Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

...creeps in this petty pace from day to day...(a shakespeare quote David can rattle off at the drop of a hat when prompted)

It feels like we're in a constant waiting pattern.  You'll go to rehab wednesday... you'll go to rehab thursday... you'll start treatment this week... you'll start treatment next week...

The fact is we just don't know.  We've been looking forward to a new normal meaning a steady and reliable existence but we're starting to think that "normal" is the rocky not knowing and that's going to have to be ok too.  We can get used to that even if we don't want to.  We have to find normal in adaptability.

On the plus side we finally have some things to look forward to.  The Medical Director from the rehab center is coming to see him in the morning and he'll assess whether Dave is ready for rehab.  Everyone is hoping they can move him tomorrow (heh) or possibly friday if it doesn't come together for some reason.  Fingers crossed for tomorrow!  Treatment will either start friday or monday.  Again, hoping for friday but monday is also on the horizon and will give him a few days to start more concentrated physical/occupational therapy. 

A minor down side is that Oregon Rehab Center (ORC) is at the old Sacred Heart Hospital, the one where Owen was born... and I was born.. and my mom was born.  The facility has been around a while so it's not new and pretty like the Riverbend hospital but it's a change of pace and it's a relatively minor stop on the road home.

He could be there anywhere from 2-4 weeks depending on the goals and his progress.  That excites me!  His progress has been amazing so far.  He went from barely being able to get into a wheel chair without a lot of assistance and not being able to sit up on his own at the edge of the bed to moving to the chair ALMOST by himself and being able to toss a ball around while on the edge of the bed.  Progress!  He doesn't see it like I do but I cheer him on none-the-less.  He probably thinks I'm dishing him a bowl of false enthusiasm but I'm absolutely earnest.

Even with all the frustrations I still feel like today was productive and it gave us a sense that things are happening... but they are all happening TOMORROW! (not literally) It's nice to have a plan!

The meeting with the medical oncologist went very well.  He wants to start chemo the same day as radiation (whenever that is) and after radiation is over he wants to keep him on it for 5 days a month for about a year.  Then he'll re-evaluate the need.  From what I've read, yeah yeah I google, it's what I do, that seems like a normal course of treatment.  The chemo drug is called Temodar and it's in pill form. They say it shouldn't cause the normal nasty side effects other than some nausea which they are confident they can control.  The oncologist made some comments about the oddity of the tumor being in the spine and added that he thinks it gives him a slightly better prognosis because it's not a tumor that's going to web into the brain like it normally does.  His job is to try to keep the tumor from growing that direction.  He noted that even if it gets worse in the spine people can live happy productive lives in wheel chairs but not when it takes over your whole brain so he counts him as lucky.  It's all in the perspective. 

Owen and I are doing well.  I had a little run in with Fed Ex tonight because they keep trying to deliver something and I keep trying to get them to hold the package since I'm not home.  The guy I talked to had a thick accent so I had to keep asking him to repeat himself.  He kept telling me they were going to deliver it again tomorrow and I HAVE to be there to sign for it... not gonna happen!  Then after a few minutes of pure frustration he figured out that oh wait... they already tried to deliver it 3 times and it's already being held for me.  Thanks man... that's what I was trying to tell you for the last 5 minutes but you weren't paying enough attention to get that!  I guess it wasn't in the script.  I knew my frustrations would manifest eventually.  I just didn't realize it would be directed at the Fed Ex guy! Whew, glad to have that out of my system!  Sorry for him that he caught my moment of wrath.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and to possibilities and to taking a step towards getting David home.