A trip back home

I will be back home in Illinois the next few days. As Jenn noted on her blog, my mother spent the weekend in the hospital. She has been diagnosed with cancer in her shoulder and breast. The doctors have determined that this is a type of cancer that can be controlled by restricting her body's supply of estrogen, so they have given her pills for that purpose. They hope that this approach will be sufficient, and that additional treatment, such as chemotherapy and/or radiation, will not be necessary. Mom is tired, but in otherwise good spirits. I had been planning this trip anyway, as I have tickets to a Cardinals game Saturday, but this makes my visit a more serious occasion. Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers, and I'll see you in a few days.