Sickness and Health

Last week Father was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable form of blood cancer. From what I've read about it, it sounds pretty nasty. What this cancer does, is that the cancerous cells in the bone marrow crowd out the cells that produce red and white blood cells and platelets. Also they send messages to cells in the bone to break down bone tissue. In addition to the bones weakening, the calcium from bone breakdown does a number on the kidneys. Anyway, he was in the hospital for a week. Had 6 blood transfusions. Now he's supposed to start on a course of chemo, thalidomide and steroids, only the pharmacy hasn't been able to get hold of the chemo yet. From what I understand, the treatment, if it works, will cause the cancer to recede in the course of 6-12 months, after which he can expect a stable period of about 6 months before it all begins to grow again. That is if the treatment works and if he tolerates it, because obviously it can have some pretty serious side-effects. This is all very sudden and sad, and I tend to feel that I am on the wrong side of the Atlantic right now. However it was nice to know that Father was on the medical floor where I worked for 9 months last year.

So now Mother and Father are talking about giving up the farm and moving to a community for the elderly with a nursing home, back where we lived before I left home, that is run according to their life philosophy (ie Rudolf Steiner inspired) and also offers complementary therapy. Meantime, they are working on getting rid of the chickens and the horses, as Father doesn't have the energy, and Mother's knees aren't up to managing livestock. Right now my mother is having her peridonditis fixed so that she can have knee replacement surgery. Her first knee is due for surgery on april 1. The second will probably follow in August. It's strange though to think of the family leaving the Finger Lakes area. Even though it has only been my home for one year, it has been the base to which I have returned for visits for the past 30 years.

Here in Norway, spring is in the air. I have never before experienced snowdrops in February, but they have been blooming for 2 weeks. The snow is melting and raining away, and is almost gone now. Mud season is fast approaching. Topsy had her first bath in the brook on her walk the other day. And, best of all, the ice that has been covering the roads is almost gone!

Husband has never been so well in all the time I have known him! He finished group therapy 8 months ago and has managed fine without psychotherapy. Now he is carefully reducing the dose of his anti depressive medication, and so far, so good. He's working part time as a herdsman on a dairy farm (cows).