Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Two months ago this day my father-in-law was rushed to the emergency room of a local hospital suffering from excruciating leg pains. X-rays uncovered a mass at the base of his spine and a spot on one of his lungs. After testing he was diagnosed with stage four cancer which had metastasized from his lung and down his spine. Radiation treatment shrunk and killed the tumor relieving some of his pain but it also left a hole in his spine where the L5 vertebrae is which created other difficulties. He is in a rehabilitation facility now where they are trying to counteract the affect of the radiation treatment and the damage to his spine.

Under the unwritten rule that everything happens in threes, the week my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer was also the week my sister, who lived in Ohio, moved to my town. That same week I got a call from my brother from somewhere outside of Tuscon, Arizona saying that he was on his way to my house from his home in San Diego, California. A couple of days earlier he had received news about his health which frightened him so much he got into his car and start driving. I was not too surprised when he called me since he has always found long distance driving relaxing and, as another one of my sisters pointed out, the drive gave him time to processing the information his doctor had given him.

It took a couple of weeks for the things concerning my brother and sister to work out. My sister  settled into the house I found for her and got a job.  She is extremely happy with both. My brother saw another doctor when he got back to San Diego and although he still has serious heath issues they are not as dire as the first doctor presented them.  He is doing a lot better emotionally.

My husband has spent six of the last eight weeks in Fort Collins with his father and I've spent three weeks up there myself. Balancing home live with trips up to Fort Collins has been tiring but it is extraordinary how fast the mind (at least mine) adapts to change. Taking things day by day helps. Life goes on.