Jul 27 2001
Between the elation I'm experiencing
Between the elation I’m experiencing on account of my rapidly approaching due date and the distress I’m experiencing over learning that my mother has just been diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer, I’m emotionally numb. This is going to be especially hard on her. Only a couple of years ago, she suffered from uterine cancer. She was not a very good patient. The doctor instructed her to take it easy, but it was all my family could do to keep her from jumping out of bed and cooking 8 course meals and doing everyone’s laundry. She HATES being slowed down. I wish I could spare her from this! But she claims she is not really worried about it…that she has wonderful doctors taking care of her and they caught it in the very early stages. I’m glad she’s able to keep things in perspective like that. I’m not sure I would be to do the same. I’m not anywhere near as brave as she is. Two aspects of the situation are bothering her though. First, she’ll have to drive 80 miles every day just to get to the nearest medical center which can provide radiation treatment. She’ll have to do this for 30 days. Second, she’ll most likely not be able to travel to Seattle once the baby’s born. I tried to reassure her that I’d be fine without her here in the first few weeks…that I’d much rather she took care of herself first and then came to visit when she’s good and ready, but talking did little good. This is her first grandchild after all. Thank goodness she has my father around to make sure she does what she needs to do to become healthy and whole once again.
