Sixty-one-year-old Bruderheim resident Wade Poloway’s retirement isn’t going according to plan.
The local truck driver/photographer and his wife of 28 years Doe, originally decided to spend their golden years basking in the Mexico sun, and never dreamed they would face a devastating cancer diagnosis and subsequent bankruptcy.
Today, a motorhome and the family dog is all Wade has left after Doe passed away on March 16, 2023. He said, he will work his truck driving job, save some money, then leave Canada on Oct. 31 for Mexico, making good on his promise to Doe.
“It was Doe’s and my dream to retire down there. And sadly, she won’t be retiring down there with me. I miss her every day,” Wade explained in the first emotional video on his ‘Starting over at 61’ social media channel.
“I promised her I would continue on our journey. And I’m going to.”
Wade sat down for an interview with the Lamont Leader, explaining how his wife’s unexpected illness and death led to his family’s financial ruin and the loss of his home in Bruderheim. He said he never thought illness could force a family into bankruptcy in Canada.
Wade said Doe’s illness began with symptoms near Christmas in 2021. After several alleged misdiagnosis by her family doctor, Doe went to the University of Alberta hospital where tests revealed her devastating condition.
“I got home at 1 a.m. that day after travelling home from shooting a wedding in Mexico,” Wade remembers, adding that Doe’s giving nature was evident in how she wanted him to rest and insisted she drive herself to the hospital.
“About noon, the phone rings. (Doe said) ‘yeah, I’m going in for emergency surgery. I have colorectal cancer, and they’re going in to remove a portion of something and put in an ostomy. Can you get my car?”
Wade said surgeries were scary for Doe because she suffered from pseudocholinesterase syndrome, which is a rare disorder making it harder to wake up from anesthetic.
At the hospital, after the removal of a portion of Doe’s bowel, Wade said the initial outlook seemed positive. He said doctors estimated Doe would wear the ostomy for six to eight months while going through chemotherapy treatments, then once she was cancer-free they would reattach everything and get her back to normal.
He added that the surgeon found that Doe’s cancer metastasized to her liver but said he wasn’t concerned.
“The liver surgeon came in, explained what was going on, not a problem. Great information (and I) walked out of there feeling full of hope and promise that everything’s going to be fine,” he said. “It’s just a year-long detour type deal.”
After Doe returned home on Jan. 2, 2022, arrangements had to be made for her to travel five days a week for her cancer treatments in Edmonton.
Wade, as the sole income earner now, couldn’t leave his job as truck driver for Aldon Auto to drive his wife the 140 kilometers every day. He said at this point the family received a blessing in the way of a one-time gift from Haying in the 30s; a non-profit organization dedicated to helping fund families going through cancer.
“They were a godsend. The only outright gift from any organization was Haying in the 30s,” said Wade.
“They gave us enough money for Doe to stay at Compassion House for five weeks. They took care of her five days a week and shuttled her to and from her treatments. She came home on weekends.”
Wade said at this point they made the decision to refinance their home in order to help pay for the mounting costs of medication and supplies which were totalling $1,000 a month. He also decided to sell his beloved 2019 Mustang.
“All medications are covered by Alberta Health Care while given in a facility. Outside the building you are paying out of pocket,” he said, adding the family qualified for emergency Blue Cross coverage at $264 every three months.
JANA SEMENIUK
