Hello there (I say sheepishly...)

Hello there (I say sheepishly...).  

I know.  

I've been absent for a long time, and I apologize.  I get messages and notes filled with curiosity and compassion and worry.  Rob's okay right now.  :)

We've just been enjoying a little normal wherever we can find it for these summer weeks we're living in.  There have been NO doctor appointments or tests and I must say, we are enjoying that even more.

We celebrated Rob's 57th birthday with a great Mexican dinner and two nights of gathering with some family members and sharing laughter and moments of that normalcy I mentioned.  It was really nice.  

Life has been full with MUCH going on, and we're just temporarily getting lost in the shuffle of days and nights and commitments.

Rob is doing pretty well!  There are many good hours in his days, but still a few bumps.  He is continuing to struggle with overbearing headaches that, when they come, last for days.  And our OTC drugs don't seem to phase the pain very much.  If these were from chemo side effects, they should have worn off by now.  But whatever is causing them, at times he is struggling to remain above the pain.

Rob is still sleeping quite a bit, taking at least 2 hour naps on the good days, more on days when he's feeling a bit 'off', as he puts it.  Some days he tells me that he just doesn't feel right, and can't even pinpoint exactly what he means.  I worry quietly deep inside where I don't even realize it sometimes.  But it's always there.

We've had some major difficulties with some of our "medical professionals" not following through with things like they should.  We're phone-tag-fighting (so to speak) trying to get Rob's urostomy supplies covered.  And it seems one of the other "professional's" staff sent LOTS of lab work during the chemo months to labs that don't participate in the program Rob's covered in.  So, yes, bills are coming in that we can only sigh at between the hair-pulling and frantic calls to put out fires.  When I get home from work, it seems I'm on the phone taking notes, and making more calls, and moving from pile to pile depending on what real voice I can talk to.  I'm getting pretty good at one-sided conversations with phone systems.  The only problem is that nothing is ever accomplished other than my rising stress level.

Argh.

But I am not trying to complain, although when I read this over, it's what I'm seeing.  And I'm sorry about that.  I try to stay away from complaining.  I guess, it just leaks out here and there when I'm full.  I've been really full lately.  *sigh*

In all honesty, though, we are thankful that we have these days, and we know what a blessing time has become.  I know that everything will work out for good, now or later, and I need to just rest in that.  I do have faith that all will be well.  I think the fact that I'm hardly sleeping is adding to my ability to stay sane... at least temporarily.  :)

I've more to tell you of specific things that are blooming and being put to rest, but as of right now, by the time I wrap up this evening and quiet our home for the night, I'm only looking at about four hours of sleep before another work day begins... So I will bid you all a blessed evening, and a beautiful weekend of smiles and laughter and most of all, love. ♥

You are all in our hearts and prayers, as always.

In Love and amazingly wrapped in Peace,

Cheri ♥