Month 7

Seven months, seven days in a week, seven is an important mile stone. In Chemo
world it is just a day that passed with no acknowledgement but a day we all knew had that special number. Number 13. I can say that time is now passing more rapidly. I think the further down the road we travel, the passage of dates does not seem to have the same impact. You know they are there but the focus is not on the day you started but the day we will finish. We can see the progress and now focus on the future and do not dwell on the past.

Lori leaves today and Mom and Dad and Sadie will be here soon to visit. M-E is better but the counts will be in the toilet. She is recovering and is a bit snotty. I love when she gets that way.

Lori came for a few days. She has made two trips here since M-E was diagnosed and has been a great help. She arrives and takes M-E to the hospital and then makes sure she gets everything done. She is very organized and keeps us on the straight and narrow. We love Lori. She has a quiet determined manner and a sense of humor that does not quit. She is one of those friends that you know is always there and when we see each other there is the easy resumption of our relationship.

Lori and I have known each other for more than 20 years. We met before law school and we went through a lot together. Over the years we have been able to spend time with each other. Mary-E was in her wedding ten years ago. Ten years, see time does fly. Lori and Doug have come over to Seattle over the years for games. She came for my 50th birthday and for the Tulip Festival. She is always ready with a word of encouragement or a good joke.

I count my blessings everyday for friends like Lori and Ruth and Margaret and Maggie and Beverly and Alison and the school and the people in the office. I count my blessing for the great staff that takes care of us at the hospital and all the people that have brought us a meal, given me a hug or asked how I am doing. Support comes in so many forms.

We are getting better at taking help. I did not realized how hard it would be for me to accept help. We are so programmed to give, I guess we need to have lessons in receiving. There is so much talk about receiving grace from God. In practice it is a much more difficult thing to do. I guess the grace from these last few months comes from all the people that have reached out and streached out and given to us. So, so many. If this were the Oscars the band would be playing.