Lesley had to take a moment when she suddenly wasn't feeling right but hurried to tell Rick what she wanted to tell him
" I love you Rick... And I miss you so come home soon but finish your trip don't just rush home just because I miss you or because you think something is wrong because I'm okay..."
" Lesley I love you more than anything else... I'll be home soon.. In the meantime I want you to get some rest and take care of yourself until I get home." Rick replied
Lesley finally got off the phone to head home after her appointment with the oncologist so she could lay down and try to get some sleep.
Lesley and Jessie were waiting for Lesley's appointment but had no reason to think that her scans and her blood work was going to show any abnormalities as Lesley's weight was back up where she thought it was to be and she seemed to feel alright.
" Jessie i'm so glad that you're with me course I wish that Rick was here too."
" Lesley I'm gonna be there for the long run. Don't ever think that I won't" Jessie wrapped her arm around Lesley just before Lesley's name was called by the nurse for her to go in first.
~~~
Over the next couple of weeks, Lesley seemed to feel alright but noticed that she did lose about 30lbs again but she passed it off that she was taking things real easy since she had just started to get back into the swing of things after the time she had to spend with going through Chemotherapy.
" Lesley, are you sure you don't want me to set up an appointment for you?" Jessie asked while concerned for Lesley's health
" Jessie, I'm gonna be okay. I just need to get some sleep and continue to take it easy. It was a long day today for me." Lesley replied trying to downplay how she felt
After a few hours and the kids had gotten home, Jesslyn thought it would be okay to go upstairs to check on Lesley and see if she wanted to talk for alittle bit
" Co-come in.." Lesley called out from the bathroom
" Momma it's Jesslyn I thought maybe we could talk for alittle bit..." Jesslyn replied
" Of course we can chat... Could you help me to get back into bed? It seems that your dad, in his charming yet strange sense of thinking, didn't take the chair for me out of the car before he had to leave for his flight… l use it when l feel l would need to. " Lesley replied and Jesslyn helped Lesley to get back into bed
" l'm glad that you've gotten better and you're not sick anymore. I just hope that the cancer doesn't come back."
" So do I but hey me and the doctors and your dad we're gonna do our best to not let it come back... And if it were to come back then I will fight it as hard as I will be able to and right up until I can't that I will promise you..." Lesley answered
" Daddy's on his way home... I talked to him alittle bit ago..." Jesslyn replied
" Yeah I did too... Do you have any homework?" Lesley asked
" Yeah alittle I was gonna do it later... Right now I kinda wanna just spend some time with you.. And just… I just want to have the time with you. "
" Why don't we go and do it now so you don't have to worry about it... Come on, we can do it together if you want..." Lesley insisted and offered to help
" Can we do it in alittle while though... Honestly Momma I would rather just relax and just spend some time with you without anything else..." Jesslyn tried to hide her train of thought
" Jesslyn… What are you upset about… there is something that's bothering you? What is it?" Lesley asked
" It's nothing Momma… At least it's nothing that matters right now.."
Lesley took hold of Jesslyn's hands " honey listen to me… I know that it scares you… it scares your dad and I too. I don't want anything to come back. I hope it stays gone. Jesslyn I was just like this, like you when I was your age when my grandmother had become ill for a while it was unknown if she was gonna pull through but she did until just before I finished college. The cancer came back where she couldn't fight it very long… sweetheart my point is is that there are gonna be things we can't control or even understand in life but what we can do is look at alot of things in a certain situation where we could remind ourselves that no matter how painful it is to be in a situation like what Ive had to go through this last year, nothing is of more value than having family together. Can you remember that?."
Jesslyn nodded and hugged Lesley before Lesley told Jesslyn to work on her homework. " If you need help, you can bring it to me. I'll try my best to help you." Lesley said just as Jessie had stopped in to check on things
" I'm alright Jessie… you can come in."
~~~
Rick waited and tried to call about 5 minutes hoping that Lesley was okay but feared something was maybe wrong
" Hello... Rick hi I'm so glad you called..." Lesley answered the phone.
" Lesley are you alright?!... I called you a couple of times and I didn't get through.. I thought I was about to go crazy." Rick replied
" Oh Rick I'm fine I was in the bathroom before and then me and Jesslyn were just talking and spending some time... Honey please... Rick , please don't worry about me I'm okay… and Jessie is right here so everything is okay."
" Lesley I'm gonna be home very soon... I'm actually calling from the airport so, when I get home... You are gonna be in my arms for the night and we are going to relax..."
" I love you Rick... I love you so much." Lesley replied just before getting off the phone.
" Lesley, are you sure you're okay... You keep holding at your side like you're in alot of pain..." Jessie asked while concerned
" Oh I'm Alright..." Lesley replied with a smile hoping to assure Jessie
Lesley and Jessie had talked for most of the night while not hearing Rick sneak in the house to surprise her and instead of walking in, he decided to watch and wait for a perfect moment..
" I was gonna wait until just before Christmas to get this for Rick but I couldn't help myself to get it a couple of days ago... He's been so wonderful to me even after I lied to him before he found out I was sick... Oh Jessie sometimes I wonder if I were to deserve him after doing that to him..."
" Hey... There's nothing that man wouldn't ever want to do for you... Rick loves you to death.." Jessie replied
" And I couldn't have said it better myself..." Rick got out and started to walk in with something behind his back but grinned as Lesley's face lit up with a big smile.
" You're here... Oh Rick I'm so glad you're back home... I have missed you Rick I really have. Are those for me" Lesley asked with a smile and sat up alittle more before leaning to give Rick a kiss
" Who else would they be for?... Jessie was right and I will say it myself Lesley... You didn't do anything wrong, you hid your issue for awhile yes but you were scared I would've probably done the same if it were me... But you're okay now Lesley... and you always will be."
" I thought you weren't gonna rush home just because I was missing you or because you thought maybe something wasn't right.." Lesley looked towards Rick
" I couldn't resist to coming home to be with my beautiful little bug… so how are you feeling?"
" I'm alittle tired but I feel fine especially when I'm with you… Today was alittle bit long and alittle rough with it being my first day back plus I had my appointment with Dr Richards today, pet scans in all along with blood work and even a routine spinal and bone marrow biopsy..."
" I have no doubt that your results will be okay. Because Lesley Webber is a very stubborn bug and a tough nut.."
Rick leaned over and kissed Lesley before pulling her closer to hold her before she fell asleep in his arms a few hours later as she's done countless times before, during, and after she had to go through Chemotherapy and physical therapy.
~~~
Over the next month and a half Lesley and Jessie had just finished the living-room and started to get the Christmas stuff together to put up... everything seemed to go well until Lesley slightly started to feel tired and felt like she was starting to get a headache.
" Ah Jessie I think I'm gonna head to lay down for alittle bit I really don't feel so good..."
" Lesley..." Jessie went to check Lesley's temperature and blood pressure... " Lesley your temperature is slightly up... I think you need to rest for alittle while." Jessie insisted
" Jessie, I'm just not feeling good today. I think it's one of those days... Could you find where Rick is and maybe see where he is?" Lesley answered
Jessie helped Lesley get up to go lay down when Lesley started to have alittle trouble standing where she almost collapsed and shortly after she called Rick at the hospital " She's got a small fever and a headache but her pressure is stable. Rick of course I'm gonna watch it but she asked me to call you... She really wants you to get home. I think it's got her alittle upset."
" Jessie you stay by her side I'm gonna wrap up what I'm doing and I'm gonna be home soon if anything really comes up, call me right away..." Rick replied and got off the phone to finish up with a patient before checking out
Jessie kept a close watch on Lesley's fever incase it was to spike luckily, it didn't go beyond 100.4 and Lesley seemed to be able to rest without any issues
" Jessie is Lesley alright.." Rick asked right away walking in the door
" Yeah she's asleep she still has a slight fever but her blood pressure has continued to be steady and normal." Jessie answered
Rick headed upstairs to sit by Lesley's side while she was able to rest.. " I'm here Les, everything is okay and I will be here for when you need me sweetheart."
Rick was about to step out for a brief moment but Lesley knew he was there and started to wake up to see Rick watching her sleep " I'm right here Les, right by your side"
" I'm so glad that you're home.. I've always loved when you do that..." Lesley started to say with a slight smile
" When I do what sweetheart?" Rick tucked a few strands of hair behind Lesley's ear
" You know when I need you and then you come right then..."
" Course I would... What kind of a man would I be if I didn't get home for my little bug when she wasn't feeling good... How are you feeling Jessie said you weren't feeling good and you were adamant about me coming home you were alittle frightened... Are you feeling okay?" Rick smiled and helped Lesley to sit up
" I'm okay now…." Lesley answered.
" How about I bring you up something light and maybe get you some tea as well?" Rick suggested
" Honestly I just want to be with you Rick..." Lesley sniffled and leaned over to give Rick a hug
" Well I'm right here Les, and I'm not going anywhere..." Rick gently rubbed Lesley's back " Everything is gonna be okay..."
Throughout the night everything seemed to be fine Rick went and checked on the kids and made sure they were in bed and after that he pulled up Lesley's light little throw and the blanket so she was sleeping comfortably before going to bed himself at least some of the night they were able to rest and get some sleep; Lesley started to find it difficult to rest when she started to feel like she was gonna be sick and needed to head for the bathroom with Rick's help
" Rick I... I'm s-I'm sorry..."
" Hey there's nothing for you to be sorry about..." Rick rubbed on her back alittle bit hoping that she could soon find relief when she was able to stop vomiting.
" I'm gonna set up an appointment with Richards tomorrow. I want you to be seen to make sure the cancer hasn't come back..." Rick got out
" No Rick please... I don't think I can do it again if it were back..." Lesley started coughing more " please don't call him I'll be okay I will..."
" Lesley I worry about you I don't want you back in the hospital with anything I want you to be seen and taken care of.." Rick argued slightly but pulled Lesley into his arms " if anything were to happen to you I don't think I can stand it..."
Lesley knew that Rick was right... She knew Rick meant business when it meant that she was to be seen by her doctors but the thought that the cancer was to return scared her as that also meant that the chances even with treatment for survival to the type of cancer would be slim
" Rick I promise you no I swear to you if something gets worse or I have to be admitted again I will go to Dr Richards right away I just wanna be here with you…."
Lesley finally dozed off shortly after Rick helped her to lay back down for the time being which have Rick a perfect moment to make a phone call to have Lesley's appointment set with Dr Richards the following morning
" Jerry, thank you for setting this up for tomorrow. I am real worried about her... and the thought that she's relapsed it scares me." Rick said while in the other room on the phone.
" No problem Rick, I know how frightening it can be not knowing if or ever would a type of cancer would really return." Dr. Richards replied
" I hope it hasn't Jerry. I really hope it hasn't because she just got her life together and has finally been able to return to work." Rick said.
~~~
Over the next couple of days, Lesley continued to keep up with the clinic at the hospital and her appointments with Monica and or Cunningham and with Dr. Richards while with Jessie.
" Jessie, it scares me because Jerry called not even a week after I had the pet scans recently... what if it has returned and if it has what would I tell Rick... Jessie I don't think I could go through all the chemo again" Lesley tried not to get upset
" Lesley, take a deep breath and try to calm down. We can only go and see what the doctor has to say and what the report shows. Everything will be okay."
" I just don't think I can do it all again… Jessie I don't think I would be able to do it all again..."
" Lesley you will get through it and Rick and myself are gonna be with you every step of the way"
Lesley went in first as it was normal procedure when going in for labs and the usual scans…. It didn't seem to have bothered her before until now as Dr Richards was adamant he wanted to see her right away. The fact that it was not even a week after he had her monthly labs done, that was what seemed to be a red flag to her that indicated that something was wrong.
After about an hour Dr Richards and the oncology consultant had just gotten the pet scans in and were about to go over them. " Without a doubt Jerry, here, there and a third large inoperable mass right here on her pancreas… we're looking at a big mess. By the looks of your patient's scans and medical status and the stage there's nothing we can do but provide comfort care and send your patient home."
" She's gonna want to try to medically eradicate this with some form of treatment." Dr Richards explained
" Treatment with this stage, and aggression she has at least up to 3 to 5 months, maybe 6 but that's pushing it. Treatment really isn't gonna do much of anything if anything for her this time she's too far into stage 4." Dr Strider made it clear
" I'll talk to her… I appreciate you coming in again on her case."
~~~
Lesley hated to wait as it terrified her that it wasn't gonna be what she was hoping for " I'm scared Jessie… I'm scared that the cancer has returned, especially because I've continued to lose weight. And Rick has started to notice it too.."
" Hey we don't know if it has or not.. and if it has we'll get it treated again. Lesley you will be alri." Jessie stopped mid sentence when Dr. Strider and Dr. Richards had just gotten in from getting the pet scan results
" I'm sorry to keep you waiting, I've had quite the patient load today. Lesley, how are you feeling?" Dr. Richards asked as he sat down
" I'm doing okay... I've had a few difficulties but that's nothing I haven't had to face before." Lesley answered.
" I have your scans from this week..." Dr. Richards
' Oh dear...' Lesley thought to herself when she reached for Jessie's hand for support.
" Your Blood work has come back along with your bone marrow results." Dr. Strider started " your bone marrow results are clean, the Leukemia has not come back… however, your blood labs have shown abnormalities as well as we have found what looks to be a large mass along your pancreas and your liver..."
" Oh that's such a relief… When you called so soon I thought it was gonna be something else… Wait a minute you said abnormalities and then a mass, what does that mean has this come back…. Has the cancer come back?"
" These were your pet scans from the month before, these are Tuesday's scans… There are 3 masses on both your liver and your pancreas and possibly your left kidney." Dr Richards continued
" And this means... That it's returned... The cancer... It's come back?"
