June 26

At Julie’s second radiation appointment, Julie and I receive some good news. 

“She looks much better,” the oncologist says. “Her face was swollen and puffy before and now it’s not. She had a UTI before, and that looks better too. She seems active and peppy.”


“Okay, great,” I say. 


I’m careful not to get too optimistic. 


That was a few days ago now. And today, she seems, well, she seems okay. She spends about three hours on my lap as I enjoy a long mid-afternoon couch snooze, sleeping off some day drinking. She eats in the morning. She takes her medicine without much complaint. And right now, I’m sitting on the couch watching a movie, and she’s rubbing her face against my feet. 


But for the stains on her face, I might believe everything is normal. 


Perhaps it is. Maybe she’s getting better? 


I can’t let myself think this way. It’s too dangerous. 


Let’s just say it was a good day, and leave it at that. 

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