SUDDENLY MY ZODIAC SIGN CHANGED FROM GEMINI TO CANCER

By Scott G. Halversen Illustrations by Ben Andersen

Thrown for a loop by stage 4 lymphoma and a secondary brain tumor, a cancer patient recounts how he landed on his feet with a positive attitude and an offbeat sense of humor. He's put together a mixed bag of suggested activities, attitudes, and nitty-gritty hospital tips to help you get through chemo.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 29, 2024
• ISBN: 9798888515662

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: What? I've Got Cancer!!

Chapter 2: Don't Become Roadkill When You Collide with Cancer

Chapter 3: Magical Mystery Tour of the Cancer Ward

Chapter 4: Prescription for Coping with a Long Hospital Stay

Chapter 5: Making Yourself at Home at Home—Return of the Stickman

Chapter 6: A Double-Barrel Blast of Gratitude

About the Author

People and Moments I Want to Remember

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SUDDENLY MY ZODIAC SIGN CHANGED FROM GEMINI TO CANCER

Scott G. Halversen Illustrations by Ben Andersen

ISBN 979-8-88851-565-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89112-109-6 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88851-566-2 (Digital)

Copyright © 2024 Scott G. Halversen

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Acknowledgments

I am here today because of an outstanding oncologist, her nurse practitioner, and a broad spectrum of medical personnel including nurses who rendered concerned care on my behalf. It was a pleasure getting to know them.

When you are in the hospital for a month, you begin to appreciate all the people it takes to keep a cancer floor organized and hygienic. COVID adds even more degrees of difficulty to this process. I observed folks sanitizing floors, changing bed linens, and cleaning up patient accidents at all hours.

Great pains are taken to give you excellent menu options for each meal even though you may not appreciate them as the chemo drugs wreak havoc with your taste buds.

The organization and choreography are incredible. You are given a wristband for each visit with a bar code on it as soon as you walk into the hospital. This is scanned each step of the way, and you are asked to verify your name and birthday for every procedure. Your results are immediately entered into the system so that every nurse and doctor has instant access to it, and you as a patient can see the results on your patient portal. This allows you to trace your progress with platelets, white blood cells, red blood cells, and a host of things you had never heard of.

At the changing of the guard, you are introduced to the new charge nurse who will be responsible for your care during the next shift. Any special instructions are passed on.

I express my thanks to all the dedicated doctors who directed my care twenty-four hours a day and the nurses who made sure the treatment plans were implemented. I won't mention their names, but they know who they are.

In no way is this book intended to be a criticism of the persons, facilities, and equipment involved in my treatment. Indeed, I have nothing but admiration for them and the facilities/equipment they use.

I've written this book through the eyes of a patient. I've taken a lighter approach because cancer wards can be grim if you don't stay positive and see the humor in things.

Introduction

Learning you have a brain tumor sends shock waves through your mind. Your continued existence is in question. You know the odds are against you.

I spent a month in the hospital recuperating from a harsh chemo treatment which nuked my immune system and wiped me out. Absolutely no visitors were allowed because of COVID. Suddenly my time became very precious. There was a real chance my brain could be scrambled if the chemo didn't knock out my tumor.

So how could I best use my time? I decided to write letters to all my kids and grandkids telling them how much I loved them and why they were special to me. My next project was to start writing my life story. Then I decided to write a fun cancer book that might bring some smiles and useful tips to other cancer patients. My dear friend and mentor Paul Schneiter encouraged me to complete the book. He also took on the chore of editing it.

I don't have the words to tell my wife, Peggy, how much her love and support have meant to me. She has been my