Musings

The experiences of the last few months have reminded me how lucky I am to have the family I do. Not just immediate family, but the entire extended family circle. And not just blood relative family---friends. People I've known my whole life, or people I've connected to who I feel I've known my whole life. The level of love and caring has overwhelmed me. D.D. and I have tried to spend as much of our free time in San Diego as we can. Dad's cancer has spread to his other Lymph Nodes. This week he had his second of six chemotherapy treatments. Last week his hair started coming out so he had Steele shave it for him. And then Steele supportively shaved his own head.

I have tried to become better at living in the moment. Some days are good for Dad and some days are bad. Some parts of days are better than others. When Dad feels good we react. We do what he would like to do. When Dad is hungry we fix a meal or go on a food run for something he wants. This has gotten a little bit trickier since his diet is now restricted because of the blood thinners he is taking, and during chemotherapy he can't have any fresh fruits or veggies. If he feels up to playing a game, out come the Liverpool Rummy cards. When he would rather rest, we all quietly find something else to do. We even got Dad to play a little Beatles Rock Band last weekend.

I take each day as it comes. Some are better than others. The other night I completely lost it listening to a Kenny Rodgers song that reminded me of better days with Dad. I cried it out and felt better afterwards. Hope and prayer are sustaining me. And LOTS of ice cream. We've gotten into a bad habit of ALWAYS having ice cream at Mom and Dad's house. Thank goodness we usually come back to LA during the week, otherwise we'd be bigger than houses. Weekends filled with eating pretty much whatever we want followed by a week of more sensible eating and exercise (when it isn't heatstroke inducing HOT outside).

Thank you to all who have shared your love with us during this difficult time. We've not been very good at returning or acknowledging every act of kindness, but just know that we appreciate everything done in our behalf.