Looking at liver failure, and can't find the words.

You guys are the best! I'm in the middle of my second cycle with Gemzar/Carboplatin, and, whew, is it kicking my fanny. It's doing the number on the cancer cells too, so I shouldn't complain too much.

However, I am looking forward to the day when I can go to the restroom without breathing heavily, and having to plan the expedition up the stairs at night.

Has anyone splashed out and gotten those stair chairs? I imagine they are very expensive, but it would be nice to have access to the upstairs again. We have a small place, and all the bedrooms are upstairs. I'm lucky we have a half bath downstairs, otherwise I'd have to camp out upstairs.

Also, a shout out to my amazing spouse. They have taken on all my chores, their job, and are a pro at being my nursemaid. Today, they are balancing several important work meetings, getting my inert self to chemo, and working on a super big project for the blessed job with the great insurance. How lucky am I? Well, besides the cancer and all that.

I fear they are going to hit a compassion fatigue wall, so I need to get some help in. That is the downside of living very far away from family. Have any of you managed to find meal and household help outside of the family/friends network? I have two besties. One has severe MS, and the other is taking care of her Dad with dementia. I used to be able to help them, and they are in no situation to come help me. Our local cancer resource center doesn't really focus on pragmatic daily needs for cancer patients. They do a good job in support groups, and have a lovely wig boutique, but when I asked them if they had a resource list of trusted cleaners, they really didn't know what I was talking about.

Onward. Upward.

After making me go through getting a letter from MO to prove that I had cancer, it took them a few weeks to tell me that they had no partnership in our town.

It was a disappointment, and I felt that - maybe - they could have told me straightaway before I had to bug MO's office staff for an atypical letter. But, I have been feeling fussy lately, so they were probably just lovely.

It is a grand idea, but they are constrained by having to get a local cleaning service to agree to partner up with them. Where I live has an awesomely low unemployment rate, so I'll bet their reimbursements were too low for the local cleaners, who could all go out and get higher paying jobs if they so chose. For example, I've been pricing cleaners, and the average hourly rate is $35 for a single person. I'm cool with it, as I'm a living wage advocate, but it does keep me out of the marketplace as much as I would like.