Burrell, so much sympathy for you and your sister, and Kate, I'm so sorry for your loss. ita !, I hope that letter lights a fire under your doctors' butts.

My problems are small. I can't stop coughing, I spent the day in bed answering work emails on my phone, and now I'm sitting here waiting for a guy from Freecycle to come pick up the doghouse I'm getting rid of, and he's three hours late. Dammit, why can't people do what they say they'll do? I want to go back to bed.

Is there a chance you and your other sister can push back and ask to try another treatment, if that is something you want?

I know this isn't what you are saying, but somehow I feel so strongly about it, I need to respond to the idea of "what I want" in this situation. It's not about me or what I want--which is actually pretty selfish if I'm being honest with myself--I feel like my role here is to support what she wants. She wants to try more treatment if she can, so that's what I'll support. I don't think she's physically up to the task of taking it right now, which is heartbreaking, but I am hoping she can get stronger and try again.

Also I really want to not cry at work, which is getting harder to do. Esp when you all are so nice to me and I'm feeling kind of vulnerable. eep.

Burrell, I'm sorry. It is so tough watching a loved one go through this, and I'm glad we can be here for you.

Thanks Maria, that means so much coming from you.

As others have said before me when they were going through shit, just having a place where I can talk about it helps.

Burrell, I am so sorry. But, yes, having this place is comfort at a time when comforts are rare.

Kate, I am also so sorry to hear about your friend. It's hard.

Then I'm channelling all my ~ma for getting stronger to try more treatment, Burrell.

Strength to you and yours, Burrell, and Kate, too.

Had kind of a quiet day at work until half hour before I was supposed to leave when we got the greenlight to export about $50K worth of skillets and so forth that got the kibosh a month ago. Only stayed for an extra hour, but my adrenalin is still up. I'm thinking a decaf Irish Coffee an breakfast for dinner is in order (it's fresh egg day in the -t house).

Breakfast for dinner is always a good thing.

ita, the package came, and you *did* put your name on it. Also, DLFJHSDLGHHADJ! More in email.

OK, it's not exactly Irish coffee, but Bailey's+coffee+bacon marshmallow is some kind of tasty, my friends.

Burrel and Kate, much ~~ma to you and my condolences. I hope that in one instance a safe solution is found, and in the other, I suppose only peace is possible, or not. How horrible.

And ita !, I know this means diddly squat, but your preserverance in the face of all this personal physical agony is astounding and agonizing to even witness. And yet you're fucking here and persevering, and I wish you didn't have to, but you are amazing. All my strength to you to kick everyone in the ass and get what you need.

Health~~ma to all.

but Bailey's+coffee+bacon marshmallow

Oh my!

Kate, I am sorry for your loss.

Burrell, I do wish there was more that I could do than send along wishes for strength and peace. I surely have been in the role of advocate on more than one occasion when my loved ones were suffering. All we can hope for is for someone to fight our fights and follow our decisions when we are too weak to fight for ourselves. It is a blessing that your sister has you by her side. I wish it was easier on all of you, but it is one of the hardest things to go through. I'm holding you and yours in my heart.