Knights Templar in the Waiting Room

Today we finally got some good news. After a brief procedure at Sloan Kettering that required twilight anesthesia (mild sedation), Dr. Dalbagni informed us that the exterior of the bladder has not attached to any tissue/organs. He then said, "On with Chemo." That was it. He is a man of few words (he is a surgeon).

My dad left the hospital today feeling pretty good. His opening line on the phone when we spoke was, "Twilight anesthesia is the BEST!"

It's small, yes. But it's the only piece of good news we've had this week, and we're all grateful for it.

This was after my mom and dad were delayed by over two hours because another operation went late. But two hours feels OK, retrospectively, when you get the news you were hoping for. My mom stayed with my dad and read to him about the Knights Templar to pass the time. As in previous visits, the MSK staff were unfailingly personable and polite. So much so that even my dad eventually wished they would just let him read in peace, another good sign. Next up is the PET scan on March 7th. My folks head up the dacha with Bruna tomorrow morning.

I am trying to actually take everything a day at a time, and not just fake it, which it what I normally do. This is something my parents have been counseling me to do for a long time, and it feels like it's finally taking. Although I am personally eager for answers and definitiveness, I'm focusing on the fact that my dad doesn't feel sick, he is himself, he always will be. We have another week and a half before chemo starts, and, since it's likely it will leave him feeling a bit fatigued, I want him and all of us to try to enjoy it.