Home Sweet Home

So we made it. 3,400 miles later my sister and I are safe and sound in good ol' Newport Beach. We actually got home last weekend, but were back for less than 12 hours before proceeding to board the Jet Cat Express, bound for Santa Catalina Island.

Catalina is a magical little place where we practically grew up - my dad and his brothers co-owned a condo with their father for years and years and we spent about half of every summer and several weekends over in the seaside town of Avalon.



It was the type of place where we'd spend the morning at the penny arcade downtown, stop at Rosie's for fish and chips, then Big Olaf's for ice cream, and then hike back up the hill to Fairview Terrace and turn into water babies for the duration of the afternoon. There are a lot of really special memories on that island, so we figured it was only fitting we take a family vacation there. Several longtime friends came over for a few days here and there, so it was quite an adventure! Dad didn't really have the energy to fill the days like we used to, but it was still special for everyone.

While we were there, Dad reached the end of round 6 of his chemo. Scans are next week to determine how effective the treatment was. He's felt progressively worse over this week and some of the mets in his bones have really been bothering him, especially in his hip and shoulder. We're hoping that's a sign that the chemo is working and the pain is the mets losing the battle. But honestly I don't know.

There are still a few treatment options, whether or not the chemo was effective. But I have a sinking suspicion that there are so many "hot spots" throughout his body, it would be hard for ANYTHING to wipe them out completely. Let's just hope we shrink those little bastards enough to relieve his symptoms and give him lots of quality time!

It's strange to picture your future without someone who has been so integral to your life, especially a parent. Dad and I have grown closer as I have grown up, and I'm not ready to raise the white flag by any means. But it scares me to think in terms of my children not knowing their grandfather, my siblings not having Dad there on their own wedding day....

What an empty feeling.