Sunday I was out for a walk with Tom, when I ran into my neighbors from across the street. The wife is slightly older than I and was diagnosed with breast cancer, a successful mastectomy, then it returned to 2 of her lymph nodes. She knew about my situation and we had spoken briefly in front of Paco (so low on details). She knows all about beating odds. She was also great to whom to complain. She, too, had been on Avastin. I apologized for whining and she encouraged me to let it fly. The kids had been sick and I was so sore. She confirmed what I felt, that the joints just ache. Mostly my knees and shoulders seem to have lifted weights outside of my ability. But the fellow survivor was strong and resilient and I found her key to my day, to my week. I was so low yesterday, but between super neighbor survivor and super neighbor caretaker (of a GBM friend 15 years ago) and then an e-mail from a friend going through chemo, I felt lifted up. A trinity of women working their magic.

Today, I was actually good about asking for help.  (Mom picked up chicken and vegetables for us from Costco). Steve took Tom to the gym and I picked up around the house. Steve returned with a sleeping Lemon, so I took him to my mom’s. That is where the nap shift is. We put Tom down for a nap, then we all took a nap. Tom could not sleep well, so he and I took a walk. I returned to Clark’s big smile, proud of me for the walk, Clark watched the Tom and sent me to nap again. To confess, to hear them chatting and just being together even got mom up to participate. And well, I gave up sleep to witness the joy. Some things are worth it.