Like Sands Through the Hour Glass

It has been 1 year since Joe took a chemo treatment....a whole year! In this past year he has gone on 2 fishing trips, served on 2 Emmaus weekends, bought and started raising a new puppy....he kept the house going, had a fence installed, bought a rental house and actually did a ton of work on the house himself. He split and stacked the wood for the wood stove and became "super grandpa" and babysat Elizabeth's kids once a week. It was so easy to put his illness behind us. The only reminders came when we had to go to NY for his check ups. Every time we heard, "3 more months", we were thrilled beyond belief. In our hearts he was cured and this was all behind us. Then in June I noticed he was tiring more easily. In July he was having difficulty going up and down the stairs and in August his belly was filling up with fluid again.
 We have been back to NY three times in the past six weeks trying to find an answer. Hoping for reassurance that "it's nothing" and "go home and take 3 more months".  Unfortunately that is not the case. He is full of ascites (fluid in the belly).  Elethia tried to drain it using his ports but nothing. We had no choice but to see the surgeon and he was the one that confirmed our suspicions. 
  All of a sudden the hour glass is back and the sand is running again. Did it ever stop....of course not. We all have an hour glass with the sand running....each one of us will come to the end of our time hear on earth. But I can tell you it is one thing to know this and another thing  altogether to have your hour glass set on the table in front of you.
 The amazing wonderful thing is that he has long out lived all predictions. We really do count our blessings. Does this mean we just pack up our crayons, grab the hour glass and go home? Hell...NO! We want more....selfishly we want more. More sand...more time. So we keep fighting. We are however running out of options. When the surgeon uses the words..."it causes me anxiety to think about cutting into you again" you know you are coming to the end of your options. Thank the Lord he didn't say no and is going to go in and attempt to reposition the ports. Those ports serve two purposes....it takes the chemo in but more importantly it drains the fluid out. With a belly full of fluid Joe can't breath well and most importantly to him...he can't eat. Quality of life goes down hill rapidly.
 So, here we go again.....come along please!