Visiting Ellen

I write this from Chicago where I am visiting my sister Ellen. She is in the family room watching television.

Yesterday we went to her physical therapy together and today we went to the doctor. Chuck and Tom are in the kitchen preparing ribs for dinner. We are going to have Sarah and James for dinner and even Samantha (who supposedly lives here) will be joining us. I look forward to that.

Ellen is doing - as they say - as well as can be expected. There is much to celebrate. First of all, she does not have "cancer brain" as others have described. She is keeping her mind sharp and still very engaged in life. She keeps up with customers through email and actually is doing 2 per cent better in sales this month than this time last year. That is pretty impressive.

She had an unfortunate accident last week when the needle fell out and taxol went into her skin and not her veins. When I arrived she was still icing it (ingeniously with frozen tater tots in a pillow case). After we saw the doctor today, he said it look like she has turned a corner and does not need to do that.

When we went to physical therapy it is obvious how much improvement she has made. She is able to march and lift her legs and walk well with her walker. I can certainly foresee that soon she will be able to manage only with the cane. As we remember the original back surgery, we know that we are blessed that she made it through that so well.

Her spirits are good although she is, of course, bored. She cannot do much except literally wait for her body to heal and for the chemo treatments to come to an end. yesterday we cleaned out her corner of the family room and it is very clear that cards mean a lot to her as they do to anyone who is stuck in this waiting time.

Her address is 503 Arbor Lane, Oswego Illinois 60543

The biggest change is in her hair. She is white. She was going to go natural even before the cancer hit her, but it is a change. She now matches my brothers! With me being the odd one out. I think she look like Jane Alexander - very regal.

Anyway, God is good and God is blessing her as she experiences healing in so many ways. I am blessed to be here.

Keep Ellen and Tom and Sam and Sarah and Sean and family in your prayers. This is not easy.