What Else?

(Geoff writes) Still here. Seems like one step forward, two steps back at this point. Susan had an MRI in the morning, and if that wasn't enough, they took more images around noon. Both times they administered sedatives to relax her. If she was any more relaxed she'd melt.

On the bright side the sun actually came out for a few seconds this afternoon, brightening up a gloomy week. And we had visitors who weren't dressed in either scrubs or white coats! There was the Rabbi, who I first met at a local biking event, Jordan, Jennifer, and Frank. Susan was happy to see faces other than mine for a change. 

But now the doctors have new data from this morning. So far the antibiotic barrage is keeping the infection at bay, but her liver numbers are still too high to safely administer any cancer treatment. So to solve this problem bile must be drained from the liver in a procedure slated for tomorrow. Hopefully they can make an internal drain, but if not, it has to be done externally. I guess we all know what that means. Though the good news is that it doesn't have to be permanent.

Susan says she feels like an observer during this whole process, watching someone else's misfortune play out. For me it is also surreal. Maybe helplessness is more like it. All I can do is provide support and show up.