Marathon Week

(My Aunt and I had the pleasure of taking Mom to four of her appointments together this past week, but this picture was taken at Mom's previous Infusion appointment. On this particular day we hit the jack-pot with Mom's treatment being scheduled during patient appreciation week, so we got cake! They must have known it is one of Mom's favorite foods!)

Mom had a marathon of a week, and came out a champion! Including her biweekly lab work and infusion treatment, she completed a total of five appointments in a mere 24 hours. Besides the two already mentioned, she saw her Neurologist, Oncologist, and Neurosurgeon.

No worries, though, nothing new is going on that brought about this marathon of appointments; it's just part of normal life for Mom. A new norm for what's been almost a year now. It's a blessing, though. Even though Mom anticipates these particular appointment days to be over, we are blessed to have them. God has us in an area with so many great medical experts just around the corner; so, yes, this is normal and a blessing. And on this particular week we were blessed with the presence of some very intelligent, yet ever-so-kind and caring minds all in a days time.

We must be getting more comfortable in these settings because Melanie and I thought it perfectly fine, and would even go as far as to say, a fun time, to bring our youngest children along to meet the brain surgeon. And might I add, they did amazing. The kids that is. And in case you were wondering, it was indeed fun for almost everyone involved. Like many grandparents seem to say, it's wonderful to spend time with their grandchildren but nice to see them go. Mom may have been feeling this with an extra dose of passion during this particular time, rightly so. But, again, the kiddos did great. The fact is, the sanitary paper on the exam table was a bit dull and needed to be decorated with some doodles, and don't forget the fun that can be had under this fine piece of furniture...tiny, undersized cubicles make a perfect play area! And when a one year old needs a nap, but instead they are with you waiting to see a Neurosurgeon, holding them upside down to make them giggle is protocol. Oh, and you don't dare argue with a three year old who can't part with his cherished, battery operated, 30 phrase-speaking Buzz Lightyear toy, so you let him bring it along. Buzz was quick to voice his opinions about the situation, and it was obvious that it was his first time...

"I am Buzz Lightyear. I come in peace."

"I've crashed landed on a strange planet."

"Right now we are on the edge of the galaxy!"

"The air is breathable and there seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere."

"Do you know these life forms?"

"I'll tell you, I could fly around this room with my eyes closed."

"All quiet. Nothing to report" Thankfully Buzz was silent when the doctor entered, and although the tiny toy was a bit dramatic about the situation, Buzz was spot-on with his last comment. "All quiet. Nothing to report." All three doctors echoed one another in stating that there has been little to no change since the last MRI. This is good news given that the last report was very good. So praise the Lord with us. Now this doesn't mean that there aren't daily struggles for Mom. There are plenty and her confusion tops the list. It can get the best of her at times. So please continue to keep her in your prayers as she struggles through this, and continue to praise God for the strength He is giving each of us, especially Mom, as we go through this trial together. _______________________________________________________________________________________ On a side note, we are excited to celebrate mom's birthday with her this weekend. Her birthday is July 3rd. I invite you to send her a birthday card or message her a birthday wish and we will pass it along to her. With her birthday approaching, I can't help but remember celebrating with her last year without getting a bit choked-up. Don't get me wrong, it was a good time, but she wasn't feeling well that day and was just off. Little did we know this was foreshadowing events of what was going to unfold in a months time. Reflecting on this, I also can't help but think about how God has carried us through the past 11 months, and I am again reminded of what a mighty God we serve. Praise His name!