It’s bad news, I’m afraid” the doctor said,

oncology had done a contrast scan,

and now she had to tell the patient what

it showed, the tumour’s change from weeks before.

But she was not upset, she felt relieved,

to hear the primary tumour had enlarged,

and many new ones in the lungs were seen,

and spinal secondaries bigger too.

She knew, because the pain was worse,

that dragging, aching, horrid pain that stayed

and woke her in the night, and in the day.

If that was not the cancer, what was it?

So palliative care, relief of pain

is good news, Saint Luke’s Hospice, here I come!

(August 2018 after a clinic visit.)