Suzanne has 15 Radiation treatments to go from the original 35. Today, her reaction to the treatments has been surprisingly minimal. She continues to amaze her doctors with her attitude, stamina, and lack of physical issues. They have also continued to describe a successful reduction in the size of the tumor, which also is better than they expected. The only hiccup in the treatment plan is her blood count. Every Monday she has an extensive bloodwork review. Today, her chemotherapy…
Through the years that my wife owned a Quilt & Fabric Store, she would speak at events about her art of quilting. Displaying purses, clothing, wall hangings, and large quilts that she had hand made, she would describe all the techniques that she used in making each item. As she began her presentations, in her opening remarks, she would always quote scripture. Not something that was thought-provoking; not a verse that explained her religious beliefs; not even a verse that…
Every time we check in at the Radiation Treatment Center, a Doctors’ office, or the Cancer Center we are asked the same screening questions, some are just to confirm your identification and some are COVID related. In most cases, the person asking the questions is the person who saw us less than 24 hours earlier. Although I understand the line of questioning, sometimes even the staff realizes how silly some of the questions seem when they ask them. At Rush,…
The days sometimes seem to run together now. It’s Friday and after her radiation treatment, we were on the road home before 8am. Going home for the weekend is about as big a deal as it gets. The hours spent in our Chicago apartment are beginning to take a toll on both of us; Suzanne at least has her sewing machine up there and me, well, just this laptop. Writing these posts daily actually has been a big stress reliever…
For a variety of reasons, we all celebrate ‘Hump Day’, that day that falls in the middle of a string of days that we are working our way through. The most commonly celebrated is Wednesday, the middle of the workweek, and the day most associated with the term. Today is Suzanne’s Hump Day. She is officially past the halfway mark with her radiation treatments. Actually, she gets to celebrate two Hump Days this week. On Monday, she passed the halfway…
Up here at Rush and on the campus of the University of Illinois, masks are required at all times, indoors or outdoors. Tough one this old guy that loves the fresh air. Beyond that, when you enter the Rush complex even if you have a mask on, you are given a new mask for the day. I guess they don’t want Suzanne’s fancy ones to cause anyone else to be jealous. Watching her sew during Chemotherapy treatments is a hoot….
I’ve been to Long John Silvers when someone who walks out the door rings the bell to say they had good service. Raising our kids, we had an old schoolhouse bell that we would ring to announce mealtime. Every Sunday, as church begins, someone rings the bell announcing to the town that it’s time to bow our heads in worship. Now there’s a new bell in my life. This bell hangs in the hallway just outside the waiting area where…
Thought I would share a few updates today, just so everyone knows how things are going. We spent this past weekend at home, Suzanne busily sewing and I worked in the gardens getting them ready for fall. We were home by 10 am Friday but have to leave by 3:30 or so on Sundays now since the sun is setting earlier & earlier. Suzanne continues to have minimal symptoms from the treatments, no nausea from Chemotherapy, and very little if…
I can’t tell you how many times someone has said ‘didn’t your first wife die from cancer”? Responding yes, I then proceed to tell them the Cliffs Notes version of 32 years ago. Then I try and share our current situation. So what is my current situation? My current wife has cancer and my first wife died from cancer. An unusual situation I have to admit. The other truth in this situation is I am the only common denominator that…
Home again this weekend and Suzanne refers to this time spent in our own home as ‘Vacation’. For her, it is the time away from all the reminders of treatments, meetings with doctors, finance & insurance challenges, and the strains of living in our tiny apartment. Not that we don’t appreciate the place we have to stay in Chicago, can’t imagine what it would be like without it. But it’s not home. As we pull into the driveway we’re able…