Family Health Issues: Cancer, a Smile, Tubes, and Waiting

Good news from number-two daughter’s operation last week. As she put it, ‘I’ve still got my smile’.

Medicos had gone back into her neck last Wednesday. One of the possible outcomes was disruption of nerves that control the lower-right side of her face.

That didn’t happen, happily, and — good grief. I don’t remember whether she got back home Thursday or Friday. The immediately-important point, though, is that she got home: which in her case is a mile or so outside a town in North Dakota.

I’ll call the doctors finding more dubious lumps good news, too. They’re getting tested — the lumps, I mean, not the doctors. The working assumption is that they’re more cancerous growth. Which I’m calling good news, because now they’re out.

Number-two daughter goes back today (Monday, February 12, 2024) to get what she calls “Frankenstein tubes” taken out of her neck.

I don’t know when radiation treatment starts.

Right now, I don’t feel hopeful, worried, frightened, or much of anything else about number-two daughter’s health: present and future. That particular tract in my emotional landscape is still basically blank. I talked about that before.

I’ve also mentioned a member of the extended family who couldn’t walk, but did wake up after rather bad vehicular accident.

Since I/we have heard nothing more about what’s happening in his household, I’m assuming that he’s still alive. Which, like waking up after an operation, is good news.

Several days have gone by without a major medical incident in the family. Which I am also taking as good news.

I’m pretty sure I’m worried about number-two daughter and the man who can’t walk — or work — and I’ve talked about that before.

Meanwhile, I’m still bringing up issues concerning those two, the rest of the family, and a small crowd of other folks, in my daily prayers. And that’s another topic.

Update. Number-two daughter got home Thursday. Her radiation therapy starts in about five and a half weeks. This came up in conversation with number-one daughter.

Somewhat-related posts:

• “More Family Health Issues, or, NOW What?!“
  (February 7, 2024)
• “Cancer in the Family, Update: Operation This Week“
  (February 6, 2024)
• “Cancer in the Family“
  (January 27, 2024)
• “May 13, 2023: It’s Been an Interesting Week“
  (“Life Happens, and That’s Okay”)
  (May 13, 2023)
• “In Praise of Lilacs, Blue Sky and Rain“
  (May 29, 2021)