From bad to worse..

Today the only thing I got accomplished was a much needed grocery store run. The last week has been odd.

My parents are the type of people that won't ask for help. Not sure if it is pride or the way they were raised. Over the years my Dad has asked me for a major favor twice-major for him, not me. Once I bought him a pair of glasses when he was short on money and one time I picked him up when his car broke down.

He calls me last week and tells me that my Mother has a tumor-nothing major he says. From knowing how he is, I keep badgering him for more information. Nothing. Then I keep calling and badgering and finally get out of him that it is cancerous, but nothing major, its localized and the surgery will be a snap. Once again I keep badgering him. Nothing. Even my Mother won't budge.

Finally I get the whole story out of him (or so I thought). He tells me that it hasn't spread but the doctors want them to go to MD Anderson in Houston, just in case he says. We live in a town where people move here just to be near our wonderful medical centers, hospitals, cancer centers etc., so I know something is up.

Today I finally hear from my Sister. She called our Grandfather and he told her that the cancer has spread to bone and lymph. This we didn't know. Now I've got to try to badger more out of my Dad which won't be easy.

The harder part will be to get him to realize that there is support out there, money wise. They aren't wealthy and my Mothers insurance has lapped. So tomorrow, armed with my internet search printouts of all the information I found, I'm going to go get to the bottom of this and try to convince them that sometimes you just have to accept help.