Hello all,
Stephen King saw Dr. K on Wednesday to get the results from the CT scan. The good news is the liver and pancreas look clear, the bad news is the tumor in his spleen has enlarged alot as ha the lung tumor. He will have a bone scan on Tuesday to assess the bone tumors, since he is having increased back pain. A new regiment of chemotherapy begins on Wednesday morning. So begins The Battle II. The new drug shouldn't cause the hair loss he had with taxol, but might cause nausea, vomiting and blood disorders. He hates to vomit (but who doesn't), and after the last experience isn't thrilled to get started. But he is a good patient and does what the doctor orders.
Another bit of good news- he felt good enough to go coon hunting with his friend Joe last night. He wasn't able to go any last year and has been so excited to hunt this season. Luckily, Hoss and Bruce, the coon dogs, didn't run the hills of Northwest township, but stayed on the few strips of flat, walkable land. They treed a couple of raccoons, barked their lovely barks and returned to the truck to be easily reloaded. Only a 2 hour hunt, but it meant the world to that old man and his dog. They were buddies out on the hunt once again. I do believe Hoss was smiling when they got home, I know Steve was. Of course that outing cost him, his back is really screaming this morning, but he is laughing as he recounts their big adventure to me over our coffee. It is the little things that give us such joy, Ladies, don't forget this. We mustn't wait for the big events, but should enjoy these little moments. Look for the fleeting, sweet snatches of happiness each day. Life is full of them if we keep our eyes and hearts open.
All of the news happened on Stephen King's 67th birthday, by the way. Happy _ing Birthday, huh? But yesterday we celebrated with The Sisters at Hagens, our favorite restaurant on the famed Valley Hill Course. The Sisters are, of course, Steve's four older sisters. For the uninformed, Stephen King is the only boy in a family of six kids and is younger than all but one of them. Certainly the Special Golden child, presented to his father upon his return from WWII. A beautiful red haired wonder, according to his oldest sister who remember his birth as the Second Coming. My in-laws had six kids in seven years, I'm not sure how any birth can be remembered. The girls and Steve have monthly lunches together since they have all retired and look forward to seeing each other and sharing old times. Steve becomes the brunt of lots of jokes when all these girls get together and he loves it. I've always been included as one of the girls in this family from day one. And day one was many, many years ago. In December, we will have been married 46 years. Shocking, I know.
Our family is shaken by the latest development, but not down and out. Mackenzie continues to recover smoothly, Mom continues to decline, life goes on as it should. Courtney and Ken won a tremendous amount of money on a series of horse races in OZ and they are as giggly as children, offering to fly us over (down under?) when her dad feels up to the long voyage. I'm working on passports, but keep dropping the ball and having to start over. So far it has taken me three years and I'm not getting past the entering info stage. We both want to see where Courtney makes her life now, but cannot fully imagine being there. Or flying there, 24 hours inside a metal tube, thousands of feet in the air, at breakneck speed. Yes, Xanax will be in use, and maybe alcohol. We are both inclined to sleep after a glass of wine so maybe it won't be too stressful.
Oh Ladies, the chores are calling, vaccum is sitting in the parlor, laundry is in the basket, I best break up the party and return to my real life. :-). Talk to me.
Love to all.
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