Bad news

got some very bad news yesterday (while i was at work on this increased terror alert project, to make matters worse).

ss (my "dc dad") has acute leukemia and it's apparently progressing fast. i have almost no information - he called while i was at work and talked to g. for a few minutes, but g. was kind of shocked and flustered and didn't really ask some of the questions i would have - like just how serious is this. however, he did say he was starting chemo asap and that they were rushing to "get their affairs in order" before he's checked in, which doesn't sound good. he told g. he has been sleeping 20 hours a day, and g. said he sounded exhausted.

the worst part is, about a month ago we saw him and he was super tired and wasn't eating or doing much, and he said he thought it was part of his permanent infirmity due to polio (which he lives with every day). he had been at a s. reunion and on his feet all weekend, which is bad for him in any case, and he thought he had just overdone it. so i am worried that he just ignored the symptoms for awhile because he thought it was just overexertion... and the stuff i've read on the web says if you don't get treatment right away, it can be very fast-moving and very likely fatal.

i am totally crushed by this, and in a way it's worse because i don't really know what is going on. i've asked pm to keep me posted, but i'm not a family member so keeping little me informed is probably a pretty low priority.

anyway- the week is not off to a great start.

(excerpted from an email to mj)