Scattered Thoughts . . .

It is amazing what just a couple of nights of halfway decent sleep can do for one's emotional well-being! After our appointment with the Oncologist and putting that stressful waiting period behind us (awaiting test results which determine specific treatment)... and after arranging for counseling with an outstanding counselor specializing in cancer... and after arranging for insurance coverage for additional treatment to help with the side-effects of ten years of cancer treatment... Sheila managed to get a couple of nights of halfway decent sleep.   She still didn't sleep well and she is still understandably struggling with some anxiety but she managed to calm down enough to catch up on a little bit of sleep. This was enough to see a visible difference in Sheila's demeanor this morning.   That is great news! This evening we'll be making some Kansas City-style country ribs and homemade fries... That should help with both of our attitudes!

Sheila and I just arrived back home from the hospital again.  We spent much of the day at the hospital yesterday with a visit to Sheila's Oncologist and we had to go back first thing this morning for a bone density scan. We're both exhausted but I thought I would add a few updates about Sheila's treatment before taking a nap. For the past couple of weeks, we had been waiting on test results which would classify the risks of Sheila's specific cancer (in both the tumor in the breast and the lymph nodes). This classification would help us (including the medical team) make the decisions about specific treatment plans. Actually, the wait for these test results seemed like a couple of months and this unexpectedly long wait has definitely affected Sheila emotionally.  Although few people see it or realize it, all chronically ill patients go through a series of emotions which is a bit like being strapped to an emotional rollercoaster. Most times, these patients will ca