Sundial, I wish that I had some words that could bring you comfort, but sometimes life is just rotten.
My mother had breast cancer and I have been there through the season of life where she was fighting and was exhausted from radiation. I know how difficult it is to be strong for a parent on the outside when on the inside we are so much like children used to relying on our parents for strength. I know the helpless feelings that go with finding words to comfort a mother with cancer. I am the type of person that is extremely out of my element when it comes to anything medical related - I have anxiety about hospitals and medical related issues. Compound that with any movie that I had ever seen about someone with cancer leaving an impression about how horrible of an experience it is and I was one extremely scared individual.
I hope that as you travel she will have the strength and that you will have time to talk about the important things in life.
I will keep you both in prayer, I know of your confident faith and your heart. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do.