Dad and Linda arrived in Madison, tired but cheerful, a few hours ago. Just yesterday Dad decided that he would take his radiation and chemo treatments at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, which is 5 miles from our house. Cleveland Clinic is 50 miles from his house. The docs at CC supported this decision 100 percent. First, they understood the human dimension of this disease affecting a family and how the family needs to be together. (Heather, Chuck and Charlotte will also be spending extended time with us.) Second, the docs spoke highly of the world-renowned physicians here, particularly in the brain tumor clinic, and encouraged us to explore UW's clinical trials. (CC doesn't currently have any trials for Dad while UW does.)
So here we are. Dad looks healthy, is no longer on oxygen and is totally clear-headed -- and happy.
Linda and Bill are unpacking in the basement "apartment," or shall we say honeymoon suite, which is where we spent the last 24 hours since they made their decision -- cleaning, decorating and removing toys. I think I also spent an hour in Target today with my interior-design-wiz-cousin Tracy on the phone picking out bedding, curtains and pillows.
Oh, by the way, Linda and Bill got married! Yesterday I got a call from a giddy Dad introducing me to "Mrs. Beecheler." Linda got on the phone and giggled. Adorable! Their July wedding plans dissolved, they decided to tie the knot in front of a local judge in Ohio and Dad's attorney. I think they just wanted to be married, forging ahead hand-in-hand.
The kids decorated a poster board and we tied balloons to it to congratulate them on their marriage and welcome them to lovely Madison. (Winters here are not for the faint of heart, but the summers are heavenly.) We ate cake and ice cream to celebrate. Not the island wedding they had in mind, but still just as sweet. After cake we went to the back porch and each picked a balloon, made a wish for Dad and Linda, and let them go up into a blue, summery sky.
As they floated away in tight-knit flock, Anna looked up and said, "Look, they're all traveling together!"
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