Breeze Y.

About Breeze Y.

Hello! My name is Breeze Yanish and I am from Grand Forks, North Dakota! Here is my caregiver story:

One of the greatest titles in the world is parent, and one of the greatest blessings in the world is to have someone to call your parent(s)! David is my ONE parent who took on the role of being my mother & father. He’s actually my maternal Uncle, but the title “uncle” doesn’t even reach close to the role he’s played in my life since the day I was born! It’s hard to put into words how much he means to me, but let me try before I jump into my side of this caregiving story. I came into the world just 2 weeks before his mom (my grandma) passed away from complications of a brain aneurysm. His mom was his best friend and they had an inseparable bond. During the hardest time of his life he chose to selflessly devote himself to raising me. He has been there for me through all of life’s ups and downs and has shown me what it takes to be the best parent. He has always been able to keep me grounded and level headed through life’s toughest times, and has also been my biggest cheerleader in all of life’s greatest times. He is truly my rock and savior. He has sacrificed so much for me and I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without him. He’s not only the best parent I could have ever been blessed with, but is also my very best friend (teenager me would have never seen it that way ;D).

Fast forward to June 12th, 2018. He called me that morning while I was at work and told me that he decided to drive 3 hours to go see his doctor for a check up because he had been experiencing some swelling in his legs. He said that they did some tests and they were going to prescribe him some medications and he would call me on his way home.

Little did I know my world would forever change that day. Two hours later I got a call from a close friend of ours that lives near where he was being seen, he told me that the doctor came in and told him that he has liver, kidney, and bladder cancer, he was in aFib, and his heart rate and blood pressure were extremely high. They told him he wouldn’t be driving himself home, that he had the option to go in ambulance back to Grand Forks or airlifted to another city. Our friend said he was being loaded into the ambulance and being transported back to our local hospital. That 2.5 hour ambulance transport was the worst time of my life- I felt awful he was there alone when they told him all of this and my husband and I couldn’t wait to be by his side.

The following week was a complete emotional rollercoaster, definitely some of the longest days of our lives. After a week full of tests, and a 6-day hospital stay, we had finally began to get some answers. The initial diagnoses the first doctor gave him were completely wrong. He has stage four prostate cancer. The prostate tumor was so large that it was obstructing his bladder and blocking one of his kidneys which had caused a lot of swelling and discomfort. But we left the hospital very hopeful with the solid treatment plan that was in place!

He went home with a temporary catheter, nephrostomy draining his kidney for 6 weeks, and many follow up appointments. I have stayed on top of scheduling appointments, medication reviews and refills, being persistent with trying to resolve insurance issues, and literally anything I could do to help him. Cancer patients should never have to go through this alone. It took over a month for him to start feeling better, but it was such a relief to see and he has come so far since then.

I wouldn’t change anything if it meant I didn’t get to be by his side through it. I’m amazed that with all the trials one thing had never faltered, and that was his strength. Although no ones future is ever certain, one thing I know is that he will fight through this battle! I’ve always said he has to live until he’s at least 100, which means he’s got a longgggg ways to go! He is by far the strongest person I have ever met and I can’t ever imagine not having him in my life.

Here’s to cherishing every moment with our loved ones, because we never know what the future holds. XOXO

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