Another Setback, But Still Moving Forward

I called the nurse to get a real number on the treatment time, so that I could let my bosses know. I had heard 5 weeks and 6 weeks and 5-6 weeks. So I asked if she could tell me a more exact number of weeks. She said, "sure-it is actually 6 1/2 weeks." So I will be off work from January 12 to March 1. I won't get paid. The bosses will keep my insurance in place if I pay the premiums. Ugh.

At every visit to the cancer doctor, he and his nurse kept telling us that there was a place for us to stay for free at the hospital during radiation. That was one of the main reasons that I felt we could do this. They told us every time. I asked about it because we MUST know if this is really available for us or not. The nurse told me repeatedly that although there is a tiny chance we wouldn't get it, they had never had anyone turned away yet. They probably thought I was a pest, but I asked about it every time I called. The answer was always the same. It is for you, it is free, it is available.

Call me a skeptic, but I really wanted a little more guarantee than that. I had to call the social worker about what to keep track of for someday if Justin can get on disability, and so I brought it up with her to see if we could "sign up".
"Oh, no, that is not available for you. That place is just for people with stage 4 cancer going through radiation," she said sweetly.
"Dr What's his name and Nurse So-and-so told me that it was OK." I said.
"Well, they would like it to be, but it is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and they have strict regulations about who stays. Justin just isn't sick enough."

So now we are planning for over 6 weeks in a hotel. Thankfully the hospital rates are a lot lower than retail, so that helps. But it is a little overwhelming on paper.

I want to keep Justin happy and healthy. I don't want to have to worry him with unexpected things or "impossible" situations. So we really don't spend much time talking about HOW, just when and what.

I am encouraging Justin to write his book while we are there. He has an action/adventure novel in his head...he needs to put it on paper and get it published. It is very exciting and draws you in right away. I have read sections can't wait to read the whole thing, even though I know how it ends!