Hello Merry. I am very happy you replied and thank you for the hug.

I empathize with you regarding "another cancerous lesion." Hugs mean a lot. Being the office manager for my Psychologist husband, I know hugs feel good because our patients looked forward every week to their hugs from me; especially the children. I miss those interactions.

25 years of cancer! You are amazing! All I ever hear about is 5 years and you are gone. Mayo Clinic is fortunate to have you as a mentor. I will pay attention and listen.

Yes, indeed, living in the desert has its challenges. I live in a rural area north of Yucca Valley. Most of the homes here are on large acreage, and filled with us old folks. My home is on 77-1/2 acres and the house, which my husband and I built 20 years ago, is at the top of a hill with a million dollar view. I really would like to stay living here.

When Covid came along, all the community organizations, including the senior center, closed and most people took shelter in their homes. The transportation to hospitals and doctors outside of Yucca Valley is non-existent. I am relying on a neighbor to help me with transportation. But ... he has ADHD and forgets, is unorganized, and unreliable. My Cardiologist has helped with appointments over the phone. It is a predicament.

The local hospital (Hi Desert Hospital) has scooped up the ambulances for themselves and emergency patients can ONLY go to High Desert Hospital (Tenet run) by paying them off along with the nurses in the hospital. The hospital would not keep my husband in the main part of the hospital for more than three days and wanted to move him to their nursing home, which at the time was inundated with Covid patients. We said no and took to Home Care with a Home Care agency, which didn't work out too well, they didn't show up half the time. So, when my husband got bad, it was off to the emergency room, stay three days, and then home. He went back and forth 3 times. Bridge Home Care came (we changed home care nurses) and the nurse examined him and said we needed to get him to Eisenhower Hospital some how. So we put him in my neighbor's SUV and took him to Eisenhower (1-1/2 hours away), where we were met by Eisenhower staff and they said they wouldn't take him because he came in a SUV and not an ambulance. My neighbor, the ADHD guy, who is a retired Fire Chief gave him a few words and the hospital took my husband, where he died.

Now back to my situation. So, you are saying that I really only need someone after the surgery until I feel confident that I can do it alone. Would care after surgery be 24/7 or will care like Bridge work (one hour visits 3 x week?) How many days does the hospital keep the patient?

Oh, my Labrador would go to his trainer until I was able to take him back. Bruce and the 14 chickens would be fed by my my other neighbor, who by the way is recovering from liver and bladder cancer surgeries.

This is so overwhelming. I find it best to keep busy, go on walks with my Lab and just keep moving. How do you cope?

Thank you for your response. I truly appreciate it.

Elizabeth