An interesting day

Dear Family and Friends,
Its 9:20 and I'm just back from the grief recovery group. Tonight was unique as each weekly meeting is, different ones share their trials and triumphs, one girl brings something to eat and its always good, the leader keeps the group working and everyone speaks when they feel they want to, we encourage each other, listen to each other, hand tissues when needed. This week someone is just back from a trip to see a new grand baby in spite of the spouse being severely ill, someone else had been called Aunt Jamina due to the head cover she wears over a chemo caused case of baldness, one grandmother had just discovered a teenager in severe trouble at school, one person is wrestling with whether to have a medical procedure that might be life threatening but to not do it might also be serious, others were happy to relate accounts of trips taken, good results from blood tests and so it goes. One cannot be in this group without becoming aware that many people suffer, some win, some lose but survival is something to be sought, claimed and lived.
Sylvia had given me some really good material which I was reading this afternoon, helpful advice in meeting the demons of survival head on and describing how not everyone is equipped just the same to survive, its harder for some than others, different for men than women, different for adult children when they lose a parent.
I read the accounts of people who are struggling currently with GIST, what drug to consider next after Sutent and Gleevec have failed, what about Nexavar? My heart responds to everyone of the people, I've been there, counted each day of survival as precious and valuable. How I hate cancer, GIST especially.
For a while it looked like I would finally get to have lunch with Loree. Loree is the quiet hero for our family. She held things together when we were in Boston, feeding creatures, adding water to the tank, answering the phone calls, writing the checks, making the deposits, setting up accounts and files. So I invited her to lunch but just before we were to go something vital came up for one of her precious daughters and Loree had to deliver a book so we rescheduled for Monday. With an opening I decided to take the bug to Tracy for an oil change. Its required 3000 mile period had slipped toward 6,000 miles and I knew it had to happen. I have a special friend at an oil changing place in Tracy near the corner of Tracy Blvd. and Grantline Road. They keep the oil my car needs, the filter and are always ready. I know of no other place that keeps the supplies my car needs on hand other than the dealership. After they were done I asked them to look up when the motorhome last had its oil changed. their records showed it to be in 2004, whoops! Well I think I've had it changed since then but I'm not sure so I drove the motorhome there and got its 7 quarts changed as well, then to CostCo for fuel and a few things and then home to park the motorhome at storage, grab my car and head to grief group. Most of the day I was just sort of down due to the lack or orders but once I was out in the motorhome calls came in and two new orders were placed, waiting for me when I got home. I'm in hopes that I can deal with at least one of them tomorrow, true its in San Jose but whats a few miles? Hopefully the one in Vacaville will also come through and oh yes the other one is up in Rancho Cordova, nothing anywhere near but I'm not complaining.
Nikki continues to do well and is now down to about 2 and 1/2 weeks. She feels well, the baby is moving around well, is good sized and has a good heart beat, all great signs. And Steve just about has the baby room completed, freshly carpeted, painted, new crown molding, new designer paint on the walls, it looks great!
I'm concerned about Starr, several times today I've found her coughing, more than normal. I'm not sure if I should take her to the vet or not. I shudder to think of anything happening to my little friend and buddy. I think we'll take a park walk in the morning and see how that works out for her.
So another day passes for all of us, how has this day been lived? What could we do better? Someone wrote to the blog and offered an excellent suggestion, that is that I might consider doing the volunteer work as a chaplain at a hospital, in some ways it really fits, I am somewhat aware of medical situations, of hospital procedures, I know how to talk to people and I do care. I'm going to give it serious consideration and I thank who ever wrote in.
Good night my friends and family,
love

tim