The Comfort of Family and Friends.

I didn't sleep again last night. I just can't seem to turn my head off, no matter how tired I am. I just keep watching the numbers turn on the clock. I finally dozed off about 6 AM and got a couple of hours sleep.

In the morning, Erin insisted on giving me a massage to try to reduce my muscle tension. Though it was effective, the entire hour could be likened to Elder Abuse. I had no idea how tight I was. I felt better almost immediately. Good thing, as these two little munchkins are pretty sad if I send them away and won't play with them.

I have to tell you about my custom made lunch today. Sam absolutely needed a nap this afternoon. He absolutely refused to go to bed without his mother sitting with him till he fell asleep. I stepped in, sitting quietly in his room as he threw a tantrum, but I would not let him out of his bed. It took a while. As he finally started to drift off to sleep, the door to his room opened a crack. Liv was on the other side and she was delivering a sandwich that she had made for me, all by herself. She slid the plate across the floor and I tiptoed over to get it, grateful for a bite of lunch as my stomach was complaining that breakfast had been hours ago.

You would have loved the creation. She had made a 3 tier turkey sandwich with mayo on rye bread. Then, to dress it up, she had put a big dollop of chocolate syrup on the top layer of bread. She further dressed the plate with squiggles of chocolate sauce (a la the finer restaurant presentations), and scattered dry roasted peanuts over everything. You know that I had to give it a try. It was......um.....interesting. It was such a heartfelt effort to cheer me up.

Once Sam was asleep and I was able to leave his room, Liv led me to her mom's room across the hall. Erin and Liv had planned a pedicure session for me. Liv had spread a big white towel on the floor and had gathered up everything loose in the bathroom she could find. She arranged all that paraphenalia (such as combs, toothbrush, nail clippers, Q-tip and whatever, to spell "Mimi's Spa". She underlined it all with lengths of toilet paper. She led me to the stool before the foot bath and proceeded to do a commercial about all the product she would use, including her phone number where I could call to order my own supply. How cute is that? God love her; she is such a caregiver and really empathetic. She created a total distraction from all the serious business of the past week, and all by herself. Sadly, we had to postpone the pedicure until tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.

Kelly had some good luck today,, too. I mentioned her classmate who is an anesthesiologist in a previous post. He had offered to reach out to the Boston people he previously worked with and he wasted no time, even though it is the weekend and he is on vacation.

This morning, Kelly received an e-mail from a breast surgeon in Boston (not sure which hospital) who offered to see Kelly this week. Kelly is to call the office on Monday to book an appointment for Wednesday. In addition, this particular surgeon copied the plastic surgeon Kelly is supposed to see next month. The hope is that the plastics appointment can be moved up. The two docs work closely together, so we all are praying that they take a special interest in Kelly's case and move things along quickly. Nothing is definite yet, but spirits are lifted. That is a good thing, much needed at this point.

Tom spent a good part of the day helping Eric install a new over-the-range microwave. I think that diversion was good for Eric, who has been solidly immersed in tracking down physician profiles, sorting out insurance coverage and seeking appointments on Kelly's behalf for the past few days. It is always good to complete a chore that has been on your to-do list for a while.

Another highlight of K & E's day was a visit from a high school friend of Kelly's, along with his wife, who currently live in New Zealand. Kelly and Eric went to their wedding in Mexico last year, but haven't seen them since, so they were delighted that Jason and Wendy could slip away from their families for a few hours. I am glad they had that time together today.

We all recognize the power of loving comfort offered by family and friends and we feel blessed. Thanks to all of you who read this blog who offer words of support and keep us in your prayers. It truly helps.