For many of you who have seen me perform,  you know that it's a common sight to see a beautiful, white haired lady sitting in the audience looking very proud.   That, of course,  is my mom.   When I first started playing out,  I was nervous,  and maybe even a little embarrassed to have her there all the time.  She didn't care.  By God,  she bought my first guitar and she was going to go listen to me play.   In time,  I grew to appreciate,  and in fact have been very honored to have her come to so many of my shows. 

 Three years ago,  the doctors found a lesion on her liver.   It was in fact, confirmed to be cancer.    There were a number of things they could try,  but they told us the best they could hope to do was slow things down.   There is no cure for liver cancer.    Doctors are reluctant to put a time table on anything,  but they said that the average life expectancy for a patient from the time of diagnosis is about six months.   If you've had the good fortune to meet my mom,  you know that she is anything but average.  Three years later,  she is still with us.  

A friend said to me that she was diagnosed so long ago that we've kind of gotten used to her living with cancer.  Sadly, things have started to get real.  She spent some time in the hospital,  and we were finally told that really all that's left is to try to keep her comfortable for as long as we can.

Mom decided that her own home is where she wants to be.   We brought her home and got her set up for home hospice care.   There will be visiting nurses to help keep her comfortable,  but for the most part,  my brother and sisters and I will be her primary care givers.    One sister and I are living with her,  and the others all live close by.     Just one night at home has already made a world of difference in her spirits.   The goal of the hospice care is to give her more good days like this.    For how long,  we don't know.   Our energies are better concentrated on enjoying the moment we're in than worrying about the moments to come.

 I've told you all of that,  in order to tell you this:  My family,  including my mom,  have reminded me that I will need to maintain some semblance of a normal life.   That includes going to work.    I've got some gigs coming up.   I'm just not sure I'll be at all of them.   The plain truth is that my mind may very well be elsewhere.   As things change with my mom's condition,  I may need to cancel on some short notice.    Fortunately,  I have a network of amazing friends who have offered to cover for me whenever I need it.   I'm more than confident that if you show up someplace thinking you're going to see Steve West and somebody else is there,  you won't be disappointed with the show you get.   

Thank you for all the kind words of support,  and the prayers on behalf of my mom and my family.   

Steve