Two Years and Another Ogre

I might sound like a broken record, but that’s not going to stop me from saying on behalf of Mom, Dad and the entire family, thank you! Thank you for loving and supporting all of us through this two year journey...two years...Mom has been battling brain cancer and it’s side effects for two years. For those of you who have been journeying with us since the beginning of this dreaded diagnosis, thank you! And for those of you who have just joined us in the most recent weeks, thank you! We appreciate each and every one of you. Having you all behind us is a gift from God. Your cards, prayers, gifts, hugs, understanding smiles, listening ears, yummy meals, and unconditional support has been incredible! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Mom is not without tears when she starts thinking about what all everyone has done for her and dad, (and us). Thank you for being a part of warming her heart with overwhelming gratitude. Your acts of love are humbling and treasured by all of us. This has been a part of mom’s life for two years. (Talk about being a broken record! Geesh!) I think I keep repeating it because the reality of it all is hard to swallow at times, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been without blessings and laughter and smiles and joy. Since the last post we have had many cherished times that we celebrated together. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, numerous grandchildren’s birthdays, and not to forget Mom’s birthday. But nestled in amongst all these merry occasions were the constant, routine, often dreaded doctor appointments, another mind-zapping seizure, and some awful news. The kind of news that leaves a knot in the pit of your stomach and a lump in your throat. The latest routine MRI confirmed what the one prior was suspicious of. Another tumor, the same kind of glioblastoma ogre is growing in mom’s brain. Once another tumor has entered the picture, things are different; treatment, if any, is different. The fact of the matter is, there aren’t many options for round two. There’s no protocol like when we were hit with the news the first time. Now any further treatment warrants an appointment at UPENN. There we will start the process to see if she is eligible for any trials. If she can get into a trial, then a decision must be made as to whether or not to pursue it. Pray for mom and dad (and all of us) as we navigate the decisions that are ahead of us. In the meantime, life will continue as normal. Dad will be working, making money to restock the snack pantry and tasty beverage fridge. These two food groups dwindle fast when we are let loose in their home all week. Which implies that, yes, us girls along with most all of the grandchildren will continue to spend our days staying with Mom and their two four-legged furry friends while Dad is away. And Mom will receive the infusions every other week like usual where I’m positive she will continue to amuse us and everyone at the cancer institute with that wit, sarcasm, and spunk of hers.

The past few weeks have certainly been some tough ones for sure. It seems that the highs we’ve experienced over the past two years only make the lows that much tougher. But God remains faithful. He has allowed us to walk through another difficult valley of emotions only to once again draw us closer to Him. As we lean on Him for support it’s then that we find joy and peace and are reminded that we are here not for ourselves but to glorify Him. Pray for us as we are continually seeking to do that through this trial. We are not always sure how and fail at times, but our desire to honor Him still remains. As I leave you with this latest update, I do not want you to be disheartened but encouraged. I want to tell you what an incredible Mammy and Pap my parents are. There's more to their "grandparent grandeur" than the extra refrigerator they keep fully stocked with sodas and juice pouches, or the overabundance of snack foods the children are encouraged to feast on. These spoil-factors just scratch the surface of their greatness....I’m not sure what you expect someone to do once the news has been confirmed that the blip on their MRI is in fact a deadly brain tumor, but I can tell you what my parents do. They go to their granddaughter's first ever dance recital. That’s correct, directly from the neurosurgeon's office they went and watched their granddaughter dance. You can imagine the cuteness that is to be had on stage at a dance recital performed by 3 through 6 year olds who just completed a mere one week of dance camp. Yes, it was adorableness overload. But in saying that, then you also understand that given the magnitude of the news that had just been confirmed, verses the splendor of the event at hand, by all means, excused them from any commitment they may have felt to attend. But that didn’t hinder them. They were there and present; smiling, clapping and posing for pictures with their granddaughter. And again, that evening when us daughters and my aunt and uncle found ourselves in their home discussing the details of the latest news, it wasn't just a time of sadness and heaviness like you might imagine, but instead, happiness was in the air. We are human so of course we cried and the conversation was weighty at times, but more than that we laughed for most of our time together. And not just little chuckles. We were bending over in laughter and trying to catch our breath between outbursts of hilarity all the while wiping tears from our cheeks that had developed from all the amusement. I thought for sure someone was going to pee their pants. (To dad's delight our bladders remained faithful.) The reason for the gathering may have been a difficult one, but the evening was still a good time. My mother has always been one to smile and laugh through tough emotions and that night was no different. I don't know if she realizes how much that influences those around her; it always has, but especially through this time. She is a witty lady with a big sense of humor and an even greater will, and it's in the moments of these past few days (and years) that I have been reminded what a gift that can be.

God is holding us all and sitting with us in this valley! The dance recital and evening spent together are just a couple examples out of many that exemplifies the strength and peace God is bestowing on Mom and Dad. What a mighty God we serve!

Your prayers are more than appreciated. Please be praying for all of us along with complete healing for Mom. But in your prayers also praise God for the many blessings He continues to give us and the strength He is pouring into us.

Blessings!

~Jenna

The dance recital...

Celebrating Fathers Day. If you are thinking they are up to something silly, why then you guessed correctly. (What happens at Pap's Fathers Day parties stays at Pap's Fathers Day parties.)

Celebrating Mom's Birthday. She is showing off her grandma brag gift. It's a "Mammy" keychain with each of her grandchildren represented by a charm that has their first initial.