Enough, Already!

My brother-in-law, Matt, is having surgery today to remove a lymph node in his back. This is the final step, after a previous surgery and chemo, in his fight against cancer. Matt had been married to my sister for just over a year when he was diagnosed -- I can not imagine the strain on a new marriage. This surgery is similar to a c-section and will take a month or two for recovery. Matt will be in the hospital in Indy for 4 days and then he heads to my parents house for some R&R while he recovers.

Matt and Karin were hoping to get through 2008 without any major medical issues, but alas that did not come to pass. But they are really excited that this is the FINAL step in making sure Matt is cancer-free. As usual, they handled their frustration with grace and wit and are making the best of the situation.

I also wanted to give a shout out to Beth, who lives close to the hospital in Indiana and is opening her home so my sister does not have to stay alone in a hotel. Beth has also arranged with work to be there for my sister at a moment's notice. Thanks for taking care of her for us while we are so far away!

Beth's mother, Linda, lost her battle with breast cancer 7 years ago -- I was very close to Linda and I miss her often. Every year Beth raises money for breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The race is next weekend and Beth is just over half-way to her goal. If you would like to donate, you can click here to get to Beth's fund raising page.