Today was a day eerily like the one we lived through exactly 7 months ago. We were given devastating news that's almost impossible to process. Trying to share this news with family and friends is exhausting - and necessary. Today we knew that each time we picked up the phone we would bring someone to tears.
The difference this time around, though, is there is no definitive course of action for us. What to do next? There is no next treatment plan. If this turns out to be new tumor growth, we will have decisions to make. This next phase of our journey will involve much more personal choice.
We did our best to carry on today. Dan traveled to Illinois, the girls got up and went to school, I did the laundry, life went on ... Shannon came home from school and did her homework. She's working on her research paper for English so she will be prepared for ninth grade. She went to the bank to deposit money because she's saving for an iPhone. It's almost surreal to watch her. It is gut wrenching. But, it's not denial on her part. It's her carrying on the life she wants to lead. Both girls were subdued today, but they are functioning.
With the help of the Cancer Education Program at the Mayo Clinic, we are checking into any clinical trials that may be available. We don't know what we will find, but we are going to educate ourselves so we can help Shannon make the best choices. We don't want to grasp at straws and we won't chase false hope, but we need to explore our options. The future is more uncertain now than ever, but we will get up tomorrow and do the best we can...
