I'm back, with good news

I know I've been gone a while. I won't count off the months and days.

My father-in-law passed away after my last post. Cancer is a terrible thing. It was his second bout with the disease and, sadly, he went undiagnosed until Stage IV the second time around. Chemotherapy gave him some extra time but it didn't seem to be enough. I really miss Bill, and I always will.

On the way home from his funeral ceremony, which was delayed a few weeks for the Christmas holidays, I got the news that my mother was taking a turn for the worse. I flew out and drove straight to her beside getting there just hours before she drifted off into a coma. I never did get to talk to her in any meaningful sense, but that has defined our relationship for 36 years. I think its more difficult to lose a parent you weren't close to sometimes, at least initially. I spent the rest of my trip fighting an adrenal crisis that wouldn't let go.

Meanwhile the surgeon that will be performing my pituitary procedure insisted that I undergo an Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling. That's fine, as it assists him when mapping out an approach for surgery. However, arranging for the IPSS was another story. It took from the beginning of January until March 28th to have it scheduled, confirmed and carried out. Then another three weeks for informal results, four weeks for the official ones with a report.

I am happy to say that I do have a date for surgery: May 24th and I do have hope that this Christmas I'll feel better.

I seem to tick off years at Christmas, thinking 'Last year I thought I'd be better by now'. Maybe this is my year.