I'm so sorry

Julieann, You do not sound at all whiny you are telling us how it is with you. You and Karen both write incredibly powerful and moving posts that show the impact of bladder cancer on your lives.
I will share a good note. Dick and took a walk Tuesday evening and he walked the whole distance without having to stop to catch his breath or have his hips stop hurting. Today he felt good enough that we went to a local Garden to take pictures of the wild flowers. The last time we went in February he needed to use a wheelchair because of the hill and today he walked on his own slowly. He was concerned that the recent hospitalization had set him back in terms of his physical strength. We are thankful for the physical therapist worked with him on how to get back his strength.
Interesting how families have rituals that hang on through the adult years. I have always phoned my Mother on my birthday as she was the one who had to labor.

Wow! Happy birthday to him!!! I might tape it...good idea! I'm glad someone else gets the silly song and I don't sound nuts! Sometimes I almost worry more about Daddy than Mama. He isn't as strong as her. She has to help him dress himself, bathe, etc. I just don't think he can survive this. Thanks for understanding!

Julieann,

Tomorrow is my husbands birthday too!! And you know what else? My mother calls and always sings a silly birthday song! Maybe you should tape it this year?

I am glad to hear you are going to have a heart to heart with your mother...It is going to be painful, but worth it.

As far as your father...If he cares as deeply about your mother as I do about my husband, then in a sense he is dying too. This is so incredibly stressful to a spouse...My sister says I have aged 10 yrs. in 6 months. He needs some special care and an extra hug too. He will be OK but needs alot of support he started greiving as soon as your mother got her diagnosis.

You are all in my thoughts as well,
Karen

Hello all. Emotions are high after reading everyone's posts. I am so sorry that so many are going through this horrible disease. I am taking the day off tomorrow and Mama and I were planning on visiting her sister, but we are under flash flood warnings and it seems that all the rain we didn't get in the summer is coming down in 48 hours. Therefore, we have opted to stay in. I am hoping to take the opportunity to REALLY talk to her tomorrow. Kids will be in school and I'm hoping we can get some real talking done (Thanks Susan and others Anyway, I am really feeling sick about all this lately. Part of me hates to post because I feel that so many are in such worse situations and that maybe I sound "whiny". Anyway, I'm risking it anyway. Mama seems to have a chronic sore throat these days. As usual it worries me. I know it is probably just allergies but it doesn't seem to go away. Is this a sign of anything? Crazy I know. They have moved her appointment to the 17th and I guess she will have more scans. That makes me nauseated. Everything is on the verge of turning upside down in our family and it is scary. Not just Mama, but Daddy isn't well and he is going downhill fast. So, it leaves me thinking about losing them both in the near future. I go about my business but lately it just seems to be really weighing on my mind. Tomorrow is my birthday and Mama calls every year and sings me this silly happy birthday song. I always wait for that phone call even though I will be 38. I know I might be hearing that for the last time in the morning.