I'm so sad for you, Petunia. My appendix burst and I wasn't able to see my T for a long while too during a very stressful time for me and had to miss several sessions for 4-5 months. I just stored up all the "stories" to tell her when I saw her. I still use her advice when we terminated a year or two later, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other." :-)

I hope everything goes well with her surgery, chemo, and treatment. One of my best friends is a psychotherapist and had breast cancer and she's quite fine now 10-15 years later.

A book that might help you feel better (I find it very warm and hopeful) is Rachel Naomi Remen's Kitchen Table Wisdom. It's one of my favorite books I've ever read.