The Empire Strikes Back

Well.  Not good news.

Dad's got lymphoma, a cancer of the blood. Yesterday was the first appointment to get the whole rundown diagnosis, and to start chemo.  There's a million drugs, symptoms, side effects.  A whole alphabet soup of terms and I'm so thankful that I like science, and that Mom is well-versed in the workings of cells, levels, bps, hormones, etc.  She knows what questions to ask and I know how to be blunt about interpreting answers.  Time line looks like this: chemo every three weeks for 6 months.  In between appointments, lots of 'as needed' medications, IVs to boost Dad's fluid intake, rest and waiting and seeing. 

I feel better getting more information.  I think Mom feels better having an outlet for her questions.  Dad feels pretty shitty all over, but hopefully better getting treatment started.  I'm sure he's anxious to start feeling better, and apparently once the chemo starts to break up the tumors and lymphoma cells, the current symptoms he's having will go away.  Only, of course, to be replaced by symptoms that are side effects of the drugs, but they're trying to prevent and mitigate that as much as possible.

So my journey coincides with his journey and with Our Journey (and the band Journey - don't stop believin', folks).  I wanted to be home more than anything, and now I have a damn good reason to stay and be as helpful as I can.  This is certainly not what I wanted, not what I could have predicted - but it's the path life has taken, and as always, we'll meet it.  If the last year or more has taught me nothing, it's that we are a damn strong family, and nothing will break us.  You loving folks are a part of that.  2009 was a flurry of support and encouragement like nothing I could have anticipated or asked for.  Well, I hope you're all well rested, 'cause here we go again.  I (we) need all your love, prayers, vortex healing energies, quack remedies, juju and hoodoo over here.  Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance.  I'm certainly blessed to have you.

In other, seemingly much less important news, the OMSI interview is still approaching, although now on Monday instead of today.  More time to get my legs under me and do some research.  And to find clothes that aren't wrinkly, having unceremoniously been stuffed into a garbage bag and driven pell-mell for 23 hours in my backseat. 

It's been raining here.  I need to find my coat.  Unpack.  Coax my cat to warm up to me again.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.