Tomi P.

About Tomi P.

Kevin was my high school sweetheart. We truly grew up together. We were inseparable from the first time we met. We both graduated from Indiana University as diehard IU fans. Together we created a beautiful family of three girls and a boy at the end. He would have done anything for us. We ran more than 15 marathons together. He ran because I loved it and he wanted to be with me. The last marathon we did was in Carlsbad CA. I noticed he we struggling and he often complained of hip pain. Knowing we both are getting older we chalked it up to our age. The pain continued to worsen and the doctor thought maybe arthritis. He also did a prostate exam. Yes he had an enlarged prostate but nothing to be to concerned about. Quickly his pain increased and after doing a bone scan, which I watched as his whole body lit up, I knew we were in for the hardest run of our lives. He started radiation immediately but after one treatment could no longer stand to get to the next appointment. He spent the entire summer in the hospital being transferred to his radiation treatments by ambulance across the parking lot from the hospital. I slept every night on the couch next to his hospital bed. He was given only a few weeks when we entered the hospital but was stabilized and we were sent home. Amazingly with hopefully another 3-4 years. We spent everyday cherishing the time we had. I changed his IV daily until he was done with it, Took him to chemo treatments-taking the wheelchair in and out of the car, blood transfusions,. Trying to get him to eat anything he could. We vacationed to some of our favorite places even though he was so tired and in pain. I returned to teaching taking many days and weeks off to transport him appointments. One year to the day we were released from the hospital he was feeling very weak and I took him to the ER. His poor body had had enough and he was finally able to be free of the pain and suffering he had endured. I would never change the time I took to take care of him and in many ways I cherish those time. He truly knew that I loved him more than anything in the world and would have done anything to take his pain away and have my healthy husband and best friend back. So to those still going through this ,being caregiver is the most loving thing you can do by giving of yourself no matter what the outcome.