The Bear: I was mistaken about some of my terminology in my previous post. The word I meant was hepatoma not hematoma. When cancer cells migrate to a different organ of the body they are still classified as the kind of cancer they started with. The Bear's cancer started in the liver so it is a hepatoma even tho it is now in his bones and lungs (which are the most common places it goes to next). There was a meeting of the lead oncologist (who is very much celebrated in his work there), a hepatologist (liver doctor) and The Bear yesterday and they decided to start radiation therapy on his back immediately. The drs are concerned about his ability to handle a major operation with liver and lungs not strong, so they are starting right away to attack the spinal tumor. Whether he has surgery has not been decided and we are going day by day on this. Unless something changes radically I plan to go up on the weekend to see him and get him to sign some rather important papers that he has been putting off. We have to go day by day since things and opinions change so quickly. He has family with him, but we both know there isn't a lot more I can do by sitting next to his bed while he sleeps. I am trying to make up some work time this week, altho I was graciously granted some "carer's leave" by my boss. I have a feeling I will need more of that so I don't want to abuse the privilege.

I think due to massive bouts of crying over the weekend I irritated my left eye to the extent that (according to my optometrist) has almost developed into an ulcer on my cornea. My lenses were full of gunk (protein deposits) and my eye hurts even without a lens. I am to leave the left lens out the rest of the week and, if I have time, let the optician polish the lenses back into shape. I have functioned one-eyed before and it's just something you have to adjust to. I still have my right eye which is corrected for distance vision, and reading glasses for close focus stuff. But one can hardly think coolly, "I have to cry hard, therefore I will take out my contact lenses first."

I actually have some fibre content as well today. I finally got time to pick up a parcel at the post office and it turned out to be the results of the breed sample program organized through one of the spinning lists. It has been so long ago that I submitted my samples of English Leicester that I had actually forgotten about it. The book is sensational; the organizer (whom I admit I can't remember) did a superior job at compiling the information and formatting it all beautifully and then there are all these baggies full of wool to play with. I am really blown away by this. If I didn't have other things at the front of my mind I would be dancing around the kitchen wallowing in wool.