When lightning strikes twice: A tale of love, lies, and illness

A woman in hospital bed. (Courtesy/iStock)

“I don’t want to die!” cried the young lady seated in front of me.

“You won’t die,” I reassured her, “just because you have escorted a cancer patient to our clinic does not mean you will get it.” She continued wailing. I decided to let her be as I looked through the file of Jill, the patient she escorted to the clinic.

We had met a year ago when Jack and Jill came to the clinic.

The referral note in front of me said, “Kindly explore expectations and treat pain.”

Jack explained his wife had cervical cancer and although treatment was still ongoing, they had other problems that needed sorting out. Luckily for them, somebody suggested they would get support in the Palliative Care Unit.

Jack took his wife’s hand, sat upright and started talking. His darling wife Jill had been diagnosed with cervical cancer two years ago and received extensive treatment that included brachytherapy, stents for her kidneys and chemotherapy.

He supported her through the treatment.

He turned and signed her to continue.

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“We want to get a baby as the treatment continues because if anything ever happens to me Jack will be lonely.”

Hope can be an anchor for the soul and sometimes it’s the only thing left to give.

They were a well travelled couple and had a successful travel agency. They had no children together although they had tried specialised gynecological care before Jill got sick. Did either have a child? That question went unanswered.

The travel agency was running well and now that a lot of time was spent away from the business an able assistant had been found to help out. She was a distant cousin to Jack and could be trusted with the finances.

We discussed why artificial insemination was difficult. However, Jill told me about a prayerful man of God who saw her with child. With a prescription for painkillers, a sleep aid and an appetizer we all lifted our eyes up and looked to the heavens for divine intervention.

For the next few months as we gave Jill the best quality of life possible Jack held her hand. Occasionally when he was away, their able assistant would accompany Jill to the clinic.

During that time I took an opportunity to educate her assistant about early screening for cancer and shared with her the Ministry of Health recommendations. She promised to get the necessary screening done as recommended. Today I had a very distressed cousin sitting in front of me.

“I think God is punishing me, oh no. What am I going to do?”

Her questions were even more confusing: “Is cancer of the cervix contagious?” No it’s not. However, the HPV virus associated with it can be passed on.

With that she thrust a paper in front of me I look, a positive PAP smear result.

She let out a loud wail, : Jack has infected me!”

“He can’t, unless you are having sex with your cousin.”

“He is not my cousin; he was never my cousin, we lied.”

She went on to explain she was not a cousin but a long time lover to Jack. They even have a child together and when Jill got sick, she joined the company to help out.

As I took her through the diagnosis and treatment for cervical cancer I wonder at the complexity of the situation. I gave her hope for a cure given that she had very early cervical cancer, thanks to her appreciation of the cancer screening guideline we had shared.

Her challenge is how to keep the diagnosis from her employer and other staff members of the tour firm. She needs the company to pay for treatment which must start immediately. So, what is she to do?

The situation is tricky for Jack as well. How will he deal with the two loves of his life dealing with cervical cancer at the same time?

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