatment hold the cancer at bay?”
“Hard to say. Varies with patients.”
“Okay. What is the average from your experience?”
Sean hesitated. “Very little, I’m afraid.”
After a minute’s silence, Eddie quietly remarked, “Sean, I do have another question. But it’s a personal one.”
“Fire away,” Sean answered.
“If you were in my position, what would you do?”
Seconds passed before Sean answered slowly, “ Honestly, Eddie… I really don’t know.”
By the end of the evening, Eddie had made his decision.
It had been a long, hard day. After supper and farewelling Sean, Eddie hugged his parents ‘good night’ and retired to his room. He fell into bed but sleep evaded him.‘
I know, God,’ he whispered. ‘I know You’ll help me through. There are so few answers to the ‘whys’. I know I’m going to need lots of help. I will try to keep my trust in you always, but we both know that I will be questioning for the rest of my journey.’
Bit by bit as he talked to his God, he planned the next few weeks he hoped he would be spared. Sleep eventually enveloped him.