Chapter 1

The news hit like a bombshell although we both had thought it, but neither had said, as if not saying it would prevent it from happening. Aggressive breast cancer. Mastisized cancer.

Julie handled it all with such grace and kindness to all those around us. She has always been the strong one and this was no exception. In the doctor's office when the words were first uttered, it was her that comforted me. She was brave for our girls and smiled and said kind words to every one in the hospital that came to help (and ask a dozen questions) even as she struggled to breath and talk at times.

I would like to say this Blog is for my wife, just diagnosed with cancer. But, it is for me. A selfish act to help me cope. I cope by writing, I always have. This is to help me make it from today to tomorrow. One day to the next with an elephant standing on my chest.

Mavy, or Maverick for long, welcomed Julie home by hanging out on her side of the bed, meowing and wanting her to get up and feed him. No sensitivity. He doesn't like the cat food when I give it to him. It is not the order of things, the universe is out of balance for him. Ashton does not trust the oxygen generator and threatened it with violence when it beeped at start up. He hasn't heard the nepulizer yet or seen Julie when she is using it. I suspect he is going to not like a machine making noise and making smoke (steam) come out of Julie's mouth.

Ok, it takes a little humor to make it through the life when things are "going well" -- actually, we seldom recognize we are in one of those times. It is going to take a lot of humor going forward. I hope I can keep Julie and myself laughing at least part of the time.