Rockin' the Literature

Things are shaping up smashingly for Mondays marathon of modern medicine. Once I found out about my additional appointment for the afternoon, I was compelled to let my ride know that she should probably plan on just dropping me off - I can't expect someone to spend most of the day waiting for me. It turns out that my ride angel welcomed a chance to spend some time in The Relatively Big City to run some errands and do some shopping. So I've got a ride to and from. I am surrounded by angels.

Also an addendum to the Monday schedule - I'm going to try to squeeze in a visit with my Cancer Guide. This is a person on staff who kinda holds your hand through the whole experience. One of the things she does is helps keep us aware of some of the auxiliary services that are available - things like massage, Healing Touch therapy, and Reiki, to mention a few. That seems like a very good thing. It's going to be a very busy day but I expect to get much accomplished.

Still waiting to find out the date of my visit to the BT expert at Mayo in Rochester. Should know for sure Monday.

My first day back at work was supposed to be Monday and I intend to still make it my first day back. I just won't be there for most of the day. I'll start a little earlier than normal and will finish out the day when we get back from the big city. I am very much looking forward to getting back to work. Let's celebrate that.

I'm still reading the Cancer Report and still loving it. Since we last spoke, I have also acquired additional precious reading material. Remember my hero Scott? It turns out that his wife Shelly (who is also my hero in her own right) has written a book about her experience with Scott's brain tumor and everything that brought into their lives. I have been honored with a copy of the manuscript.

Shelly's writing is fabulous and I'm devouring the book as quickly as I can. There is no way to describe the feeling of reading along and almost constantly identifying with their experience. There were some differences in Scott's early experience compared with mine, but the similarities far outweigh those differences. Especially poignant are those times when Shelly's account rings so true with the emotional stuff. The confusion... the fear... the what-the-hell-is-going-on-here? I know precisely what she's talking about.

Shelly wrote the book from the perspective of a caregiver, so she sent the manuscript to Lori, who is also chewing off huge chunks with a ravenous appetite.

Here's a sneak pre-publication preview - a joke Scott made up:

You just need to take it one day at a time. By the way, what day is it?

Maybe you have to be there, but I love it.

Today we celebrate Shelly and the pending publication of her book.