Requiem For Guido

Hello Once Again,
 
                It has been a while since my last update but there is an excellent reason for this. I have been too busy with Sherri back home now to put out an email saying that Sherri is back home now. But now we are getting our routine down and I can take a moment to tell you that Sherri is out of the hospital and back home now. But you already knew that, didn’t you?
 
                Sherri has been home for a few days and she is doing well. There is still round-the-clock meds and care and little difficulties here and there, but she is home and now home is home once again. There have been bumps along the road and the occasional scary moment, but the difficulties were details (which we straightened out) and the big picture is very promising indeed. Sherri’s surgery continues to perform brillinatly and all prognostic indications are quite positive.
 
                Flash: Sherri is eating food now as well. Basically she can eat anything she wants… she just can’t eat much of it. She is working to build her strength and control her discomfort and I have to say that your generous cards and thoughts have been instrumental in both. We thank you most sincerely.
 
                Another thing I wanted to share (since several have asked) is the origin of the moniker “Guido.” Many of you know and some have surmised that “Guido” is the name Sherri gave to her tumor. As my therapy friends would put it, naming the tumor is an attempt to externalize the problem. The surgery, of course, is a much more active attempt to externalize the problem. She chose the name “Guido” because we were watching the hit HBO Original series “The Sopranos” at the time of the original diagnosis, so “Guido” sprung to mind. It is interesting to note that “Guido” was actually the second (and more anthropomorphized) name for the tumor. The first name was “PITBL” (pronounced Pit-Bull).  PITBL is an acronym Sherri devised to reflect her original symptom; Pain In The Bra Line. And if you know Sherri, you know that’s a LOT of pain!   :)
 
                On her first day back we were watching a documentary about the legacy of The Godfather movies. At one point Sherri turned to me and said “We’ve come full circle.” I asked her what she meant and she said, “We watched The Sopranos for the naming of Guido and now we’re watching The Godfather knowing he was just rubbed out!” Full circle indeed.
 
                I get some of my best material from Sherri. I’ve learned a lot about healthy couples from Sherri, and many of my clients have benefitted from her wisdom (though sadly, confidentiality prevents her enjoying this). Sherri simply engenders that magical quality of knowing just what to say. For instance, when I tell her how grateful I am that she’s home and how I believe she’s the best partner there could ever be, she smiles and says, “We’re tied for first, sweetheart!”
 
                But I think my favorite Sherri line to date remains: “I do!”
 
                She’s doing well and I’m doing well as well. Thank you all once again for your kindness and caring and love. More updates to come.
 
Yours in love and gratitude,
 
H&SW