Friday, November 14, 2014

Purely Personal

If you've been reading this blog since the middle of 2007, you might remember that Judy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that year.  This blog is pretty much my escape from that struggle, so I haven't written much about it here.  That's why you might not know that a couple of years ago, Judy was diagnosed with a secondary cancer, sarcoma.  Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the type Judy as is incurable, but it can be sort of controlled.  Sarcoma is another matter.  It's life-threatening.  

Judy has been through more kinds of chemo than I can count, some of them harrowing, not to mention radiation treatments.  She's been poked and prodded and X-rayed and CT scanned and MRIed and PET scanned.  She's handled all of this with the grace and dignity that those of you who know here would expect.

Things haven't been all that well for her the last few weeks, and I'm writing this in a hospital room at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.  Judy was admitted yesterday.  She has several things wrong, and the doctors don't seem to have a clue as to why.  They don't even know if the problem is the sarcoma, the lymphoma, or both.  This means testing and more testing.  Meanwhile Judy feels terrible.

I'm not writing this to ask for sympathy.  I just wanted to let you know what the situation was.  I'm going to keep up the blog as best I can, since I don't have much else to do in this hospital room, but posting might get light or even disappear.  If it does, you'll know why.

I probably won't mention this again for a while unless something goes really wrong or really well.  Thanks for letting me get this off my chest, and from now on the blog will be back to its normally cheery self.


21 comments:

Dan said...

I know all our thoughts & prayers are with you. Just know that you have a lot of folks out here who love you & your work

Gerard Saylor said...

Nuts. My best wishes for Judy, you, and the rest of the family.

Jerry House said...

You and Judy are both in our thoughts and prayers. Stay strong.

Tom Johnson said...

Our prayers are with all of the family, and God Bless Judy for going through so much. My wife lost both her sisters before they reached their 50th birthdays to cancer. Chemo was hard on them. We'll keep your family in our prayers.

Anonymous said...

As always we are thinking of you and Judy every single day and hoping things get better.

Jeff ( & Jackie)

Kathy said...

Judy is in the care of one of the best hospitals in the world. I should know; they saved my life against all odds.
Thinking of both of you during this difficult time. My best to you both.

Deb said...

Oh Bill, I'm so sorry about Judy's situation. You are both in my prayers and thoughts. Take care.

Fred Blosser said...

You and Judy have our best wishes. Tough people always trump tough times.

Rick Ollerman said...

I'm so sorry to hear this. Somebody just mentioned you at Bouchercon today. I hope that things get better for you and Judy.

Matthew said...

I'll be praying for you.

Randy Johnson said...

You are in our thoughts. Get well soon Judy.

mybillcrider said...

Thanks, everybody. We're hanging in as best we can.

Anonymous said...

Your family is in our thoughts and prayers...Kathy and Larry Custer

Anonymous said...

Your blog has been a wonderful source of solace and joy. I am so sorry for the latest info on Judy (I almost feel as I know her, and you, a real tribute to your writing). Please take care and know that you have touched many of us and we wish you all the best.

Rick Robinson said...

I have so many things crossed - fingers, legs, toes, arms, legs, eyes, ears, ...) that I'm the human pretzel, all in hopes things go well (pun intended). I hope Barbara untangles me in time for lunch, I need a chili dog. So do you.

God bless you both.

Rick & Barbara

lastromantic49 said...

My most sincere and healing thoughts and prayers for both of you, Bill.

Vann said...

You all are in prayers. God bless.

Todd Mason said...

As you know, you never need to apologize for this kind of post, and we're glad that this wonderful blog serves such a purpose for you even as it entertains and educates those of us lucky enough to see it...so terribly sorry for what's happening to Judy, and hoping hard your next bulletin will be the best possible news.

You, yourself, are sterling evidence that people are indeed not too bad, and your family give further evidence. May all things improve for all of you.

Cap'n Bob said...

That you've been able to continue this blog, and write, during this terrible and trying time is a testament to your strength as I know you're devastated by what you and Judy have had to endure. All of us here wish you both the very best and hope that the doctors have one more miracle in their bag of tricks.

James Reasoner said...

We're really pulling for both of you from up here. This disease has taken too much from too many. It really needs to go down to defeat this time.

Graham Powell said...

I'm very sorry to hear about this. I'll keep you in my prayers.