As long as you are praying . . .

[alicem]

Well, I have thought that I could handle just about everything going on in my life with all the prayers and support from my family and loved ones - - but that was up until the latest news I received today.

I know the good news is that my chemo is almost over, but I am really dreading treatment # 6 this coming Tuesday, even though I know it is the last one (I hope). Chemo #3 and #4 kind of came and went because of other things in my life. My father, age of 88 passed away on April 4th. He had Parkinson's and Alzheimer's and he had been missing my mom since she passed away in 1999, but it was (and still is) very hard to let him go. The picture I decided to post was of my family at his church after the funeral. My youngest, Kelly, is holding the flag that was on his coffin. She is dealing with a lot since her fiance has been stationed now over in Italy with the Army. He will be deployed to Afghanistan sometime this fall. It has been very hard on her, and because of that, also on me.

The latest news came this morning. My oldest daughter Laura (she is on the left in the picture) just found out that her boyfriend will not be regaining the sight in one of his eyes after a freak accident. He fell while holding a glass and part of the glass went into his eye. He also needed about 12 stitches around his face. It happened about 10 days ago, and originally he was told that he might regain about 70% of his vision, but now they are telling him otherwise. The hardest part about all of this is that he is in Poland and she is in Pittsburgh. They met in graduate school and he flew back there for a wedding of a good friend. He has had 2 eye surgeries, and now has found out that part of his retina is detached and now deformed. She is trying to get leave from her labwork so she can fly over to be with him and his family. The doctors there tell him there is nothing more they can do.

Since so many of you are out there researching the medical community, do any of you know of the best place to go for eye surgery? I don't have a clue other than asking my own eye doctor. They are both young and very distraught. I searched the Caregiver's Corner and sent her something Joe had posted on the Top 10 ways that a caregiver can help their loved one deal with BC, because I thought it had a lot of good suggestions for a caregiver, regardless of the situation.

I am fine, but the stress is mounting. I have been crying all day for both she and Wojtek (pronounced Voytek). I feel pretty helpless myself. I also feel kind of silly because compared to so many of you on this forum who are dealing with so much more, my problems are small.

Anyway, I would appreciate it if you would add them to your ever growing prayer list. Thank you so much, you are all so wonderful.

Alice